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on November 27, 2015
I read this book after watching the movie. While there are a couple insights in this book that you won't get from the movie, the movie is actually much better in terms of the psychological insight it provides into Sarah Palin- both her short comings as well as the difficult place she was put in. This book doesn't center around Sarah Palin's shortcomings or the Republican party's debacle in selecting her, rather it covers the entirety of both campaigns. I like it...but it doesn't hold a candle to the HBO movie, neither in insight nor in entertainment. I would recommend the movie because you'll learn more about the situation and it's extraordinarily entertaining. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone that saw the movie and then became interested in reading the book (which is what I thought). The movie is much better.
on November 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book in hindsight. Looking back at the author's profiles of Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain was insightful and interesting. I found this very relevant as the President closes out his second term and Hillary is running yet again. I also enjoy reading about the "behind the scenes" strategy, conflicts and tensions that are part of a primary and presidential campaign. Thie context and perspective of this historic event was still fresh and pertinant as we undergo another primary/presidential season.
VINE VOICEon February 17, 2010
Game Change covers all the major players in the 2008 election, and is, on the whole, not slanted in any direction. It's not full of surprises, either. What Mark Halpern presents to us was generally covered or at least hinted at on TV and inthe press during and after the election. What is supplies is the details, those juicy little background tidbits that never came out in the mainstream press. For anyone who finds our political processes entertaining, infuriating and appallingm this books gives them their money's worth.
We get a look into Obama's headquarters...his, according to Halpern, was the tightest ship and the most responsible and "honorable" campaign. McCain was shucking and jiving to the poll music and we get to listen in on the conversations where he reinvents and rewrites himself, his philosophy and his history. And we look into the what went wrong in Hillary's camp and why a brilliant woman campaigned like a foolish one. (I wonder how many people are now wondering whether not voting for her was the biggest mistake they could have made in the election.)
As far as the John Edwards train wreck is concerned, the book gives us an idea of why the man threw his future away for a woman he picked up in a hotel bar. Elizabeth Edwards might have driven a better man away, and John was not a better man. And then there was Sarah. Nothing here we didn't already know, but it's nice to have all the dirt in a neat pile. In fact, Palin doesn't get her nose rubbed in it...the book doesn't do a hatchet job on anyone.
All in all, this is gently but still delightfully scandalous book, giving us details where we previously had innuendo. For everyone who has ever sat spellbound while eavesdropping on a juicy conversation, for those who can't resist a quick peek in the medicine cabinet when visiting friends, for the nosy among us, Game Change is mouthwatering. A little something to delight the Dems, a little something to tick them off. Ditto the Reps. Perhaps not the best book to come out of the elections, but certainly the most fun to read.
We get a look into Obama's headquarters...his, according to Halpern, was the tightest ship and the most responsible and "honorable" campaign. McCain was shucking and jiving to the poll music and we get to listen in on the conversations where he reinvents and rewrites himself, his philosophy and his history. And we look into the what went wrong in Hillary's camp and why a brilliant woman campaigned like a foolish one. (I wonder how many people are now wondering whether not voting for her was the biggest mistake they could have made in the election.)
As far as the John Edwards train wreck is concerned, the book gives us an idea of why the man threw his future away for a woman he picked up in a hotel bar. Elizabeth Edwards might have driven a better man away, and John was not a better man. And then there was Sarah. Nothing here we didn't already know, but it's nice to have all the dirt in a neat pile. In fact, Palin doesn't get her nose rubbed in it...the book doesn't do a hatchet job on anyone.
All in all, this is gently but still delightfully scandalous book, giving us details where we previously had innuendo. For everyone who has ever sat spellbound while eavesdropping on a juicy conversation, for those who can't resist a quick peek in the medicine cabinet when visiting friends, for the nosy among us, Game Change is mouthwatering. A little something to delight the Dems, a little something to tick them off. Ditto the Reps. Perhaps not the best book to come out of the elections, but certainly the most fun to read.
on September 9, 2013
Good heavens! What a fast, gossipy account of the campaigns, especially the Obama/Clinton rivalry. This book has been out for a long time and I'm waiting for the sequel about the 2012 campaign. That one has got to focus on the Republican Party's battle to decide on a candidate to be worth the time.
I'm not sure that I wanted to know that the late Elizabeth Edwards was a shrew, or that John Edwards is really nothing more than a walking, talking Ken doll. And I'm not even talking about his cheating or her response to it. I'm referring to the descriptions of his vanity and her meanness--I can't think of a better word to describe it.
Hillary and Bill Clinton are fairly well known commodities. With them, you pretty much know what you're getting. I prospered during the Clinton years, so I guess I'm a little nostalgic for them. Oh well.
All in all, this is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had since we lost Molly Ivins. I really miss that woman.
I'm not sure that I wanted to know that the late Elizabeth Edwards was a shrew, or that John Edwards is really nothing more than a walking, talking Ken doll. And I'm not even talking about his cheating or her response to it. I'm referring to the descriptions of his vanity and her meanness--I can't think of a better word to describe it.
Hillary and Bill Clinton are fairly well known commodities. With them, you pretty much know what you're getting. I prospered during the Clinton years, so I guess I'm a little nostalgic for them. Oh well.
All in all, this is one of the most enjoyable reads I've had since we lost Molly Ivins. I really miss that woman.
on December 11, 2013
Engaging narrative and enormously insightful read. I think both political junkies as well as those wanting to understand U.S. politics better will enjoy this book. Reads like a great memoir - a story - rather than a wonky analysis, but I think the authors still provide a useful and simple framework to understand the complexity of Presidential campaign communication and strategy. Staggering and accurate descriptions of the money involved in these races! FAR better than the movie of the same name - the movie only focuses on Palin and (some) McCain. This books covers the Clinton, Obama, and McCain campaigns in depth from start to finish. (Palin is just a part of the larger McCain story). I just kept wondering how much of this is really true as far as candidate thoughts and feelings - or perhaps more accurately, I kept wondering how they got such subjective information. Seems fair to all the candidates - no heavy bias for one or another. Reveals both strengths and weaknesses of all of these individuals as people and politicians. Overall it rings true to what I did see unfold in these campaigns through the media (tv, print, and social media). This book pulls all those tabloid moments together into an intelligent narrative for a "bigger picture" view.
VINE VOICEon June 5, 2012
Heilemann and Halperin are political reporters who interviewed as many of the players as they could for this book. But, keep in mind, of course, this is all based on opinions - hopefully factual - but opinions nonetheless. Just like you and I can view the same car crash but see different things about it.
In any case, this was a fascinating read and I couldn't put it down. It comes down to this:
Both Hillary and McCain lost because neither of them took Obama seriously and because both of their teams lacked a clear vision.
Now what does that mean? Well, it goes back to what I told you about setting goals: You can't just say, I want to be President. You have to have a plan on how to get there and what to do when you are there. Neither Hillary nor McCain had that.
Both of their teams had serious issues in that they could NOT get a long. They couldn't lose their egos and become part of the common goal - they had to be RIGHT.
This book does not proclaim Obama to be the Messiah or to be a great President - it simply lays out how his campaign beat the other guy.
A great read - I highly recommend it for the psychological impact alone.
In any case, this was a fascinating read and I couldn't put it down. It comes down to this:
Both Hillary and McCain lost because neither of them took Obama seriously and because both of their teams lacked a clear vision.
Now what does that mean? Well, it goes back to what I told you about setting goals: You can't just say, I want to be President. You have to have a plan on how to get there and what to do when you are there. Neither Hillary nor McCain had that.
Both of their teams had serious issues in that they could NOT get a long. They couldn't lose their egos and become part of the common goal - they had to be RIGHT.
This book does not proclaim Obama to be the Messiah or to be a great President - it simply lays out how his campaign beat the other guy.
A great read - I highly recommend it for the psychological impact alone.
on November 26, 2015
Two well-known political journalists, John Heileman and Mark Halperin, combined forces to give readers an immensely informative examination of the 2008 Presidential campaign. Their behind the scenes examination of the campaigns of John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards was the work product of countless interviews with the candidates, their spouses, and their staffs. The authors shed valuable light on the selection process of the two running mates and their roles in their parties' respective campaigns. This book was well worth the time and effort to read and a reward for the political "junkie" who can't get enough of Presidential politics.
on October 13, 2012
I bought a "used" (but really new) hardcover version of this book in 2012 because I've been watching the authors on MSNBC. They seemed like smart guys and I wanted to see what they had to say. I had also loved the HBO version of Game Change about Sarah Palin. Wow, I was not disappointed! I LOVED this book and couldn't put it down. It was better than most fiction I've read lately and although I knew how the story ended, I had forgotten a lot of the details. Sarah Palin's story was just a smidge of the entire book and, while fascinating, it was merely about how her selection contributed to the inevitable downfall of McCain's candidacy.
Most of the book concerns Obama, the Clintons, their respective teams and how all the parts of the puzzle fit together. It was a thrilling tale, told with gossipy realism and plenty of juicy language and personal perspectives. Now that four years have passed and many of the players have interacted in different ways, the backstory had a lot more meaning for me.
If you haven't read this but you are a political junkie, I think you will find it a terrific read. I can't wait for: (1) the 2012 campaign book and (2) the rest of Game Change to be made into movies.
Most of the book concerns Obama, the Clintons, their respective teams and how all the parts of the puzzle fit together. It was a thrilling tale, told with gossipy realism and plenty of juicy language and personal perspectives. Now that four years have passed and many of the players have interacted in different ways, the backstory had a lot more meaning for me.
If you haven't read this but you are a political junkie, I think you will find it a terrific read. I can't wait for: (1) the 2012 campaign book and (2) the rest of Game Change to be made into movies.
on November 15, 2010
As a reader from the right side of the political aisle, I found Game Change to be a well-written, very interesting look into the presidential political race leading up to the 2008 election. The gossip, the snipsets, and the revelations just kept-a-coming until I found myself unable to put it down. As for its substance it struck me as a puff piece for the Democratic candidates, but with a patina of naughtiness in regard to its descriptions of their political inside-baseball. But given a second thought I guess it would be fair to say that the authors extended their criticisms to the Republicans also though seeming to view them in a narrower vein, think generally "weird and shallow." The Democrat's? They were covered in a more nuanced fashion (though complete with warts and halos.) I don't think it was an attempt at being perjorative so much as a manifestation of how a broad swath of the Left views the Right. And to that extent our authors didn't disapoint.
The picture painted of each of the candidates, and those closest to them - both Clinton's, the Obama's, the McCain's, The Edwards duo, Sarah Palin, and the leading lights of the Left in the senate - is remarkable for its breadth and scope. It gave me an impression that one might derive from reading a sophisticated version of The Star or The Enquirer while stuck in an extended line at a celestial Safeway. It's a book you can put down and pick back up without losing your high, that feeling you get when you experience a constant anticipation with regard to what might be coming next.
It's as good a political book as I've ever read.
The picture painted of each of the candidates, and those closest to them - both Clinton's, the Obama's, the McCain's, The Edwards duo, Sarah Palin, and the leading lights of the Left in the senate - is remarkable for its breadth and scope. It gave me an impression that one might derive from reading a sophisticated version of The Star or The Enquirer while stuck in an extended line at a celestial Safeway. It's a book you can put down and pick back up without losing your high, that feeling you get when you experience a constant anticipation with regard to what might be coming next.
It's as good a political book as I've ever read.
