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Obama: From Promise to Power

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Barack Obama (or "Barry," as David Mendall says he used to be known) is the freshest and most compelling of the new faces contending for the White House. So he's ripe for a good journalistic biography, and this one, the first presumably of many, arrives at a useful time. Mendell's book explores the life of the Senator-candidate-memoirist with greater candor than the man himself can do in his own writing.

It is no criticism of Obama's own accounts of his life to say that they suffer from the limitations that all memoirs do: When the subject of a book is also its author, most matters are written about in a way that is inevitably favorable to the subject-author's own interests. In a memoir, even the admission of mistakes and the confession of failings is inevitably shaped in line with the need for favorable self-portraiture, toward, say, a wish to appear honest and candid.

For the reader, the danger of a memoir written by a sophisticated professional politician like Barack Obama is that you never know when you're being spun and when you aren't. His candidacy is running into the same trap--on the stump he professes to be an outsider, innocent of Washington's games, a position that was taken to task today by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times.

Dowd: You may recall her column about Obama that included a memorably cheap shot at his physical appearance. Predictably, this provoked Obama's ire and showed a prickliness that at the time seemed out of place, but which Mendell convincingly portrays in this book as part of his makeup. He really does chafe when someone goes after him, even unfairly. He seems prima-donnaish, thin-skinned. (As two recent reviewers carrying hatchets against Mendel seem not to understand, there are much worse flaws to have.) That personality trait is not to be found in The Audacity of Hope, but it's believably explored in Mendell's book. That's why it's worth reading. The book is written at arm's length, by an author who covered Obama during his campaign for Illinois Senator. He traveled with him, comforted him in tough times (he's not purely objective, but the price of access is always a degree of intimacy), and watched his candidacy emerge. He may be the first journalist to have done so.

Perhaps predictably, two recent reviews here, apparently written by Obama campaign operatives, trash the book and tout The Audacity of Hope as the final word on the man. Folks, a word to the wise: Whenever a serious, substantive book gets trashed with a one-star review on Amazon written by an anonymous reviewer, it's likely the reviewer has some hidden agenda.

What I find after a lifetime of reading history and memoir is that the final word on the man never comes from the man himself. With his book, Mendell establishes himself as the starting point of reference for future study of Obama, should his fortunes proceed to the point where that study becomes worthwhile beyond 2008.

Mendell is a long-time political reporter for the Chicago Tribune, and has been covering Obama since he first ran for the Illinois State Senate. Before I tell you what I cleaned from the book, I'm going to give a quote from Mendell:

"What the public has yet to see clearly is his hidden side: his imperious, mercurial, self-righteous and sometimes prickly nature, each quality exacerbated by the enormous career pressures he has inflicted upon himself. He can be cold and short with reporters who he believes have given him unfair coverage. He is an extraordinarily ambitious, competitive man with ... a career reach that seems to have no bounds. He is, in fact, a many of raw ambition so powerful that even his is still coming to terms with its full force."

Beyond Mendell's observations about Obama itself, are his observations about Obama's luck, for the most part, in two ways: his political timing (except for challenging Bobby Rush) and his political handlers, above all David Axelrod.

Beyond that, here's some specific takes from Mendell:

First, Obama's sometime lack of specificity on policy issues is nothing new.

Second, Obama's attendance at a Chicago antiwar rally, according to Mendell, while it had a degree of idealism behind it, also had a degree of political calculation involved.

Third, Obama did pass some bills in his last term in the Illinois Senate to bolster his U.S. Senate campaign. Specifically, despite his strong stance on gun controls, he sponsored a bill to let retired cops have concealed carry. Why? To get the endorsement of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, which he did.

Add it all up, and I see a Barack Obama of dichotomy. From his family background, international experiences and more, a person of more idealism than many politicians, even with some tempering. At the same time, as Mendell describes, he's a politician who can fight tough, and will.

The dichotomy? The two sides don't seem to converse with each other a lot, at least in Mendell's observation, which I think exacerbates the thin-skinnedness.

Finally, if you're going to compare Obama to a Kennedy, it's Bobby, not Jack. The image of Bobby's 1968 trip to South Africa turned on the light bulb for me. Same amount of Senate experience at the time of campaigning for president. Same dichotomous mix, or non-mixing, of idealism and bare-knuckle politics. Same drivenness -- Bobby had that same type of charismatic energy in a way Jack didn't.

This book starts a little slow, with too many early references to what was already written in Obama's bestselling memoir "Dreams from My Father".

Eventually, the book by Mendell picks up with another view on Obama's ups and downs, including Obama's failed bid to oust Bobby Rush from his congressional seat in 2000. (Ironically, Rush is now backing Obama for President in 2008)

The book also has good insights into the specific results that Obama has delivered for African-American constituents in Illinois.

The strategies and tactics of David Axelrod (Obama's consultant) made for compelling reading, and were a big part of Obama's overwhelming victory in the 2004 race for the Illinois seat in the U.S. Senate.

Overall, the book is a nice complement to "The Audacity of Hope" by Obama himself. I would just read "The Audacity of Hope" first, then Mendell's book.


Thomas Brooks
Award-Winning Author,
A WEALTH OF FAMILY: An Adopted Son's International Quest for Heritage, Reunion, and Enrichment

How good was this book? Two nights ago, already one-third the way into it, I hunkered down with this plan: 30 minutes of reading and then get to sleep.

Four hours later, it was 3 a.m., and I'd read more than 200 pages. I finished it up the next day.

In "Obama: From Promise to Power," David Mendell delivers thorough, thoughtful and insightful reporting; detailed, engaging, sometimes-humorous, front-line storytelling; vivid exposition of characters; and a coherent organization that allowed for intermittent interweaving of various individuals and their roles in Obama's life.

Throughout, Mendell effectively captures and conveys the myriad facets of this fascinating public figure.

As a citizen trying to decide whom to support in the coming election, I found this to be illuminating and most helpful in understanding the dynamics of Obama, his supporters and handlers, and the race overall as it progresses.

My high regard for Mendell's work comes largely because I know just how tough his job has been in covering Obama the past five years.

I am a longtime newspaper reporter who has also covered (significantly less notable) public figures, and (much more local) political races. Much of my work has been as a freelance writer for the Chicago Tribune, for which Mendell writes and the basis for his interactions with Obama. I should note that I do not personally know Mendell.

I voted for Nader in 2000 and Kerry in 2004. I'm a registered Democrat who did not vote in the primary in my state.
When I first saw that the book's cover(jacket sleeve) describes Obama as a superstar I was irritated. But then I read a book review which said Mendell did not particularly like Obama but the book review praised the book. I then read the book.
The book is well written and held my interest. I was impressed with a description of Obama transitioning from a highly intellectualized politician to one who's conventionally appealing, especially to the
African American voter. I had thought that Obama was a lightweight who
was not really electable. This book changed my mind about Obama.
I am not sure I completely understand how anyone could possibly think that this is a negative portrait of Obama. I think Mendell looked at Obama with a skeptical eye. As is typical of political reporters. Mendell is rather cynical about politics. Yet I got the feeling that Mendell was
basically won over, if viewing Obama as lucky.
This luckiness occured during Obama's magical Senate race, which was helped not only by the self destruction of his main primary opponent as well as his original Republican opponent both by marital scandals,but also his charismatic keynote convention speech. The best part of the book describes what occured in 2004, and it takes up almost half of the book.
I think the portrait of Obama is of a formidable presence who lost his naivete but not his moral principles as he became more successful. There is no doubt that Obama is extremely intelligent. Mendell's cynicism may put something of a damper on any "irrational exhuberance" that a supporter might feel. I have no doubt it is an accurate portrait.

To most American's Barack Obama appeared on the "scene" during the DNC convention in Boston in 2004. What David has done is provide a fair account of Barack's life prior to that focusing mostly on his approximately 8 years in the Illinois Senate and his run for the United States Senate. Particularly helpful is how the detailed narrative of his campaign for the US senate provides a window into the character of Barack Obama. David also touches on Barack's upbringing but I think that aspect of Barack's life is better covered in his memoirs "Dreams from my father".

Overall, David succeeded in providing an account that could help voters in assessing whether Barack Obama has the courage, temperament, maturity, intelligence and the humility to lead the free world.

This book is manna for political junkies and obsessive reading for Obama addicts.

David Mendell covered Barack Obama for the Chicago Tribune from way back when, and almost on a daily basis since part-way through Obama's campaign for the senate. He had more access than most reporters. The result is a readable, mostly balanced book about our modern day phenomena. It has snippets that are more or less new. For example, it confirms what I read elsewhere, that Obama was not always fluid as a campaginer. Like JFK he had to learn the trade. The book discloses what Mendell calls the mercurial side of Obama (it turns out Obama likes some privacy) .

Here's what the book is not. It is not the work of a historian who has access to private papers and who writes a coming-of-age biography, like Geoffrey Ward's wonderful book on FDR, "Before the Trumpet." It is not a life-and-times book. We are too early for deep insightful analysis.

The portrait that emerges is mostly recognizable, but there is one element I miss. I remember, the first few times I saw Obama on television, and then subsequently afterward, being struck with how smart the guy is. I've heard someone argue that "intelligent" is our catch-all word for all kinds of things, that there are lots of ways of being intelligent. Yes. Still, Laurence Tribe thought Obama was brilliant and Abner Mikva said somewhere that Obama was the most intelligent person he had ever met. I suppose we should speak softly. The Democratic party has a habit of throwing up cerebral people who, well . . . Still, if we're going to be honest . . .

Good reading.

The author does what any self-respecting journalist would do - paint an accurate acount, as well as it can be done this early in the game. This book may seem completely positive on Obama at first, but, pay attention, and you will be rewarded with unbiased reporting. Some statements that appear as digs, are actually nothing more than honest observations. I liken this "biography" to the Boston Globe's biography on John Kerry. It was fairly positive, but exposed what there was to expose, such as certain character flaws (and historical accounts), etc. Nothing too damaging, but puts things in 3D.

It is balanced. And what comes forth is the impression that Obama is nearly as good as he expresses, but is far from not being a politician. The obvious implication being, that Obama is not impervious to his own message of change. Obama has tactics, folks. He isn't a saint. Still, you do get the impression that he's a smart, intuitive, ambitious, and nice guy.

I recommend this, along with "audacity", for an appropriate picture of the man Barack Omama. Just, when you read "audacity", know that you're getting BO's talents on full display, and not an authoritative look at the man. Politicians are politicians - you know, some more gifted than others. It's always a lesser of evils scenario. Always.

I was expecting something of a hagiography when I read the book cover that described Obama as the "savior of the democratic party." Instead, I came away very impressed with how objective Mendell stayed throughout the entire book. It is not a hatchet job either. It is simply an accurate account of a very complicated man, who carries with him both the idealism instilled in him by his mother and the cunning intuition of the most skilled politician.

A very good read and seemingly objectively written. He seems to call it like he sees it and not trying to butter up to Obama. He is critical in what seems a proper fashion and is not afraid to offer complementary remarks where appropriate. Gives you the feeling that you are getting an honest view of Obama. Mendell's writing does not get in the way of what he is trying to say.