Rarely has a young person, in this case a 25-year-old woman, exploded on the national scene with such power, effect and style. That is exactly what happened to Cassidy Hutchinson on account of her riveting testimony at the U.S. House of Representatives January 6 Committee hearing during the summer of 2022.
At her nationally televised hearing, she spoke with confidence, eloquence and exactitude as she revealed what she both saw, and did, as the Chief of Staff to the Trump Administration’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Meadows plucked her out of another administration job because she was so good at interacting with Members of Congress. Her new job with Meadows started in April of 2020; the presidential election was in November of 2020. You can see that she jumped into a boiling cauldron, which only got hotter, more intense, and more stressful—it boiled over on January 6. She was there watching from the very inside, from the most advantageous seat, because Meadows was at the very center of everything.
In her recently published book, “Enough,” she gives us the most vivid and well-scripted view of exactly what she saw and heard, and in many instances, what she did in those chaotic months leading up to the election, the January 6 riot, the Impeachment trial, and thereafter. We learn that she took many actions on her own initiative under and in accordance with the extensive authority Meadows gave her based on his total trust of her, and on the excellent results she regularly achieved for him, and for the President.
It is rare to get this level of a deep, microscopic view inside a presidential administration from someone placed so “inside.” The book is very well written, which we would assume based on her eloquent testimony at the Committee hearing. Her book is a good example of how good she was at her job. And there’s a terrific story she tells in the book as the events which surrounded and defined her unfold at speed and with serious impact on all concerned, especially her.
She gives us some background on her early life, mainly her deficient, uncaring father and his painful impact. Her mother was her rock of support. This private part of her life is her history, and it effectively highlights the courage and persistence she developed and exuded to get where she got… deep inside the White House at one of the very top positions, one which had her working there until midnight most nights.
Her relationship with Meadows is one of the most interesting components in the story. Trump depended on him a lot, and consequently, Meadows needed to depend on her a lot. He wanted her with him at all times, to be his “eyes and ears.” She filled that job requirement exceptionally well.
Meadows shared almost everything with her… until around October and November, when devious individuals were telling the President what he wanted to hear about the election, and planning, sometimes executing, plots and actions which now appear to be illegal. Some of this latter stuff Meadows kept from her—for what reason: protection, embarrassment, legal defense proactivity… ? Only Meadows can say why he kept the potentially illegal stuff away from her. But we will most likely not find out whatever those reasons were, and are, because Meadows refused, and continues to refuse, to speak to her as of their last day on the job, i.e., January 20, 2021, at 11:45 AM. For example, why was Meadows burning classified documents in his office fireplace?
She gives us another dimension of just who she is and how she got to this high-level government position. If you only saw and heard her during her January 6 Committee testimony, you would think that she is shy and demure and maybe lacks confidence. That is not so. Many incidents in the story reveal that when she was challenged exercising her authority under Meadows—it was mostly men who tried to challenge her—she pushed back, and hard. She easily verbalized her strength and authority and her position, and if that did not work, she used the levers of power available to her—she had an office next to Meadows, and was mere feet from the Oval Office. But right up to the last minute, she was dedicated to helping the President, and mainly helping Meadows do his job better and more effectively.
She finishes up with the legal circus she has been through. Her first attorney, funded by a Trump affiliate, was unsatisfactory in several respects (she could not afford to hire independent counsel). Through an inside referral, she interviewed attorneys with a law firm headquartered in Atlanta but with the D.C. outpost; they clicked immediately, and she had the team she needed to get through the January 6 Committee hearing, as well as whatever else followed. Their first action was to fire the original attorney, who seemed relieved to get off the case due to legal/ethical considerations.
This is a terrific, well-written book giving us a true insider view into our government in one of the most debilitating and disturbing episodes in the entire history of the United States. It also showcases a young woman, finding the courage and strength to withstand challenges which are off the Richter scale. One comes away from the book feeling glad to have read it, and happy for the author for getting through successfully.
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Reviews with images
Page turner. Could not put this down.
This was so well written. Cassidy told this story of her life in a very relatable way. I feel that I got to know her as a person. She was following get heart and serving her country. Only to have her heart broken by the people she trusted the most. Starting with her father, then her boss, then her president. I will reread this book. While shocking, it gives insight to the difference between integrity, and duplicity. Cassidy has both integrity and courage.
Top reviews from other countries
F.K. Allen, Germany
A first-person journey well worth reading.
Reviewed in Germany on January 16, 2024
Robynsveil
True heroes are the quiet ones, like Cassidy
Reviewed in Australia on December 26, 2023Robert Lewington
a powerful act of human courage
Reviewed in Canada on December 22, 2023
