Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin takes you inside the campaigns of the 2008 major presidential candidates. This is my first non-fiction book to blog about and my impression is that it reads as well as most fiction books.
The authors take you behind the scenes of the campaigns of the major candidates from before the Iowa Caucuses all the way to the election in November. This book is a well written and researched account of what was happening that most of the public knew nothing about. It includes the inside scoop on some of the candidates and their wives in full bore yelling and screaming matches laced with profanity. Gee, they are not saints! John McCain liked to meet with supporters in his hotel room in a dress shirt and boxers. He also dropped the F-bomb the way most of us say hell and damn. It was alleged that Bill Clinton was having an affair in Chappaqua while Hillary was running for President. I guess Bill is just Bill. There is a lot more and I think it would be better for you to read it yourself, especially the stuff about Sarah Palin.
This is also a very good account of the people managing the campaigns; including their successes, failures, and downright screwups. Some managed to survive the entire campaign, some were fired, and most of them were on the receiving end of a lot of criticism from their respective candidates. The animosity between the Obama and Clinton campaigns is enhanced by new insights into what was really happening at various stages of the campaign. John Edwards does not come off well in this book and neither does his wife. The same may be said for Rudi and Judy.
Since there was so much interest in the 2008 campaign, I can't imagine anyone who followed it closely not wanting to read this book. There are revelations that will make you laugh, some that will make you shake your head in disbelief, and others that will disappoint you. After all, even presidential candidates have feet of clay.
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