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Buck Up, Suck Up . . . and Come Back When You Foul Up : 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room
 
 
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Buck Up, Suck Up . . . and Come Back When You Foul Up : 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Paul Begala (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Even if you fervently disagree with the party bias they tout proudly and often, you probably concur that Democratic political consultants Paul Begala and James Carville know what it takes to craft a winning strategy. In Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up, the two lay out 12 of the rules they developed while separately and jointly masterminding some of the hottest political races in recent years. And with entertaining and enlightening behind-the-scenes anecdotes drawn from both effective and futile experiences along the campaign trail--most notably their work with Bill Clinton during his two presidential terms--Begala and Carville present a practical course that can be followed in business as well as politics. "If the audience you're trying to reach is smaller than the one hundred million voters we spend our time trying to reach," they write, "we believe these lessons are even more important because your target audience is even more sophisticated, even more interested, even more up-to-the-minute."

At first glance, some rules appear blatantly obvious ("Don't Quit," "Turn Weakness into Strength") and some intentionally controversial ("Kiss Ass," "Know How to Recover When You Really Screw Up"). But, in their explanations, the relevancy and potential application of each consistently comes through. For example, in "Frame the Debate," they note how Ronald Reagan controlled the agenda in his 1980 challenge to Jimmy Carter through early attacks on the incumbent's most unpopular policies--showing precisely why "military strategists know that most battles are won ... by the side that determines where, when and how an engagement is fought." Likewise, in "Know How to Communicate," they bring five tips (tell a story, be brief, be emotional, be unique, be relevant) to life by explaining how their use aided campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, and others. The result, while perhaps too profane for some and definitely not Republican-friendly despite its grudging acknowledgment of a few masterful GOP performances, is nonetheless uniformly readable and genuinely practical. --Howard Rothman



From Publishers Weekly

In their introduction to Buck Up, Suck Up... and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room, political strategists James Carville and Paul Begala state, "If you buy this book and read it, you will not make $1 million at least not because you bought this book." But they go on to say that readers will get "good, sound advice on how to win." They proceed to make good on their word, offering secrets from the Clinton campaign that range from "kiss ass"' to "reward risk more than you punish failure." Their good-natured approach is humorous and refreshing. Agent, Robert Barnett.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 3rd Edition edition (September 4, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743224221
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743224222
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #848,810 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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James Carville
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75 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (75 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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70 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Attack . . . Attack . . . and Counter-Attack, January 6, 2002
Caution: This book features lots of coarse language. If that sort of thing offends you, skip this book.

The two Democratic strategists combine to describe the key elements of how they feel that political candidates (whether Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals) can win elections, and successfully pursue their agendas in office.

The general advice is to take the offense, and stay on it, even when on defense.

Let me paraphrase the key points into a shorter list to make the concepts more understandable:

1. If you keep trying your hardest to get elected, someday you will succeed. Abraham Lincoln is the prime example.

2. Honestly seek out allies when you need them to get elected. John F. Kennedy taking on Lyndon Johnson as his vice presidential candidate is the main example.

3. Attack your strongest candidate in the general election constantly above the belt. Attack first, attack hardest, and counter-attack first. The first Clinton presidential campaign is the main example.

4. Pick the issue where the strongest general election opponent is most vulnerable, and don't let go! "It's the economy, stupid!"

5. Tell your story unceasingly in a brief, emotional, unique, and relevant way. "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

6. Be quick to lead with your mistakes, weaknesses, and flaws by realizing that people want to hear it from you first. They will find out anyway, and you can gain credibility and trust this way.

7. Once you are in office, use your political capital wisely where it will make a difference. Build on success!

I suspect that most of these points are not new to you. Why read the book, then? Actually, it's main appeal is in the self-deprecating humor the authors use in describing how determined people on both side of the political spectrum verbally wrestle for power. If you are a Republican or a conservative, you probably won't enjoy the book because there's lots of positive things said about the Democratic candidates the authors have assisted. The book also refers to Republicans, especially President Reagan, but much less intensively.

As examples of the humor, Mr. Carville tells how his mother used to sell encyclopedias to help support the family by looking for men with lots of kids and a bass boat, the book has chicken salad and French toast recipes, and the authors tell about their own personal awkward moments in campaigns.

Will you read about the political issues surrounding the most famous White House intern? Oh, yes. Perhaps more than you want to.

Why should you want to be in office? I suggest that you have a pretty good reason . . . or you won't want to live like this.

The authors leave it up to you as to whether the book applies to other fields. The section on Rule 7: Know How to Communicate was the only section that I thought provided any insights that you might not know already. But that section is quite well done, with vivid examples.

If you are like me, your biggest take-away from this book is how effective open, self-deprecating humor is.

Help others in all the ways you can!

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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Reiterating Old, Good Ideas, January 11, 2002
In an abrubt version of "Failing Forward" by John Maxwell, with a dose of Machivelli and a smidgen of Covey's "Seven Habits...", "Buck Up, Suck Up...and Come Back When You Foul Up: How to Fight and Win...in Business, in Politics and in Life" explains for the hundreth time what Horation Alger knew all along...

Work hard, play smart, and be honest. That, with a little bit of luck, things will work out.

Unfortunately, Paul Begala and James Carville are not afraid to explain that tenacity need not always be focused on what's best. Their adage of "It's the economy stupid" only shows that being simplistic can win the war.

They do emphasize wisdom. Know your assets, increase them when you can, and spend them wisely. Whether this is a budget, polital cachet, or people devoted to your cause... use them wisely.

I recommend "Buck Up, Suck Up...and Come Back When You Foul Up: How to Fight and Win...in Business, in Politics and in Life." The title is long, but the book is good.

Anthony Trendl

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Long overdue book from the War Room, February 10, 2003
By Erin Esposito "esposito" (Rochester, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
The dynamic duo of James Carville and Paul Begala have teamed up to compose a manifest of the strategies essential for the ever famous "War Room" operations. The tweleve winning secrets, as Carville and Begala deem to be, are: 1.) don't quit, 2.) kick [butt], 3.) kiss [butt], 4.) frame the debate, 5.) understand the difference between strategy and tatic, 6.) be open, 7.) know how to communicate, 8.) work your [butt] off, 9.) turn weakness into strength, 10.) be nimble, jack, 11.) know how to recover when you really screw up, and 12.) know what to do when you win.

The book gives the lesson of each secret along with stories and examples which exemplify how the secret proved to be successful in their experiences within the War Room. It is always fascinating to read the real life applications of such strategies and to be inspired by such action.

As usual, Carville and Begala write with such flair and style that it is nearly impossible for a reader not to laugh and love the book!

My being a loyal follower of Carville and his work, this book certainly is recommended with the highest regard.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice & Fun to Read, Too
Great book, highly recommended for running a business or just living life. Intelligent, humorous, and filled with personal experience and historical anecdotes that illustrate the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by M. Garcia

5.0 out of 5 stars A good read for anyone, but especially those with political interests
Many of the lessons in management coaching books are pretty obvious once you pause to think about them. Read more
Published 8 months ago by N. Rijke

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book
"Speed kills" my fellow Amazon readers; speed kills in business, in politics and in life. I read this book in 2002 and used the advice on how to recover from a blunder in 2006, a... Read more
Published 16 months ago by M. Henderson

2.0 out of 5 stars Left a bad impression
It has been quite some time since I read this book and my review may not be fair since I have lost respect for Carville due to his poor speech at the Speaker Series. Read more
Published on June 29, 2007 by William S. Oetting

5.0 out of 5 stars Marketing for Marvels and Mavens
This is a must read for anyone who fancies themselves as a marketer. Common sense-based practicalities prevail in this quick, sharp and witty read. Read more
Published on November 4, 2006 by Mktngmvn

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviews by Nan Kilar and Bobby Miller
This is a book by authors who put reality before party. Still, I don't know who Carville thinks he's fooling when he describes George W. Bush as a buffoon; he knows better. Read more
Published on April 12, 2006 by Bobby W. Miller

1.0 out of 5 stars Yawn! More of the same dribble.
You'd think these guys would run out of ignorant statements and wildly inaacurate predictions. Not these two.

With a combined I.Q. Read more
Published on January 20, 2006 by David S. Rhodes

5.0 out of 5 stars I really liked this book, certain chapters especially.
My wife gave this to me for Christmas. I loved it! It's not perfect, but some of the chapters are gems: strategy vs. tactics, how to communicate, and frame the debate. Read more
Published on January 18, 2006 by Gregory Fung

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what you'd expect...
A book that could have given great insight into what its like to be a very successful, plugged-in person(s)...turns into mud. Do yourself a favor and pass this one by.
Published on April 21, 2005 by aeakos

5.0 out of 5 stars Carville is an Evil Genius
This book is a must have for every campaign manager. Never mind that two veterans of the Clinton War Room -- James Carville and Paul Begala, wrote it. Read more
Published on March 17, 2005 by Matt Lewis

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