Portrait of an Election: The 1980 Presidential Campaign

I have a soft spot for this author, I have read a number of her books and I find that she has the ability to describe a presidential campaign like no other author I have read. This book takes a look at the 1980 campaign between then president Jimmy Carter and challenger Ronald Reagan. She does a wonderful job of describing not only the campaign actions, but how they fit into the overall larger picture of what was happening in America and the world at that time. She also got her hands on a number of strategy memorandums from both the Carter and Reagan campaigns. They add an very rich and somewhat dramatic look at what was happening within each camp. One of the value of this type of book is that the strategies, although fitting the circumstances at the time, seem to be the same through the years. If you read and understand what happen in the past it will help you see through so many of the games that are played on the average voter each election. I also found that the overall campaign was far closer then most of us remember. In reading the book I also thought Carter might have pulled it off if Iran would have released the hostages. Overall I found the book very interesting and entertaining. It probably only appeals to a small group of people at this time, but if you are interested in the election that started the Reagan revolution then this is a great place to start