Is Bush really a pawn? Is he so weak willed that he lets his advisors push him around? I'll admit that he definitely doesn't come across as in control on things as Clinton did (though I didn't pay as much attention to such things then), but could that be a deft political move? When the Administration does/says something kinda screwball, there's others there to take the flack. When they do something right, Bush is up in front taking the credit. Is he a pawn, or is he a player?

He's the front.

I think it's more along the lines of strong willed and that makes it easier to manipulate him by pushing the right buttons. Strong willed people are more predictable. Weak willed people wander too much which makes them unpredictable.