Customer Reviews

Scandal: The Culture of Mistrust in American Politics

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The book has many important facts about how the U.S. covers up hundred or maybe even thousands of scandals not seen by the American People.

The author does a good job of introducing political scandals since Watergate although gives a brief history of scandals of the past. Her main point is that while the nature of scandals has remained constant, the public pursuit of scandals has increased through a more agressive press corps, proliferation of ethics laws, and a dramatic increase in government oversight through Congressional inquiries and special prosecutors. She also does a reasonable job of demonstrating the effects of a scandal on the individuals it involves whether they are guilty or not. An enjoyable read but a bit obsolete since political scandals have been revolutionized by the Clinton administration.

Garment's main thesis is that political corruption is no big deal and the people that are to be blamed for it are the journalists who expose it. If only those pesky watchdogs would leave our leaders alone, no one need ever know about our `betters' bad behavior! Not a surprising position considering her husband was one of Nixon's lawyers. Needless to say, in spite of her condemnation of the solicitousness of the press she makes a point of bringing up and emphasizing scandals by democratic administrations and politicians while poo pooing those of her own party. Not surprising given that her main goal is to defend the famously sinful Reagan White House. She is particularly dismissive of famously corrupt Republicans like Harding, Blaine and Grant. Not exactly a balanced, thoughtful analysis. One is left wondering what she would say about the scandals of the Clinton administration, I suspect she would sing a different tune.