But Bush, who led a blithe life, didn't care to seek them out. As is typical of other-directed people, he tried to insulate himself from new and threatening ideas. There is some evidence that, as a people, we either don't care or may even consider intellect a hindrance. By contrast, there's no evidence that, while at Harvard, FDR availed himself of the wisdom of William James, George Santayana, or Josiah Royce. So performance in school, by itself, is no assurance of presidential aptitude.
People can grow.
Indeed, judging from his grades, at least, Gore grew between high school and college. Even as governor of Texas, he has been known as a man with more baseballs in his office than books. As late as this spring, his performance in primary debates revealed only the most scant familiarity with issues of national importance. Republicans, as a by-product of their worship of Ronald Reagan, have convinced themselves that intellectual engagement in a president is a sign of weakness. But they were wrong then, and they are even more wrong now.