Rewriting History [Print] [Hardcover]

Dick Morris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2004

She is the most ruthless American politician since Richard M. Nixon. Like Nixon, she feels aggrieved by almost the entire political establishment. Hillary is hunted by those she sees as her enemies and, like the ousted president, she observes no boundaries in the way she battles them. Now, for the first time, Fox News political analyst and former Clinton adviser Dick Morris tums his sharp-eyed gaze on Hillary, the longtime First Lady, current New York senator, and bestselling author. For, as he argues, no politician in America today is better aligned to become president in 2008 - and none would bring more baggage to the White House -- than Mrs. Clinton. In Rewriting History, Morris draws on his own long working relationship with the Clintons, as well as his trademark deep research and candid, nonpartisan analysis, to create a rebuttal to Hillary's bestselling autobiography, Living History. Morris documents how Hillary hides her true self behind a "HILLARY" brand that is chatty, charming, giggly, and warm -- but is far from her true personality. In Rewriting History, Morris pierces the mask to get at the truth behind the distortions and omissions of Hillary's memoir. Here we meet the real Hillary, both good and bad: the manager who makes the trains run on time, but also the paranoid who sees all those who disagree with her as personal enemies; the idealist, but also the "advice addict" easily misled by the guru of the moment. Morris describes Hillary's sense of entitlement, and warns that it may lead deep into financial scandal. And he demonstrates how Hillary dodges criticism by pretending that every attack is directed not just at her, but at every working woman in America. Ultimately, Morris argues, the HillaryClinton of today is marketing a false front, obscuring both her wants and her assets behind the phony facade of a domestic Everywoman. But as she pursues higher office, she also faces a choice. Will she, like Bobby Kennedy, see the error of her ruthless ways, and embrace the sincere idealism she professes? Or, like Richard Nixon, will she allow the darker angels of her nature to overcome her, jeopardizing herself and the country in the process? As Rewriting History suggests, we can only hope that Hillary Clinton's past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's one thing to review a book by pounding out a few hundred words of criticism but it's quite another to review a book by writing an entirely new book. That's what Dick Morris, former advisor to President Bill Clinton, has done in Rewriting History, an energetic response to Hillary Clinton's Living History. Mrs. Clinton, Morris warns, is on a direct path to the White House due to a lack of Democratic alternatives and a leftward trend in the nation; therefore America must evaluate who she really is and not just what her memoir says. Morris's book is actually remarkably similar to the slew of attack books published about recent presidents but with the crucial difference that Hillary is at the very least four years away from the Oval Office. So Morris's criticisms of her, though backed up by a 20-year relationship with the Clintons, are rarely more than speculative, worrying about what she might do and asking ominous questions that are inherently unanswerable. Hillary Clinton, in Morris's view, is a much more insecure, disingenuous, and calculating creature than "Hillary," the palatable political product that won election to the Senate in 2000 and she's also an inferior politician to her husband. But as a political operative who has worked for both conservatives and liberals, Morris's indictments of Clinton evolve into a grudging respect as he demonstrates her considerable political resolve. All the same, he refutes many passages in her book with his own accounts of what transpired and indicts her integrity and behavior dating back to Bill Clinton's early career in Arkansas. Going forward, he says, she must decide whether to rely on her behind-the-scenes political acumen or embrace actual convictions. Often, Morris puts Clinton in no-win situations. For instance, while First Lady, she decides to get a dog, a decision that Morris infers is entirely politically motivated despite Clinton saying that it was because daughter Chelsea had moved out. Thus, if she had "admitted" her motivation was political, it would be an admission of cynicism and manipulation, but if she protests that her motives were simpler, Morris would have us believe that she's just lying. Nowhere is it allowed that the woman may have just wanted a dog. Rewriting History, co-written by Morris's wife Eileen McGann, offers a pleasing blend of Washington (and some Little Rock) gossip along with its political strategizing and is more valuable as insider scoop than presidential road map. Fans of Hillary Clinton will find little to alter their view and those who oppose her will find plenty of talking points for all the years of future debates that Hillary Clinton will surely inspire. --John Moe

From Publishers Weekly

"All public figures use makeup to cover a blemish or two," admits seasoned political consultant Morris, but he charges that "only Hillary wears a mask of so many layers, one that hides her true face altogether." In his latest book, Morris (Off With Their Heads, The New Prince) aims to unveil what he says is the real Hillary Rodham Clinton—the calculating tactician, zealous ideologue, dubious dealmaker—before she becomes president, in part by including what he alleges she left out of her bestselling memoir, which Morris dismisses as "Hillary Lite." He recasts Clinton as a political chameleon—to Morris, metaphorically characterized by her changing hairstyles—whose nefarious duplicity is rivaled only by Richard Nixons. Unlike other leaders, she has learned little from her political mistakes, Morris says, and he frets that she may not have grown adequately to take on the presidency. To support this critique, Morris covers much familiar territory: Hillary is not sufficiently thankful for the ride on Bill Clinton's political coattails; she lacks her husband's intellect, charisma and everyman appeal; she cloaks herself in phony domesticity to shield herself from criticism and scandal. He also charges that she may be anti-Semitic (she was, he says, overly concerned about accommodating kosher diets at the governor's mansion). Ostensibly a nonpartisan insider, the author's colors bleed when he praises Ronald Reagan as the president whose "joy and optimism... animated the world," or George W. Bush as "[t]he boy [who] became a man before our eyes." But while Morris's approach seems partisan, he was also close to the Clintons for many years, and here he offers a deep insider's take on the couple and on Hillary in particular that is going to raise eyebrows (for example, the astonishing list of gifts Hillary received after being elected senator, but before taking office, when Senate rules would have prohibited the acceptance of such gifts—one of many nuggets in this book not to be found in Living History .
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper; First Edition edition (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060736682
• ISBN-13: 978-0060736682
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (148 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,049,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dick Morris served as Bill Clinton's political consultant for twenty years. A regular political commentator on Fox News and other networks, he is the author of six New York Times bestsellers (all with Eileen McGann) and one Washington Post bestseller.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read, unless your initials are HRC, August 20, 2004

By 

Dr. Emil "Tom" Shuffhausen (Central Gulf Coast) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rewriting History (Hardcover)

Dick Morris is tough to figure out; I honestly don't know where he is coming from, or what motivates him. He is definitely not a conservative Republican. But I doubt he is welcome in any Democratic circles these days, either. What Morris is, as far as I can tell, is a very astute, insightful observer of human behavior. He also has a great sense of humor. Having his own foibles exposed in a very public manner, Morris has little to lose...he seems ready to expose others who have dark secrets. He is tenacious and a survivor, which makes him seem more human than he did before his fall from grace. Perhaps Morris is a gossip. But he is an oddly credible one, and he is definitely entertaining. Both Hillary and Bill could have used his sense of drama and storytelling in their own weighty BORING autobiographies. Even when I disagree with Morris, which is often, I find him compelling and interesting. This book does provide some uniquely personal--and, I believe--important insights into the character and behavior of Hillary Clinton. Though she is at least four years away from running for the Presidency, she is already hard at work laying the foundation for her candidacy. Thus, every action she takes right now is in preparation for that day...which makes Morris' book timely and important indeed.

305 of 355 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disregard Prior Reviews, May 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Rewriting History (Hardcover)

It is funny how this book hits store shelves on May 4 and by May 5, there are about 20 reviews. I really wish that Amazon would not allow this type of thing. Many of the reviews are like this line: "Haven't we heard enough of this idiot??" Sorry, but that is not a book review and political books are never reviewed fairly. The fact is, if you want to hear from someone who has known Hillary for 25+ years, as a friend and advisor, then read this book. The only other books written about (and for) Hillary were written by people who do not know her personally. Those that know her personally would not dare write a book about her. This is the same guy who helped Bill get elected and re-elected governor and president. Sure, he's out to make a buck, but every author is and maybe, just maybe this could be true. Hmmm? If you believe Hillary is nothing more than the image she projects, then you are a fool and are being used by her, just like most other politicians use the public with PR people and images. There is always more to it than that, and a book like this shows the real ambitious human behind the mask. If nothing else, it is interesting reading.

56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating First Hand Account, May 11, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Rewriting History (Hardcover)

So much vitriol from the idealogues! Regardless of your political persuasion, this book is fascinating. The things Morris has seen and participated in while acting as Clinton's prime pollster and political strategist going all the way back to his Arkansas years lends tremendous insight into the political lightening rod that is Hillary. Depsite the personal attacks from those who know only how to hate someone they disagree with, it is difficult to discredit Morris' first hand accounts of his interactions with Bill and Hillary. This is not a book citing vague references or unnamed sources, but observations from an insider who did everything he could to help the Clintons ascend to power for more than a decade. Morris is not a right-wing idealogue. In fact, he's not even right-wing as he admits to voting for Gore in 2000.

This book is a much needed, rational, and factual assessment of a woman clearly on the political rise. Morris' inside view into how Hillary operates is a fascinating story and very important debating stuff as voters will likely have to reevaluate this ultra-ambitiuos woman as she strives for more power.