Behind the Oval Office: Getting Reelected Against All Odds (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Given the call-girl scandal that ended Dick Morris's career as Bill Clinton's chief political strategist, maybe they should have called this one "Under the Oval Office." The book is recommended because in Clinton's "Wilderness Years" of 1994 and 1995, when Newt Gingrich's Republican Revolution was in full flower, Morris undeniably had Clinton's ear. And what he was constantly whispering in it--that the president should effect a strategy of "triangulation," in which he would disassociate himself from both the Republicans *and* the Democrats in the Congress--proved winning advice. After all, Clinton was reelected even though both houses remained Republican. But perhaps it's a mistake to claim, as Morris does, that the scandal should be separated from his job performance. Wasn't it a case of not only compromising his position, but compromising principles as well? Isn't this the real danger of relying on nonpartisan political consultants? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Fewer than six months after resigning in disgrace after being caught with a prostitute, Morris, Clinton's pollster/strategist, offers his side of the story. He reveals little about the scandal and fails to convince the reader that he was a major White House player. His constant feuding with many administration officials, notably Leon Panetta, White House chief of staff, and Harold Ickes, assistant chief, makes him appear petty. Morris is credited with developing Clinton's triangulation strategy, which may be viewed as either an attempted moderation of the Democratic Party or a sellout to Republican interests for votes. He writes dully about policy issues, which receive clearer and more readable treatment in Elizabeth Drew's Showdown (LJ 3/15/96) and Haynes Johnson and David Broder's The System (LJ 5/1/96). Morris unintentionally shows that polling and promotion are no substitutes for planning and leadership. Not recommended.?Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 646 pages
• Publisher: Renaissance Books; 1st edition (November 16, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580630537
• ISBN-13: 978-1580630535
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #834,203 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Psychologist in the White House, May 4, 2000

By	Bruce (Cleburne, TX) - See all my reviews

Dick Morris, the political consultant widely acknowledged for arranging Clinton's second term win, writes an insightful analysis of President Clinton's career, personality, and political tactics in Behind the Oval Office. Called "The most influential private citizen in America" by Time Magazine, Morris is a consummate influence professional who understands how national attitudes can be engineered through artful communications and carefully chosen positions on issues. Behind the Oval Office can be read as Morris' tactical playbook, where he exposes the psychological machinery that supports political power. Here, Morris details how he conducted regular polling to understand the public's desires, from that polling located unassailable positions for the president to assume, and from those positions crafted messages that persuaded Americans to vote for Clinton. Morris also reveals how he "inoculated" the president from political attack, how he sometimes found it necessary to distract the American public away from a close examination of the president's actions, and how he ran "stealth" advertising campaigns that slipped under the radar of the media elite, to successfully change the voting behaviors of millions of Americans with an image of a likeable and fair president who deserved a second term. Morris also provides an insightful analysis of the missteps and blunders that marked the Dole defeat, and offers a strategy with which Dole could have beaten Clinton. In the revised edition of the book, Morris has released copies of White House agendas that provide a virtual diary of how Morris and Clinton outmaneuvered their political rivals.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent piece by Morris, February 24, 2000

By	Mark J. Hendrickson (California) - See all my reviews

As a political staffer myself, I am always looking for "behind-the-scenes" type of books. "Behind the Oval Office" provides its readers with a thorough understanding of the Clinton White House and the manner in which it has conducted business over the past few years. Dick Morris, in depth, discusses many of the approaches that Clinton took in his attempt to gain successful reelection in 1996. Particularly interesting is Morris' triangulation approach to governing. I would highly recommend this book to others who are interested in presidential politics.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff for political junkies, May 10, 2003

By	Bert Ruiz "Author" (Pleasantville, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Dick Morris is full of himself. However, this book is worth reading...particularly if you are a political junkie like myself. "Behind the Oval Office: Winning The Presidency in the Nineties," offers a front row seat to White House political strategy. To this end, the one conclusion that all will agree upon with this book is that President Bill Clinton is a slave to the polls.

In many ways this book reveals how shallow politics can get. Morris is an extremely influential political actor in the Clinton White House and is able to expertly navigate the President through the dangerous aftermath of the 1994 Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole midterm Republican advances. Moreover, there is no doubt that Morris laid the foundation for Bill Clinton's second term victory.

Morris does not enjoy the victory...he goes out in disgrace. Nevertheless, this book shows how the author's twenty-year relationship with William Jefferson Clinton and his wife Hillary allowed this couple from Arkansas to survive many political storms. Morris is a master of polling and offers many insights on how polling tracks voter thinking on many sensitive issues. This book is easy to read and a straightforward account of how the "big boys" win in the political arena.

Bert Ruiz