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- ISBN13: 9780062005632
- Condition: New
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Product Description
"This shit would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it." ?Barack Obama, September 2008
In 2008, the presidential election became blockbuster entertainment. Everyone was watching as the race for the White House unfolded like something from the realm of fiction. The meteoric rise and historic triumph of Barack Obama. The shocking fall of the House of Clinton?and the improbable resurrection of Hillary as Obama's partner and America's face to the world. The mercurial performance of John McCain and the mesmerizing emergence of Sarah Palin. Based on hundreds of interviews with the people who lived the story, Game Change is a reportorial tour de force that reads like a fast-paced novel. Character driven and dialogue rich, replete with extravagantly detailed scenes, this is the occasionally shocking, often hilarious, ultimately definitive account of the campaign of a lifetime.
Customer Review:A24OFDDIK07PQT
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Summary: Fly on The Wall account
This was a great account of the behind scenes going's on of the election of the Century. Interesting to have the candidates so humanized. Was great for my Book Club's group discussion. I highly reccommend it.
Customer Review:A1J2B8RXIGT3UC
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Summary: Fascinating
This review pertains to the audio book. Even though I followed the election closely, this story was told in a way that was captivating and always interesting.
Customer Review:A1F2GOKI17DQUP
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended for political junkies!
I would have given this five stars if I had more confidence in what was factual and what was "the consensus opinion".
Basically, the Democratic primary was covered at greater length than the Republican one; the Obama and Clinton campaigns were covered in detail and the "gossipy" part of the Edwards campaign was also covered. John Edwards comes across as someone who let fame go to his head, and Elizabeth came across poorly as well.
Clinton's campaign struggles appeared to be due to a dysfunctional campaign team and Bill's interference.
The Republican side: John McCain's campaign was covered in detail, from his initial meltdown to its reinvention and success at coming back "under the radar". Palin came across as a complete basket case who knew little but had a good capacity to memorize stuff; this explains her tendency to spit out unrelated talking points when she is asked a question over complicated stuff.
There is also a brief mention on how Rudy Guiliani's high risk Florida strategy fell apart and how the other Republican candidates despised Mitt Romney.
To me, the best parts were the part about Obama wooing Hillary Clinton to take the Secretary of State job, the discussion of why McCain's idea of picking Joe Lieberman as his running mate didn't work out and the chronicle of how Obama and McCain handled the potential meltdown of the US economy (this account is bolstered by Jonathan Alter's book: The Promise)
I enjoyed this CD (unabridged version) so much that upon ending my long drive (1000 miles!) I put the last CD in and listened to the end when I got home!
Customer Review:ALN0TTRTLHA4E
Rating: 
Summary: Its a weird system
The book is journalistic in that it reads more like a novel than a piece of history. A majority of the book is devoted to the primaries with about a third to the Presidential campaign. Hilary Clinton and Barrack Obama are the heroes. John McCain is portrayed as a decent but aging politician who is not up to the struggle. Sara Palin is a woman who is a whisker away from a total mental breakdown.
Most journalists see the important thing in a political campaign are the news stories. A revelation about Obama's preacher putting him behind in the polls. A news story about Edwards supposed affair leading to the implosion of his campaign.
One wonders to what extent this is an accurate way of understanding what actually happened. In the primaries Obama was generally "beaten" by Clinton in the various debates. He only started to win them in the Presidential campaign when he prepared very strongly to deal with McCain. The reason for his success early rather than the new cycle was his organization. He was able to mobilize an organization that was able to increase the interest in his nomination and to lead to bigger attendances at the caucuses and later at the general election. He was also able to raise money through getting large numbers of small donations using the internet. Mobilizing interest and outspending his rivals was probably more important to his victory than minor gaffs made by Clinton and McCain.
The book apparently contains some revelations. These are around some of the characters showing emotion at time, having temper fits or meltdowns. Things which are unremarkable to a general reader but are of significance for an American. There seems to be much more of a tendency to build up politicians as heroes and American's see it as a personal attack if someone lambasts one of their idols. The main recipient of what vitriol the book has is Sarah Palin. She is portrayed as poorly educated, a person who can wrote learn but has problems understanding complex matters such as economics.
One of the unusual things is that the authors have no real idea of how strange America's system appears. For instance in Countries such as Britain, New Zealand or Australia the election to determine the leader of the country will go for 4-6 weeks. In America the election process lasts close to 2 years. In Britain the people who are seeking to win government will be leaders of parties who will have been discussing the key issues for years in parliament, in the media and who have a handle on the direction of the country and what government does.
In America the situation is weirdly different. The three leading contestants for the Democratic nomination were: a woman who had been a lawyer and successful author and who had served in a legislative body, another male who was a lawyer and a successful author who had spent less time as a legislator and the last was a more successful lawyer who had spent a limited time as a legislator. On the Republican side Sarah Palin, also a successful author seems to be a person who had some talents in mobilizing rusted on elements of her party but was otherwise of limited experience.
Customer Review:A1OOFIYJLN0QUA
Rating:
Summary: Best audiobook I have listened to in a while
I loved the narration of this book. Read like a novel, really well written for a political book. Comprehensive and well paced. The narrator is the best voice I have listened to in a long while. Nicely done.
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