Some addtional opinions:
"Tabs" is to the point - most post WWII president's come from middle socio-economic classes. Roosevelt, Kennedy, and the Bush's are exceptions. The rule of thumb in electoral politics used to be it was hard to convince voters a rich candidate could have the regular voters interests at heart. Roosevelt and Kennedy changed that. BushI moved to Texas to improve his national electability for that reason. I don't really think BushII loves NASCAR.
All Pres's are above average IQ - in the 115 and up range - in my WAG. Dumb people just don't get other people to help them run things or run for things. Observing Darwinian principles in human interaction leads me to this conclusion. BushII is therefore not dumb. If he makes use of the advantages handed him - who among us wouldn't?
Different presidents have different skill sets. Bush is just not high verbal person, that's all. He IS (IMHO and not writing as a supporter) a brilliant political strategist and tactician. He also has exceptional marketing skills. He is extremely focused in a multi-tasking world. This is an advantage for him. Sometimes.
Anyway - Bush used and "sold" the intelligence he had to "market" a strategic position - to spread and introduce democracy into the ME as a means of controlling Islamic fundamentalism (Wahhabi and Hezbollah) and maintaining American imperial economic interests. BushII's most telling remark is "the American people won't buy that" when speaking privately about WMD intelligence. Supporting democratic regime change instead of authoritarian stability represents a 180 degree shift in traditional American foriegn policy. Probably a good thing in the long run and ironically a position created by the liberal wing of the DEM party in the 60's. Maybe all that marijuana induced propaganda worked, after all.
It will be interesting to see how we react when/if a internationally recognized democratic election puts an Islamic theocracy in power through the ballot box. Perhaps Algeria will be the model in that case. If the Cold War is a measure - it will be a long battle and is not near over.