The Last Debate [Hardcover]

Jim Lehrer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 17, 1997

sharp satire of the presidential debate that changes the course of electoral politics (and the news business) forever--by Jim Lehrer, who has been a moderator of past presidential debates. The targets of this satire--religious fundamentalists, political handlers, self-important journalists, feral network programming heads--could not be more timely.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Taking journalistic activism to unprecedented new heights, the media figures at the heart of this ingratiating post-Clinton political satire overtly change the course of a presidential election. At Williamsburg, Va., a few weeks before election day, Bible-quoting, media-savvy Republican David Donald Meredith will debate an all-but-defeated Democratic challenger. But newspaperman Michael J. Howley, the debate moderator, and the panel of questioning journalists so fear the consequences of Meredith's impending presidency that they conspire to ruin him by dispensing with the set debate format and ambushing Meredith with damning, unpublished documents in Howley's possession. After the debate, the panel members become controversial media superstars. The tale is told by magazine reporter Thomas Chapman, who notes that he has adopted the narrative form called "Journalism as Novel." Lehrer (Fine Lines) writes suspensefully in the persona of Chapman, as the reporter traces leads and slowly unravels the mysteries of how this historic event came to pass. But several questions are never satisfactorily answered, most importantly: Why couldn't Howley simply report his allegations rather than scrap a long-held journalistic code? While the extensive media critique is not as penetrating as one might hope, Lehrer's experience and inside knowledge allow him to point out some thought-provoking contradictions in the contemporary news business, and his story is a page-turner. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Four journalists are scheduled to moderate a debate between two presidential candidates. The Republican is a born-again racist, while the Democrat is not too swift but a decent fellow. The journalists decide to torpedo the Republican by bringing up his background of abuse and violence. The television presentation goes off the wall with the Republican going berserk, using the "f-word," and more. When he loses the election, the journalists are rocketed to fame and notoriety. After a pokey start, this novel takes off and becomes a masterful study of journalism, politics, the media, ethics, and the human condition prevailing in spite of everything. This provocative book by Lehrer, a famed television journalist and author of Blue Hearts (Random, 1993), is recommended for most public libraries.
Robert H. Donahugh, formerly with Youngstown & Mahoning Cty. P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing (June 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517177617
• ISBN-13: 978-0517177617
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,545,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An important ethical issue, August 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Debate: A Novel of Politics and Journalism (Hardcover)

This book, although its plot is a bit predictable, raises an important ethical issue: is the role of the media to merely report the news passively, or do reporters ever have an obligation to become active participants in the electoral process. In light of the current tabloidization of the news coverage in this country, there is much meat for discussion in the actions of the reporters portrayed in this book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but weak characters, November 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Debate (Paperback)

Lehrer writes from the perspective of a journalist writing a non-fiction book about the debate. The style suits the story, which is not overly complex. But, the story is really just a vehicle for the greater issue: The issue of journalistic ethics and the media's role in our society.

Lehrer does a masterful job of looking at the issue from all sides, and I agree with the majority of his conclusions. Presented any other way and this book becomes a textbook instead of an intriguing look at the future of journalism.

The biggest problem with the book is that the characters are a little two-dimensional. The minority characters, Henry and Barbara wear their ethnicity on their sleeves. After a while, it becomes cumbersome. I got tired of hearing Henry, a Hispanic, compare things to tacos and say ole all the time. As for Barbara, everything hinged on her being a black woman.

Overall, worth a read if you are interested in politics or the role of the media in our society.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but weak characters, November 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Debate (Paperback)

Lehrer writes from the perspective of a journalist writing a non-fiction book about the debate. The style suits the story, which is not overly complex. But, the story is really just a vehicle for the greater issue: The issue of journalistic ethics and the media's role in our society.

Lehrer does a masterful job of looking at the issue from all sides, and I agree with the majority of his conclusions. Presented any other way and this book becomes a textbook instead of an intriguing look at the future of journalism.

The biggest problem with the book is that the characters are a little two-dimensional. The minority characters, Henry and Barbara wear their ethnicity on their sleeves. After a while, it becomes cumbersome. I got tired of hearing Henry, a Hispanic, compare things to tacos and say ole all the time. As for Barbara, everything hinged on her being a black woman.

Overall, worth a read if you are interested in politics or the role of the media in our society.