Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

Game Change is a great read. Regardless of who you voted for or supported, Game Change is a book worth reading. Exposing the behind the scenes events of the major Democratic and Republican players with a keen eye towards the details, conversations and motives, Halpern and Heilemann deftly provide an insiders view to the reader. This is one of those "can't put down" books that you will most likely finish within 48 hours of starting. Whether you are politically oriented or not, Game Change is well worth reading - and an added benefit is you'll have a better eye for what is happening in upcoming elections based on the insights gained in reading this eye-opening view of the 2008 Presidential election.

I think this book is a must-read for political junkies, but also for those who are interested in American politics but never knew how parties choose candidates, how caucuses work (and how candidates with little popular support get to be "kingmakers"), or appreciated how hard it is to be a presidential candidate, with punishing schedules, warring staff members and having to modify positions and even campaign themes at a minute's notice. The single chapter on Sarah Palin doesn't tell us much we didn't know about her already or could be reasonably expected (loss of appetite, periods of depression, the rigors of the road, missing her baby and no understanding of how national campaigns work). It's interesting that she (and Todd) were so obsessed over her ratings in Alaska (which would not impact the election) versus in the Lower 48 (which would), and that she seemed ready and willing to change her positions if it helped the McCain ticket win the election (backtracking only when asked to do a TV ad in support of embryonic stem cell research). In fact, despite the revelation that Sarah Palin is not knowledgeable about American or World history or domestic or foreign policy, she comes off as rather more sympathetic when the urgency of her selection - giving her no time to prepare - is taken into context. However, it reinforces the belief - even among people like Karl Rove and Dick Cheney - that McCain only cared about winning the Presidency, and put America LAST. And that when he made the poor decision to leave his VP choice until the last minute then cynically choose Palin, when she faltered, he let his staff do the hatchet job on her. The chapter focussed entirely on the Edwards was explosive - not for revelations about his affair with Rielle Hunter, but how the reality differs so much from the public perception...and especially Edwards' desparation to take any old job, offering to cut a deal with Obama to be his VP before Iowa and one to be Hillary's Attorney General after she won New Hampshire. The real surprises included: Obama was the only member of Team Obama who sympathized with Hillary when she cried in New Hampshire (although she insisted privately that she never cried); Mike Henry intentionally leaking an internal memo to a member of Rod Blagojevich's staff; that Maureen Dowd was part of the inner circle which urged Obama to run for President; how Hillary's camp tried to get Bill Richardson and Joe Biden to get their delegates to move over to her side during the Iowa caucuses but was spurned; the Harvard Professor who knocked heads together when the Obama campaign was faltering; Lindsay Graham's intensive lobbying for Lieberman to be on the McCain ticket; how Democrats who publicly supported Hillary were backing Obama behind the scenes due to fear of retribution if Hillary won; the number of women with whom Bill Clinton was believed - by Hillary's campaign - to be romantically involved, and how important both potential First Ladies wer

Because of the long and credible history of the authors they were able to get the true behind the scenes look at the 2008 campaign. Their insight was not all new but it was good to see that a lot of the things I've read in bits and pieces were actually true, but then again, where there's smoke, there's fire usually holds true the great majority of the time. If you love politics, whether you're a member of the Democratic or Republican party, you'll enjoy this book. You might not like reading the truth about your favorite politician but it's wise for all of us to remember that is what they are no matter how they try to come across. For all of you giving this book One Star because it's not available on Kindle, do you mean to tell me you can't wait a month? Or is there some other type of behind the scenes work at hand here? I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't usually buy political books but as I said they've established themselves as Washington insiders over the years and knew the people to talk to. It's worth waiting a month for the Kindle version. At least give the authors a chance, they don't deserve a one star review for the publisher's decision to bring it out a month later. Complain to Harper Collins if necessary but don't bash the authors!

I was amazed that this book had so much NEW to say, after the plethora of books, commentaries and TV/print reporter opinions about the 2008 election. I thought that we knew everything about John & Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin, John Edwards and his wife, Hillary & Bill Clinton and of course Barack & Michelle Obama. But no. The authors provide tons of insightful material that gives more clues about why the Obamas won the election. The McCains were fighting furiously between each other, Mrs Edwards was not the nice person we all thought and the Obamas were even happier than they appear to be. The Harry Reid comment has captured the media attention this week but this unexpectedly good book provides valuable new material about one of the most historic elections in this country. Well done.Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

We always wonder what's going on behind the scenes of an election and in the lives of the Washington elite. Most of us know, or eventually learn, that politicians are typically loathsome characters of few morals and mammoth egos who think nothing of lying, cheating and, in general, being insufferable human beings. And, we get a chance to see it all, up close, in this new book by political reporters Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. We get the opportunity to look behind the scenes and see these people as they really are. It's both fun and frightening. It's quite revealing. To wit . . . Bill Clinton wanted Ted Kennedy to endorse Hillary. But instead, he angered Kennedy so badly that Kennedy went all out for Obama. Here's how it happened according to the book . . . "As Hillary bungled Caroline, Bill's handling of Ted was even worse. The day after Iowa, he phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said,' A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.' " Of course, we have to wonder if Kennedy was telling the truth or perhaps colorizing it to fit his own agenda since Kennedy was not a moral or virtuous man or one known for telling the truth. So, in reality, this story is secondhand. It could be false or it could be taken out of context. Or, it could be true. On another matter the Clintons wanted to go after Obama's drug use. Can you imagine alleged coke sniffer Bill going after alleged dope smoker Obama? Well, that was going to be the way it went down if the Clintons had their way. And . . . Before BHO decided to run for president, the Obamas flew to Nashville, TN to get Al Gore's assurance that he would not run. Among the things we learn . . . When Obama asked Hillary Clinton to be secretary of state, she initially turned him down. Why? Bill's penchant for controversy. She felt it would interfere with her efforts in the job. When President-elect Obama called her again to convince her to be his secretary of state, Clinton told him there was a problem. That great big mouthy problem was her husband. "You've seen what this is like; it will be a circus if I take this job," she said to Obama. Clinton almost never admits this to anyone. And, Obama who seldom shows his vulnerable side, admits to Hillary that he needs her. He seems overwhelmed with the economy and all that's going on, all that faces him. The McCain-Palin camp was afraid that Sarah Palin would screw things up because of the tremendous amount of information she needed to debate Biden. "The debate was going to be a debacle of historic and epic proportions...she was not focused...not engaged." She was not really participating in the prep, the authors add. Sidebar: In a recent news article Palin's spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, said in a statement: "The Governor's descriptions of t