Story Behind The Story 2010-03-03

Reviewer: James A. Hatherley

There are nearly 500 reviews posted on "Game Change" at this point with an average of 3 stars - pretty ordinary. My sense is that this is not a fair reading of the book. Some reviews are low because the readers loathe Obama. Others point out the strong liberal/Democrat bias and are stingy with their stars. Obama lovers, conversely, are very quick to apply 5 stars and would add more given the opportunity. Still others more objectively attempt to point out that the book covers little new ground or add anything that has not already been reported on the news.

OK - got it. However, as an ardent non supporter of Obama and the Democrats, I want to provide a positive review of "Game Change."

First of all, why should you read this book since you already know the ending? To answer that you might ask yourself first , "why did I pay $10 to see "Titanic", after all, the boat sinks and even Hollywood could not change that ending. Secondly, you might ask why you need two guys from the New York Times to tell you how the election was won. Good point, but then again, why do you listen to the color commentator while watching a football game?

Let's face it, most of the people who read "Game Change" are political junkies, cable news viewers who devour internet sites for the latest political stories. We love this stuff. And this is what the authors tap into, albeit with a heavy Democrat slant. This is primarily a book about Obama (mainly) and Clinton. Sarah Palin is not even mentioned until 75% of the way through. McCain is portrayed pretty pathetically. Frankly, this is little different from the formula of the book that I first read 50 years ago, "The Making of a President" (which "Game Change" rips off) in describing the election primarily from the campaign of JFK.

The authors cannot change the facts, however unsavory to many of us, but they do provide significant background detail. We learn that Obama is ambitious and determined, but often indecisive and profane. We learn that Clinton and McCain had a very low regard for Obama and see him as an unserious skimmer. Palin is panned from pillar to post in a way that is hard to imagine how she can recover.

But is the book accurate? Having read "The Politician" about the campaign of John Edwards, the facts are identical. Edwards deservedly gets pounded in both books. But at least he is mentioned. Romney, Huckabee, Thompson, et als. rate scarcely a mention.

We have all heard the authors reciting excerpts across the cable stations. Biden's indiscretions are routinely mentioned. Comments about the light skinned/non black sounding Obama made by Harry Reid have been widely reported.

However, the real story behind the story is the lack of serious candidates running for President!

The authors do not go into any analysis on this, but to me the deduction is clear. Why is Obama the President of the United States, given his limited experience? The answers seem simple - there was nobody with any kind of National recognition and achievement formidable enough to win. Hillary Clinton comes across as angry and entitled. Her husband is given too much attention, and it is mainly negative (and makes you wonder why he was elected in the first place). Edwards is appropriately presented as shallow and self centered. Biden steps on his tongue too frequently etc. On the Republican side, most candidates are not even worthy of comment. However, there is plenty to say about McCain and it is not positive. He is a weak candidate who may not even had sufficient interest in being President.

In other words, had voters been able to see behind the same curtains as the authors, we would have demanded a postponement of the election until a real adult was encouraged to run. To me, that is the story behind the story that needs to be fixed. "Game Change" does not say it, but I am inferring that ambition can no longer be the sole qualification of a candidate. We need far more depth of experience, and character, than any of the candidates in the last election showed.

So, why i am giving 4 stars to "Game Change"? If you can read between the lines, it will make you think.

Best new book I've read. 2010-03-03

Reviewer: Cady Alyn Thiel

I could not put this book down even though I knew the ending! Wonderful detail, smartly written, read it in a few days (very unlike me as I only read when going to sleep).

Back of the game 2010-03-03

Reviewer: Lynda Swartz

Interesting reading when in a power outage. Back room deals and the dirty little tricks. No wonder sane people don't run for office.

vasluvspolitics 2010-03-03

Reviewer: V. Sanders

Received book in timely matter. Great details if want to know the political back drop to the 2008 presidential campaign. Appreciated the 2 author's perspectives. Highly recommend! A good read that will generate good discussion.

the ultimate game... 2010-03-03

Reviewer: Allen E. Bender

This is a great book that reads like Page Six of the NY Post the whole way through from start to finish! I highly recommend it if you enjoy the rough and tumble of politics in America today...