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It Looks Like a President Only Smaller: Trailing Campaign 2000

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I know, I know. People are sick of hearing about the election. But if you are going to read any book on American politics this year, I suggest it be this one. Surprised? I was too.

Achenbach, who writes a column for the Washington Post online, is at heart a humor columnist. And a good one. The book contains hysterical commentary on the entire campaign, from the primaries through the innagural. That didn't suprise me. Achenbach's a funny guy.

What did surprise me is that the book captures the essence of the 2000 election more poignantly and insightfully that any of the "serious" pieces I have read. Achenbach is at his root a journalist, and his humor is always digging at something deeper. Sure, he can make the obvious "W. ain't so smart" joke. But most of his commentary is both funny on the surface and incisive upon reflection. His writing about the recount captures the madness, mayhem and unique uncertainty of that process far more effectively than even the Post's own history of the election.

Look, this is a funny book. If that's all you want, buy it. But it comes with an added bonus-- with wry humor it captures a surreal moment in American history perhaps the only way it can really be captured.

I went into this book skeptically -- the election was not something I cared to revisit -- but I enjoy Achenbach's columns on the Washington Post website, so I thought I'd give the book a chance. I'm really glad I did. Achenbach does a great job of parodying the main characters of the campaign and election and recount -- Bush, Gore, Katherine Harris, etc -- while taking the Average Joes quite seriously and unironically. He does more legwork than the average columnist and he's funnier, too. Who knew I would laugh out loud when reading about chads?

"Only Smaller" is down right laugh out loud funny.

Achenbach's ability to weave first hand journalism with stinging sarcasm is already a classic to me. I wish I were quick enough to mock the way he goes after people, candidates, causes and elected officials. But I am not. And for my money: no one is.

I'm a political hack so I picked it up for the author's take on politics 2000 not for the belly laugh I got every three pages. Please take my advice and give this book a peak. You will at least snicker and at most have to put the book down once in awhile to breathe.

Achenbach is a master at bringing to light the downright absurd side of American politics in 2000. His style is insightful and fast paced and his wit is more direct and brutal that most political prose. Where most political writers jest and joke, Achenbach openly ridicules and mocks. The good news is that he is a non-partisan player with at least as many Gore shots as Bush slaps.

And a personal note: do not drink a beverage while reading "...Only Smaller." If you're like me you'll just embarrass yourself and ruin the book.

Why would I spend... on a book that contained columns I had read on-line for free? Because I wanted a concise history of Campaign 2000, not a 700+ page tome penned by a ponderous pundit. But I got much more than I bargained for. The new material that links the columns provides just the needed context and background to link the columns into a seamless narrative. I think if more political journalism were like Mr. Achenbach' we'd see higher numbers in the voting booths. I'd add a superlative, but everyone else has already used them all.

If you are a fan of his columns on washingtonpost.com, you'll definitely like this book.

However, the surprising thing was the insight between the columns. Mr. Achenbach travelled the country throughout the campaign and the book includes observations and interviews at the conventions, and in bars, hotels, parties, restaurants, etc. The result is a better look at the thought process behind the voting process than any of the networks' focus groups turned out to be.

I would highly recommend this for those who are interested in what makes the people tick, or who simply like to mix a little humor with their politics.

It Looks Like a President is a humerous look at the 2000 presidental race beginning with the New Hampshire primaries. Having mercifully been able to block much of that from my memory, I found Joel AChenbach's witty play by play of the shenenagians much more informative then I remember the media's reporting at the time to have been. This book is worth the read just to read Al Gore's impassioned call to open all the foil reserves so every American can have a baked potato with all the trimmimgs! A wickedly funny look at a time that needs to be remembered so its follies will not be repeated. And a reminder that we need to be looking seriously at limiting campaining times....put limits on how EARLY a campain can start.

Then again, which titles are left? "Looks Like a President" manages yet another peek under the filthy carpet of pre&post election 2000. Not as deeply frightening as Conason& Lyon's "Hunting", not as angry as Tapper's "Down & Dirty", not as tidy as Greenfield's "Crow", but worth every darned penny, and more! There are many times when stifling a grand chortle is impossible. And too, the micro-visions of Americans (aka voters) across the country are unsettling. By the time he's slunk into Florida, and then the final Inauguration Day, I was laughing, crying, angry, hysterical and fuming. But Achenbach soothes the moment with one final flourish-- you'll find it on the last page (the very last sentence.) Buy it; read it. It's great.

If you followed Joel's column during campaign 2000, you no doubt found yourself chuckling regularly as he gave us a real sense of what it was like to cover campaign 2000. Joel penned the column with the zeal and glee of a true Political Junkie! This book delivers the goods in the entertainment department-- its party Primary Colors, part Empire Strikes Back.... It's worth reading if you carefully followed the election, while still working as a well fashioned epilogue on campaign 2000.

J.A. makes the campaign fun to recall. He has a light touch and I smiled often and laughed more than once. A pleasure to read and recommend.

This book is hysterical! It needed to be written, although with all due respect, it probably wrote most of itself. (The truth, you know, is stranger than fiction...but not as strange as politics!)
I'm passing this book on to everyone I know...it's really saite at its best, by the Post's funniest "sometimes columnist."