I thank George W. Bush for making this book possible. Had he not given ethics such prominence in his presidency, there would have been nothing to write about. Beyond that prerequisite, however, there are many others who have contributed to the book. Campbell Goodloe Hackett and Diego von Vacano provided excellent research assistance. I couldn’t wish for a better critic than Brent Howard, who read the draft with great care and suggested numerous improvements, as well as additional sources of information. Simon Keller, Jeff McMahan and Agata Sagan also gave me valuable suggestions. For taking the time to answer specific queries, I thank Jim Grote, Dale Jamieson, Paul Kurtz and David Luban.
I have discussed questions about the sanctity of human life with my students at Princeton University, and have learned from many of them, but from none as much as from Michael Kimberly, who researched these issues with a thoroughness that is rare in undergraduate work, even at Princeton. The faculty and 2003–04 visiting fellows of the Center for Human Values gave me further useful feedback when I presented part of the book at one of our Center’s seminars. I am particularly grateful to Anthony Appiah, who presented a critical response on that occasion. I also drew on the book for my 2003 Lewis Burke Frumkes Lecture at New York University, and again benefited from the ensuing discussion.
My sources are listed at the back of this book, and they include many who have worked hard to construct informative websites about the Bush presidency, from whitehouse.gov down. But I must mention ‘Jerry Politix’ of bushwatch.org whose daily e-mails notify me of articles about Bush appearing in the media. Thanks, Jerry, and all those who assist you, for the free public service you provide.
I thank Princeton University for providing me with the leave during which this book was written. During part of this leave I had congenial working conditions in the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne, and I am grateful to Tony Coady and Graham Priest for making this possible.
I owe a special debt to Kathy Robbins, my agent, for encouraging me to proceed with this book, and finding the right publisher for it. And finally, I thank my editor at Dutton, Ryan Harbage, who has always been wonderfully enthusiastic about the book, while retaining sufficient detachment to keep a keen eye on ways in which it can be improved.