The Rehnquist Choice (Chivers Sound Library) [Unabridged] [Audio CD]

John W. Dean (Author), Michael Rafkin (Narrator)

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Chivers Sound Library; Unabridged edition (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792798694
• ISBN-13: 978-0792798699
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,367,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing and frustrating..., April 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rehnquist Choice (Chivers Sound Library) (Audio CD)

I just finished listening to this book, and all I can say is God bless John Dean! Yes, he was part-and-parcel of the whole Evil Empire that Nixon tried to construct, but he has turned his back on his wicked, wicked ways, and come clean about his part in elevating the monstrosity that is our current Chief Justice.

Rehnquist is an evil, racist, homophobic whack-job who shouldn't be allowed in public without restraints... much less allowed to wear that goofy robe with the stripes, and pass judgement about matters beyond his ken. This informative book shines the light of TRUTH on this insane man's history, and explains in detail how he LIED to get a lifetime job on our nation's highest Court, where he has endeavored to undermine the Constitution and YOUR civil rights for over 30 years.

Rafkin's reading is incomparable... his Nixon voice is flawless... just the right touches of evil and paranoia.

If you love your country, and want to know more about the right-wing nutjobs who are trying to misappropriate it, READ or LISTEN to this book!

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting history, but Dean too close to be objective, January 11, 2011

By 

Enjolras (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Rehnquist Choice (Chivers Sound Library) (Audio CD)

John W. Dean's The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment That Redefined the Supreme Court is a fascinating firsthand account of the politics of judicial nominations. The book is rich in the back-and-forth of internal White House deliberations about the candidates, with a level of candor we're unlikely ever to see again. Some of the most interesting parts of the book didn't concern Rehnquist at all. I was surprised to learn that Nixon almost appointed the first female justice a decade before O'Connor! On that front, this book is well research and insightful.

However, one gets the sense that Dean - who seems to have built his career around atoning for his years with Nixon - is too close to the issue to be objective. After all, he was the person to have initially nominated Rehnquist, so he claims. Despite this - or perhaps because of this - Dean is very harsh on Rehnquist, both as a political operator and as a person. Sometimes Dean goes too far in his allegations. He blasts Rehnquist for investigating legal sanctions against Supreme Court Justice Fortas on the "assumption" that he was guilty, yet lawyer often conduct legal research assuming certain facts or "in the alternative." Some of Dean's charges against Rehnquist's conduct during the nominations and fudging his earlier support for Plessy v. Ferguson are on better footing.

Still, Dean is never really honest with readers about why he proposed Rehnquist - not once, but on several occasions - if he thinks the latter is such a horrible person. Dean claims it was something of a game, to see if he could do it. If that's all it was, that's horribly superficial. Yet, that excuse sounds specious. That's a shame because it obscures the historical record in an otherwise revealing book.

A note on the audiobook version: This is how you do an audiobook! The general narration is done well, but for important parts John Dean himself takes over and talks in the first person. What a treat! Moreover, the audiobook actually plays relevant portions of the Nixon tapes. It's eerie hearing Tricky Dick talking about how women shouldn't be educated! If you have to choose between the paperback or audio version, definitely go for the latter.