The Battle for America, 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election

Beyond what seems to me a curious title, I liked this book immensely. Frankly, if it weren't for the first class co-authors, I might have let this book and subject pass by. Like most that live in the metro Washington, D.C. area, I feel steeped in national politics and the 2008 campaign and generally don't think there is a lot more that needs to be said. With this book, Balz and Johnson set me straight. If journalism is the first draft of history, this could be the final draft. Thorough, fair, well-paced, insightful and entertaining, it compares very favorably to Theodore White's classic, the Making of the President, 1960. Simply put, this is an excellent read.

Post mortem books on presidential election campaigns are nothing new and there have been many of them, but 2008 was truly one of those landmark campaigns that truly warrants re-examination. The 2008 campaign was remarkable for so many reasons as the candidates competing reflected a growing diversity of voice and highlighted various tensions in American society, particularly when it came to class, gender, ideology, and of course race. It was also one of those rare races where neither the incumbent nor the incumbent vice-president was a candidate; a veritable clean slate for both parties. The campaign was also played out against the backdrop of ongoing wars, a slowing economy and widespread concern over the future direction of the country. And rather than focusing solely on the candidates and what happened Balz and Johnson focus almost as much on what was going on in the minds of voters. As with most campaign post mortems Balz and Johnson start as the various candidates announce their intention to run quickly, reminding viewers that what turned out did not always seem inevitable or even likely at the time. The Obama candidacy actually started far earlier than perhaps many of us remember and his early performances were staggeringly bad, something the authors capture quite well. At a town hall meeting with union members Senator John Edwards comes out swinging with his proposal health care, only to be one-upped by Senator Hillary Clinton who obviously drew off her in-depth knowledge on the subject. By comparison then-Senator Obama seemed completely out of his league when his turn came and performance was dismal. The Obama machine that would come to dominate later on had not yet gelled, and for a while it looked like it would never get the chance. Both Balz and Johnson are fantastic at bringing the highs and lows of the campaign trail back to life. Even though you know the inevitable outcomes they still keep the retelling lively and gripping. Balz's insight a the lead political reporter for the Washington Post also gave him greater access to the candidates and provided much of the material here that give you greater insight into their character. But rather than focusing solely on the candidates and what happened "The Battle for America" provides great insight into the minds of the voters and the tectonic shifts occurring in American society, for the 2008 election was as much about the changes the electorate was undergoing as the candidates who were running. "Battle for America" is an excellent lively page-turner that also is more interesting for it's insight into the changing face of America. Well worth the read!

Balz and Johnson put together an easily readable book about the two major campaigns of 2008. Obama vs Clinton for the Democratic nomination and then Obama vs McCain for the presidency. They do talk briefly about the other "players", Edwards, Richardson, Romney, Huckaby, etc. The part about Fred Thompson's "campaign" was very funny; "he wanted to be president, he just didn't want to run for the office!" To those of us "political animals", 2007 and 2008 were almost made perfect by the machinations of the Democrats and the Republicans. Every day was interesting, politically, in one way or another. Johnson and Balz capture almost perfectly the politicians, the aides, the focus groups, and the electorate. I've read only one other campaign book, so far, Richard Wolffe's Renegade, which I also gave five stars. Oh, and I wish the publisher would price the audio version of this book at a price lower than the $69.00 it's currently priced at.

It's refreshing to read a historical account that is both authentic and also pleasant to read. I couldn't put this book down! The authors cover the rise and fall of McCain's campaign, the heartbreaking failure of a forthright conservative. They talk about Hillary's equally disastrous campaign, and the frequent missteps of her advisors. It's nice to read a book that really attempts to see the entire process as a whole. In all my years, I cannot remember a more riveting Presidential election. And of course, they cover the historically and politically significant election of Barack Obama, the nation's first black president. People tend to be pretty opinionated when it comes to their political reading, but I think that this book would be enjoyable to both sides of the aisle because it covers both campaigns pretty equally. It's a great read! I carried it around in my purse for three days until I finished it, so it's a page-turner! Recommended!

I walked into Barnes and Noble today expecting to read the book while I finished my coffee. I finished my coffee but I couldn't put the book down. The book brought back all the memories of the 2008 Elections. The book puts you right in the middle of the Democratic Primaries. It brought back the happiness of the Iowa Caucuses and the disappointments of the New Hampshire Primaries(I was a Field Organizer for Barack Obama which explains the disappointment)This was a much better book then Renegade by Richard Wolffe because it goes behind the scenes of all three major candidates campaigns. I would have read the whole book if it wasn't for Barnes and Noble closing. I plan on going back and finishing the last 100 pages tomorrow. I highly recommend this book to anyone who paid attention to the 2008 Elections.