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The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell Paperback – December 23, 2014

by Alec MacGillis (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 142 ratings
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From a dogged political reporter, an investigation into the political education of Mitch McConnell and an argument that this powerful Senator embodies much of this country’s political dysfunction.

Based on interviews with more than seventy-five people who have worked alongside Mitch McConnell or otherwise interacted with him over the course of his career, The Cynic is both a comprehensive biography of one of this country’s most powerful politicians and a damning diagnosis of this country's eroding political will.

Tracing his rise from a pragmatic local official in Kentucky to the leader of the Republican opposition in Washington, the book tracks McConnell’s transformation from a moderate Republican who supported abortion rights and public employee unions to the embodiment of partisan obstructionism and conservative orthodoxy on Capitol Hill. Driven less by a shift in ideological conviction than by a desire to win elections and stay in power at all costs, McConnell’s transformation exemplifies the “permanent campaign” mindset that has come to dominate American government.

From his first race for local office in 1977—when the ad crew working on it nicknamed McConnell “love-me-love-me” for his insecurity and desire to please—to his fraught accommodation of the Tea Party, McConnell’s political career is a story of ideological calcification and a vital mirror for understanding this country’s own political development and what is wrought when politicians serve not at the behest of country, but at the behest of party and personal aggrandizement.
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  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 23, 2014
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.4 x 8.38 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1501112031
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1501112034
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The best portrait of McConnell" ― NationalJournal.com

“As Alec MacGillis’s excellent new book on McConnell makes clear, the Kentucky senator’s top priority has always been not ideology but his own political advancement and survival.” ― TheAtlantic.com

“While MacGillis writes with the passion of a convert, he isn’t some liberal hack whom Republicans can coolly dismiss. He is a thorough and well-trained reporter happily unburdened from the dispassionate constraints of he-said-she-said journalism….In ‘The Cynic,’ MacGillis constructs his profile around interviews with long-lost friends, colleagues and enemies—more than 75 of them for this slim volume—who have known the subject since their provincial early days.” ― The Washington Post

“Not many people have a clear idea of who McConnell is, or how he evolved, or why he does the things he does….This is the story Alec MacGillis tells in his concise, fast-moving ebook about McConnell, The Cynic. It’s full of things I hadn’t known….He also helps explain how someone without the obvious political gifts of speechmaking or glad-handing has stayed in national office for 30 years and is favored to be there at least six years more. And if you’d like even more first-hand evidence of what has happened to the Senate, you’ll find it here—all in less than two hours’ reading time.” -- James Fallows ― TheAtlantic.com

"A fiercely critical biography (entitled, tellingly, 'The Cynic')." ― Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Alec MacGillis is a senior editor at The New Republic magazine in Washington. He previously covered national politics and domestic policy for The Washington Post, and worked as a reporter at The Baltimore Sun and Concord Monitor in New Hampshire, among other papers. A native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, he now resides with his family in Baltimore.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 23, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501112031
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501112034
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.38 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #1,985,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 142 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Lee Kirby
    5.0 out of 5 stars A concise portrait of a hollow shell of a man
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is the embodiment of the saying attributed to Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi: "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing."

    That is the takeaway from journalist Alec MacGillis' "The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell," a concise, enlightening biography of the man who just tried taking healthcare from millions of Americans in order to fund tax cuts for wealthy people and corporations.

    MacGillis paints a vivid word picture of an empty shell of a human being whose grand passion is winning elections to the US Senate-and winning elections within that body in order to keep power as Senate Republican leader. McConnell is an introvert who enters politics simply to seek the spotlight. He will say anything in order to win; early in his political career, when running for a county judge/executive position in Kentucky, he promised to push for collective bargaining for public employees, but never followed through on that promise, which he later acknowledged as pandering to unions. As time passes, he surrenders to the Republican Party's hard-right shift that began with Ronald Reagan.

    McConnell's only other animating passion is keeping big money in politics-not only so he can secure Republican victories, but also so he can buy his own Senate seat and avoid face-to-face interaction with the people he claims to represent. Indeed, his drive to shred part of America's social safety net for the sake of tax cuts for the rich is consistent with MacGillis' portrait of a man who courts those deep-pocketed donors in advance of election cycles. That pursuit of money even seems to extend to his personal life: his second wife, current Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, is the daughter of a Chinese shipping magnate who later contributes to his campaigns.

    MacGillis also sheds new light on McConnell's hatred of President Barack Obama, which really does have nothing to do with racism. According to the author, Obama could barely conceal his "bored disdain" for the institution in which McConnell has spent most of his adult life. McConnell saw Obama as an outsider lacking proper reverence for the Senate.

    In closing, MacGillis accuses McConnell of being responsible for the "permanent campaign" mode which now permeates Washington-a constant trolling for big bucks and an aversion to considering controversial legislation for fear of damaging re-election chances. He also observes that this sad state of affairs seems to be fine with our savvy, fabulous, hard-hitting journalists, who would rather have fun covering entertaining horse-race elections than report on serious public policy matters.

    For readers who want to begin understanding how and why our politics are broken, "The Cynic" is a fine place to start.
    35 people found this helpful
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  • William M. Johnston
    4.0 out of 5 stars shows what McConnell really is
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the book. First of all, I am a recovered Republican. Probably I would be classified as a secular liberal - a pariah by many standards. But it documents McConnell's "evolution" from a moderate Republican to a conservative one - socially and economically. He early on decided that money and negative politics were the best way to advance politically, if you were really smart but not particularly attractive ( as I am not), nor charismatic ( as I am not, either) . He has done both extremely well, and ruthlessly. He is known for his expertise in exploiting perceived or real weaknesses in opponents, and having boo-goo dollars with which to exploit it with. It will be interesting to see if there is anything left of his youthful idealism that will direct him toward decisions that are good for all of the country, vs good just for his moneyed friends. Will he go down as a whore in history, or as a statesman?
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Rev. Isaac McDaniel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Every Kentucky Voter Should Read This
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    As a Kentuckian, I have long wondered why a man with Mitch McConnell's considerable political skill would refuse to use his talents to improve America and, for that matter, to help Kentucky. "The Cynic" succinctly connects the dots and helps the reader understand why Kentucky's senior senator, for all his political cunning, is more interested in winning elections, enhancing his own power and helping his rich corporate friends than in doing anything specific to help ordinary Kentuckians. The book is well-researched and written in a fast-paced style that keeps the reader's attention. I wish I could afford to mail a copy to every registered voter in Kentucky before the November election.
    53 people found this helpful
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  • Chris DeRose, NYT Bestselling Author
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good for background information on McConnell. Loses value as long op-ed on evils of McConnell, GOP.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Mitch McConnell is one of the most powerful men alive and deserves a good biography. I definitely learned background details about his early life and career that were lacking in other accounts (which is why I bought it). But the author doesn't like McConnell. In fact, his thesis is that McConnell is the person most responsible for gridlock in Washington. The author doesn't like Republicans or conservatives either. Credit to him for not trying to hide it; demerit for thinking we cared about his opinions or could somehow benefit from them. Good biographers don't get in the way of revealing their subjects.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Melissa
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read but will make you despair that our government will ever reply work
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This was a quick read. It's a look at the political career of Mitch McConnell - starting with his elections in high school and college and moving on through his career in Kentucky and Washington, DC. It's a sad book in a way, because it explains some of the reason we can't seem to have any cooperation between the parties on Washington, DC. When someone's goal is to make sure the president doesn't succeed, just because he is from a different party, even if his policies help Americans, I think we are nearing the point of no return. It is also distressing to see now much influence people and organizations with money have on what happens in Congress.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Mark
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on Mitch
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If you are looking to understand Mitch and everything he did, I highly recommend this read. I’m doing a lot of research on Mitch and this is so far my favorite source.

    If you’re interested in another good read, I think LBJ Master of the Senate (by Caro) is a great companion piece, because you can really contrast two of the most influential Majority/Minority leaders ever.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Charles Gilmore
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mitch Exposed
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A well-researched analysis of the man; what made him and what motivates him. It clearly shows his single purpose in life is continuous election and reelection regardless of how many policy position about faces he must make; how many lies must be told about opponents; how many supporting colleagues are thrown under the bus; or the harm that is done to America. He is shown to be a man without scruples, principles or convictions. If you haven’t worried about America for the next two years you will after reading this.
    6 people found this helpful
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