Customer Reviews

We're with Nobody: Two Insiders Reveal the Dark Side of American Politics

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Not hard to be a little cynical here: more than a few of these reviews appear to be written by friends. No shame in that. After all, as the saying goes, what are friends for? As for me, I am just a reader with a more than a little unhealthy interest in opposition research. I was disappointed that there was not more detail about the actual techniques of the trade. But that said this book is filled with alternating antidotes that has the feel of a southern noir novel stocked with philosophical musings. So for those who are interested in opposition research I do recommend this book. It is a quick read that comes as close to an intimate personal conversation about the subject that you will find in a book.

An antidote to this season's politcal wingnuttery! Just knowing that some politicians could find themselves under the microscope of these honest and devoted researchers is reassuring. The authors let you into their mysterious world of opposition research which turns out to be hilarious, quite shocking, and very enlightening. Great book.

In a political climate saturated by the often (usually) biased opinions of news media, it isn't unusual to feel smothered by the ever present mud-slinging, arguing, and general biting remarks between candidates, between parties, between whoever. We're with Nobody is a front row view into the real world of opposition research - the part of the process the candidates don't and won't talk about. And you won't believe what we as citizens will put up with. Whatever your political persuasion, this book is a must read. Not only a look into the world of oppo, it's also a tale of two friends, traveling the country in a cheap rental, and all the America they meet along the way. Witty, insightful, and well written - you won't put it down till you turn the last page. Get it. Quick.

If you have ever wondered how a candidate for public office finds out the dirt on their political opponent then you have to read this book. Even better than learning the inner workings of "opposition research" in political campaigns are the hilarious stories of courthouse clerks and and ex-wives who find their way into this book. The writing is great. It made me wonder who are these wanna-be politicians who think their skeletons would not be found. How naive can you be! As bad as some of our elected officials are, thank God there are 'oppo-guys' out there making sure some of the real bad ones never give victory speeches on election night.

Opposition research continues to be the black art that most decent politicians dare not speak of and something that most voters are unaware of, but with "We're With Nobody" Alan Huffman and Michael Rejebian pull back the curtain and allow sunlight in on this somewhat shadowy world of various operatives. And what a shadowy and unseemly world it is: hired researchers devoid of ideological basis save the almighty dollar, sources with questionable motives, and in general people willing to stop at nothing to dredge up "the truth" on opposing candidates. What results is a vast wonderland of mirrors: what is the truth, how do well "sell" candidates, how do you reveal "the truth" about your opponent in the most unflattering way? "We're With Nobobdy" is replete with numerous examples of the lengths to which opposition researchers will go to dig up dirt, the unsavory characters they utilize to get that dirt, and the people who serve that dirt up. Meanwhile voters claim to express distaste for the dirt served up, yet lap it up with a voraciousness that would make Caligula blush. "We're With Nobody" is a scathing indictment and exposure of opposition research, but ultimately an expose without an end goal. The authors certainly aren't here to glorify the role of opposition research, nor are they calling for reforms. Instead they are attempting to lift the veil from voters eyes. Well written and enjoyable, "We're With Nobody" couldn't have been timed better what with this years election.

There can be little doubt as we enter 2012 that "negative" campaigning is the most effective and lethal of all weapons available to political campaigns. There also is little doubt that it is the least understood aspect of modern politics. This book pulls the curtain back on this highly important industry, imparts an important lesson, and does so in a way that is as entertaining as any book you'll read this year.

The reader travels along with the authors on their adventurous ride through America, digging through record rooms in small towns and talking with shifty sources on front porches, all while searching for the truth about politicians aiming for power. Sure there are bowling balls shot from cannons, nights of New Orleans debauchery, homecoming parade pipe bombs, and mobsters in Jersey warehouses, but the book's not all amusement. "Negative" politics has a host of critics who decry it as the downfall of our political system and look to blame it for every ill our nation faces. And to the extent that the material used in negative campaigning is false, those complaints are somewhat valid. However, it is in defending and explaining their profession that the authors do their best work, and make this an important read for anyone engaged in the democratic process.

Vanity Fair was right to put this title in their "Hot Type" column this month. Filled with unforgettable characters, the book is part cultural diorama, part buddy comedy, and part civics lesson. And that's ultimately what is so satisfying about We're With Nobody. It's not just that you are entertained as you learn a bit about an area of our political industry that is seldom ever mentioned. It's that you come to realize the importance of having a full and accurate picture of those seeking to lead.

If there's a book out there as entertaining and as important, I'd like to read it.

Like a lot of people I found this book interesting after seeing them on the Daily Show. Unfortunately, most of the comments they made in that interview are about as interesting as this book gets in terms of mind-blowing insight into the "dark side" of politics. I did enjoy reading their stories of searching for that needle in a hay stack, and the entertaining way in which the stories are written keeps you reading. So again, definitely a fun book to read, but don't expect to be blown away by anything you didn't know.

Great stuff. For me as a part time politician who has been on both sides of opposition research, it was great to get a look behind the curtain. These guys know their stuff, and their expertise shines througout the book. Any current or want to be politician and his/her family members should read to see what they are in for.

I found this non fiction book by two political researchers to be very revealing. They write about "opposition research" and declare neutrality as they accept jobs to hunt down information nationwide on political candidates - interviewing far and wide, going through newspaper stories, court records, delving into the detailed backgrounds and lives of candidates, large and small, to find the truth. So this is how they do it! A timely book that will help readers understand some of what happens in the political process!

Given that a new political scandal seems to rock campaigns weekly, getting an inside look from the people who find out politicians' dirty little secrets they'd rather keep hidden is something that naturally piqued my interest. This book reveals that it's not exactly what you might think. Told in alternating chapters of the authors' voices spiked with wit and humor, this book gives a glimpse into the rather unglamorous, sometimes tedious, but always interesting world behind campaigns. By the end, I felt like I not only had a greater understanding of the importance of truth-seeking, but like I had an understanding of the authors themselves--their personalities as well as why they do what they do. The book is also a fun road trip of sorts across America (in a Daewoo, naturally), where anyone from an ex-wife to a man out West whose hobby is shooting bowling balls out of cannons might have useful information. You'll also learn some practical (and funny) tips for dealing with less-than-enthusiastic clerks and civil service employees at your local government records office. Whether you're a political junkie or just like a good story with interesting folks, there's a little something for everyone here. Definitely worth a read, particularly in an election year!