Customer Reviews

Aboard Air Force One: 200,000 Miles With a White House Aide

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have worked on political campaigns professionally for many years and always wondered what it would be like to work for the President. This book opened my eyes beyond the glamour of the West Wing and let me ride along motorcades, helicopters and of course Air Force One. If you are interested in what goes into moving the President and his staff this is the book for you. A great read for any political junkie.

"Air Force One you are clear for take off." These words are spoken every time the President's plane is about to travel, and I often wonder what happens on that plane. For the first time we have an inside look.

Follow along as the author tells you what it's like to ride along with the most powerful leader in the free world. You travel back to the days when Bill Clinton first approached a white aide for the job.

Sit back and relax as you read about the travel to over 20 countries, over 35 states and countless miles. You read with wonder, awe and maybe a little envy as you hear what the behind the scenes talk.

The author does a great job of detailing the stories, each coming alive and giving this reviewer a glimpse of what it takes to keep the President up to date on the daily happenings. Overall a real easy read.

Ken Chitester gives a top notch behind the scenes account of what it's really like to work in the White House. Unfortunately this aspect of the job has been overlooked in recent headlines. As President Clinton's former news analyst, Chitester is clearly a keen observer. He combines these skills with a quirky sense of humor to produce a work that's both entertaining and factual. I really good balance. If I can stuff this book in a stocking, I know what I'm giving for Christmas.

Of course, I'm biased. The author worked for me. Nonetheless, Ken Chitester has captured the essence of life in the White House. The highs are never higher, the lows are never lower and despite what the press makes them out to be, the majority of White House staffers work hard for all the right reasons. Aboard Air Force One captures just that. A good read.

If you're interested in learning what it's really like to work for the President of the United States, this is the book for you. Not only is the book well written, but it also offers the reader a sneak peak at the presidency, a view rarely seen by the public. Bottom line: I would highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in politics or government.

Living outside Washington DC it is probably easy to think every one that works at the White House has a life like Monica Lewinsky. NOT SO! For all you would-be pundits: This is the REAL TRUTH about life inside the White House and inside the beltway for most of us. Sure there is glamour to flying Air Force One. But there is also a whole lot of drudgery. This is the side of Washington you Didn't see in WAG THE DOG. Great read. Nice Perspective. The author seems like someone you would just want to go grab a beer with. By the end I felt like a knew him!

Captures the unseen world of the political heart of the United States and gives a compelling, behind the scenes look at the intricacies of travelling with the President. The detailed accounting of the pace and hardships explains the disillusionment suffered by previously exuberant staffers. Reading this book made me understand that working in a privileged and powerful environment does not always translate into a job that is fulfilling.

I found this book to be poorly edited and very repetitive. If your looking for some inside stuff on the President and behind the scenes stories, read something else, you won't find it here. There is a constant repetition of "we board the plane, we eat, watch a movie, land, go to the hotel, sleep, I get up early and print the news clips, and deliver them to everyone on the list." There's nothing more in this book. The author does provide vivid detail on every meal and article of clothing he wore, for some strange reason. Chitester has absolutely nothing to say which is in the least bit controversial about anything. I consider myself a junkie for this type of subject matter and after one chapter I was bored to death. In regards to my comment about editing, there were many repetitions in the text from one paragraph to the next i.e., the book constantly repeated peoples' titles in perenthesis with almost every mention of the person's name. I will try again with Stephanopolis or Isikoff.

Ken Chisteter has three good things going for him. He is from Indiana. He graduated from Indiana University. He is a Democrat and worked for a great President. He is not, however, the gifted writer one would expect from the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism. Chitester's book, while bearable, is one of the worst "insider" stories I have ever read. Ken IS an insider, and it is obvious that he enjoys this role. Unfortunately, he spends more time telling readers what he ate for lunch than what he did for the President. If you care about the Presidency, don't read this book. If you are interested in the menu aboard Air Force One - this is the text for you.

Ken presents a unique perspective from life inside the White House as a staffer and traveler on board Air Force One. What's interesting is that he shows warts and all--and his disillusionment is not hidden. After about 20 pages, I kept saying, "Yeah, we know you're tired, it's been a long day, yada, yada, yada." Was too much of a travel diary to be very interesting or present new information. Ken's "behind the scenes" stories are written as only someone who's been there can, but probably are overdone. I'm not sure what the point of the book was beyond the first 20 pages or so. That said, I'm glad though that he took the time to write it--cynical as it was. By the way, SAM 26000 and SAM 27000 are military versions of the Boeing 707, not 737 as stated in several parts of the text. These types of editoral errors are irritating. Also, the pictures used could have been more interesting and more of Air Force One.