Customer Reviews

The Emperor's New Clothes: Exposing the Truth from Watergate to 9/11

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As an avid pursuer of the truth, I looked forward to reading The Emperor's New Clothes-Exposing the Truth from Watergate to 9/11, which is about some of the most dramatic political dramas of the past forty years from the prospective of one of the nation's most famous attorneys, Richard Ben-Veniste. I was particularly interested in well-known Democratic Party champion Ben-Veniste's in the trenches view of the 9/11 Commission's work and conclusions. I was not disappointed

Ben-Veniste's truly brilliant and witty legal mind provided insight to the hardball machinations of Washington politics often called the "Potomac Two-Step." The theme that ran through the book that struck the biggest cord with me was the almost endemic arrogance, hypocrisy and hubris of our elected officials and their appointed minions.

The Nixon White House's obvious obstruction of justice and Mr. Nixon's almost ludicrous body-checks in the interest of "national security" to the Watergate probes was most disheartening, but old news. However, Mr. Ben-Veniste's firsthand anecdotes about the personal integrities of Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski restored my faith in America's patriots.

I admit I became angry reading about the Bush White House's obvious stonewalling the acknowledgment of the existence and subsequent release to the 9/11 Commission of the June 9, 2001, CIA Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) memo, which warned of a possible Al Qaeda attack by airplane on the US homeland. What was the real eye opener was that this stonewalling was not done in the "interest of national security," but to cover-up the fact that the Administration had been asleep at the wheel.

Also, the author reported how, well before 9/11, Attorney General John Ashcroft scolded the Acting FBI Director trying to brief him about terror threats, that he (Ashcroft) "he was tired hearing about terrorism." To say the least, it demonstrated the arrogance of the man, who was then the country's chief law enforcement officer. By the same token, it was heartening to see how the Commission co-chairs, Tom Keane and Lee Hamilton came across the political aisle - so to speak - to jointly uphold the integrity of the inquiry process.

I fully appreciated the author's use of actual transcripts to present irrefutable evidence of his recollections and some of the witnesses' mendacity. Otherwise, some right-wing spin-doctor would surely accuse Ben-Veniste of being a "Democratic Hack," who was misreporting the record as they to former national security director, Richard Clarke, when he tried to tell the truth.

All in all, the book was a fair and for the most part unbiased account of some of this country's most recent struggles with our maintaining our moral compass and protecting our national integrity.

Richard Ben-Veniste's take on several high profile national proceedings in which he, a Democrat and a legal advocate, played a significant role. While his thoughts on the 9/11 Commission's work will understandably elicit the most attention, I personally found the author's history of Speaker John McCormack's gentle fall from power also to be quite interesting.

A massive ego is on display throughout this book, along with the added shortcoming of an often less than graceful writing style. (Why do so many trial lawyer/authors feel compelled to quote verbatim hearing transcripts so often and at length? Why do they think they need to use curse words to show they are street wise and tough?)

In terms of similar writing efforts, I will say Mr. Ben-Veniste's book is superior to Robert Bennett's Washington, D.C. legal memoir "In the Ring". (This is faint praise.)

While "The Emperor's New Clothes" will add to the record, readers seeking a balanced view of some of the more significant national political controversies and scandals of our time will need to look elsewhere.

Did you really want to know what happened on the inside of the Saturday Night Massacre? Have you ever wondered what motivated Whitewater? What was going on when the obvious theater of the 9/11 commission was being played out? This guy not only knows but he's telling us. I'd love to know what else he knows that he can't tell us. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a key to Amazon books that told us when to buy those that reveal previously held secrets? I mean the truth, not those trying to change history to make one side look better than another. I want to read books that make me change my mind about what I thought I knew about historical events. This is just such a book.

As the author's trial partner in the Watergate case and tapes hearing, I very much enjoyed his lucid, insightful and accurate telling of that chapter of American history. It brought back a lot of wonderful memories. Even better for me was getting the inside story on the other important chapters of history where Richard also played a significant role. You'll learn from this book--and enjoy it while you are. Rick's personality shines through and will make you smile.

Richard Ben-Veniste has penned a self-serving, not very interesting, tribute to himself that tries to position himself as a crusader for the truth when he is, in fact, just another Washington insider whose first allegiance is to his party. He went after Richard Nixon and George W. Bush but defended the Democrats caught up in Abscam and Clinton in Whitewater. Just take a look at who provided the blurbs -- with one or two exceptions, they are among DC's most partisan pit bulls of the left. Not worth the price -- not even on Kindle.