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299 reviews for:
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
John Heilemann
4.08 AVERAGE
299 reviews for:
Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime
John Heilemann
4.08 AVERAGE
Way more fun than I expected. And so glad it wasn't so much about Palin as the movie. The details on the 2008 Democratic primary were my favorite.
I absolutely could not put this down. It goes behind all the dealings of our last election, and is, quite simply, fascinating.
Ah, the 2008 election. I was about fourteen back then, which is to say I didn't really have a political identity, and what I did have is vastly different from what I believe today. I still distinctly remember wondering why it was taking the Democrats so long to pick a nominee, why everyone was losing their shit over Hillary Clinton having some watery eyes for a second, why everyone was ALSO losing their shit over this dude nobody had heard of, and--wait a second. Who the fuck is Sarah Palin?
Look, I'm going to go ahead and say that you have to look at Game Change as you would any other political expose: with a jaundiced eye. Heilemann and Halperin can't exactly substantiate most of their sources. You kind of have to take their information on faith. However, a lot of it does ring true, and one comment has, I believe, been proven to be true in particular.
That said, on to the review.
What I Liked
Game Change became a snappy HBO flick--or rather, one of the less interesting parts of it did. (Come on. The Hillary vs. Obama pathos with a side of Edwards drama was so much more interesting than the shit we already figured about Palin.) It's no wonder, because the book reads a little like a Sorkin script. You can easily imagine everyone walking and talking while Obama says quips like "No fucking discipline" and Michelle snarks away. Equally you can imagine Team Hillary, ruthlessly competitive, undeniably brilliant times--also undeniably imploding.
Again, the most interesting part of the book focuses on the Democrats. Obama is cold as ice with all but his wife, which was kind of gratifying. I'm sure the guy's a good person at heart, but he's a political animal--and here Game Change confirms that perception. The Clintons, too, turned out much like I expected them, as did Edwards. There's a delightful edge of scandal to things like Bill's alluded-to 2006 affair and Hillary's competitive edge.
Of course, the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter affair is covered, and the reveal of the "truth" about the Edwards marriage (again, something I'd previously suspected) is fascinating. It all turns out kind of like a horror show. I mean, who doesn't like to read about a real politician with a real love child? And hey, I'm always here for those who don't pull punches when it comes to cancer-stricken political wives. I'm sure many people had a problem with the sainted Elizabeth being portrayed as something of a bitch, but hey, I ate it up.
If you're already a cynic like me, not much of Game Change is going to surprise you. Politics are nasty. Everyone hates each other. Very few people are genuine. (And when they do act genuine it comes off as incredibly corny. More on that later.) But it is entertaining.
What I Didn't Like
A lot of Game Change is spent critiquing the way Hillary Clinton is viewed in a sexist America. But whenever Hillary references the double standard with which she is treated, there's a smarmy skepticism present. As if she, a woman running for president in America, wasn't faced with a double standard. I remember that election. There was definitely a double standard going on, and the writers' subtle condescension comes off as sexist.
They're also really obvious Obama fans. Now, I wouldn't call myself an Obama fangirl; I'm liberal, but I'm also, again, cynical enough to take in the fact that he's far from perfect. Nor is he exactly what the campaign was selling, as you can kind of pick up on reading this book in 2013 vs. the year it was published. It's just kind of funny that Hillary and Bill have underhanded aspirations; McCain has underhanded aspirations; Edwards has underhanded aspirations. But Obama? He just wants to save the country. (I'll give them this: they gave Hillary that treatment every once and a while, but mostly she came off as a she-demon.)
The thing is that the authors use language that frames each candidate in a deeply biased manner. Obama is passionate; Hillary is raging. Obama seethes; McCain growls. And so on and so forth. It's just really, really transparent that these guys aren't even necessarily slanted in a Democrat-focused bias. (They were actually pretty sympathetic towards Sarah Palin, who is portrayed in a sort of pitiful vs. mean light that I tend to agree with.) They're just so pro-Obama that it's only towards the end of the book that they manage to imply that, yeah, he wasn't the most experienced guy and he may not have known exactly what he was getting himself into.
Again, I think I get an added bonus of hilarity, reading the book so long after it was first published. Now Obama's gleam has worn off; he's tired and took a little more of a beating in his second race. Hillary, on the other hand, has retired from her post with a lot of good will. People who disliked her before grudgingly admit that she did a good job. Those who were ambivalent applaud her showing as Secretary of State. And those who liked her are rabid. (I tend to fall into the "admiring, but reserved" camp.) After the sardonic manner in which Heilemann and Halperin treat her in Game Change she's looking more like a president front-runner than ever.
But then again, as the book teaches us, there can always be a game changer coming in to shake things up.
The Verdict
Game Change is a rarely dry, sometimes fascinating look at politics. It could use a dash more scandal and a bit less fawning bias to come off as both more credible and juicier. But it's worth your time, and I'm really looking forward to the 2012-election-centric "sequel".
The Cover
I mean... It's a cover. Obviously, the red white and blue look good. It comes off as an election button, which, I'm sure, was the intention. Eye-catching. 3/5
Look, I'm going to go ahead and say that you have to look at Game Change as you would any other political expose: with a jaundiced eye. Heilemann and Halperin can't exactly substantiate most of their sources. You kind of have to take their information on faith. However, a lot of it does ring true, and one comment has, I believe, been proven to be true in particular.
That said, on to the review.
What I Liked
Game Change became a snappy HBO flick--or rather, one of the less interesting parts of it did. (Come on. The Hillary vs. Obama pathos with a side of Edwards drama was so much more interesting than the shit we already figured about Palin.) It's no wonder, because the book reads a little like a Sorkin script. You can easily imagine everyone walking and talking while Obama says quips like "No fucking discipline" and Michelle snarks away. Equally you can imagine Team Hillary, ruthlessly competitive, undeniably brilliant times--also undeniably imploding.
Again, the most interesting part of the book focuses on the Democrats. Obama is cold as ice with all but his wife, which was kind of gratifying. I'm sure the guy's a good person at heart, but he's a political animal--and here Game Change confirms that perception. The Clintons, too, turned out much like I expected them, as did Edwards. There's a delightful edge of scandal to things like Bill's alluded-to 2006 affair and Hillary's competitive edge.
Of course, the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter affair is covered, and the reveal of the "truth" about the Edwards marriage (again, something I'd previously suspected) is fascinating. It all turns out kind of like a horror show. I mean, who doesn't like to read about a real politician with a real love child? And hey, I'm always here for those who don't pull punches when it comes to cancer-stricken political wives. I'm sure many people had a problem with the sainted Elizabeth being portrayed as something of a bitch, but hey, I ate it up.
If you're already a cynic like me, not much of Game Change is going to surprise you. Politics are nasty. Everyone hates each other. Very few people are genuine. (And when they do act genuine it comes off as incredibly corny. More on that later.) But it is entertaining.
What I Didn't Like
A lot of Game Change is spent critiquing the way Hillary Clinton is viewed in a sexist America. But whenever Hillary references the double standard with which she is treated, there's a smarmy skepticism present. As if she, a woman running for president in America, wasn't faced with a double standard. I remember that election. There was definitely a double standard going on, and the writers' subtle condescension comes off as sexist.
They're also really obvious Obama fans. Now, I wouldn't call myself an Obama fangirl; I'm liberal, but I'm also, again, cynical enough to take in the fact that he's far from perfect. Nor is he exactly what the campaign was selling, as you can kind of pick up on reading this book in 2013 vs. the year it was published. It's just kind of funny that Hillary and Bill have underhanded aspirations; McCain has underhanded aspirations; Edwards has underhanded aspirations. But Obama? He just wants to save the country. (I'll give them this: they gave Hillary that treatment every once and a while, but mostly she came off as a she-demon.)
The thing is that the authors use language that frames each candidate in a deeply biased manner. Obama is passionate; Hillary is raging. Obama seethes; McCain growls. And so on and so forth. It's just really, really transparent that these guys aren't even necessarily slanted in a Democrat-focused bias. (They were actually pretty sympathetic towards Sarah Palin, who is portrayed in a sort of pitiful vs. mean light that I tend to agree with.) They're just so pro-Obama that it's only towards the end of the book that they manage to imply that, yeah, he wasn't the most experienced guy and he may not have known exactly what he was getting himself into.
Again, I think I get an added bonus of hilarity, reading the book so long after it was first published. Now Obama's gleam has worn off; he's tired and took a little more of a beating in his second race. Hillary, on the other hand, has retired from her post with a lot of good will. People who disliked her before grudgingly admit that she did a good job. Those who were ambivalent applaud her showing as Secretary of State. And those who liked her are rabid. (I tend to fall into the "admiring, but reserved" camp.) After the sardonic manner in which Heilemann and Halperin treat her in Game Change she's looking more like a president front-runner than ever.
But then again, as the book teaches us, there can always be a game changer coming in to shake things up.
The Verdict
Game Change is a rarely dry, sometimes fascinating look at politics. It could use a dash more scandal and a bit less fawning bias to come off as both more credible and juicier. But it's worth your time, and I'm really looking forward to the 2012-election-centric "sequel".
The Cover
I mean... It's a cover. Obviously, the red white and blue look good. It comes off as an election button, which, I'm sure, was the intention. Eye-catching. 3/5
I really liked this and am awed by the amount of work that must have gone into this. So cool.
Fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 American Presidential campaigns. Seems legitimate and well-researched, not tabloid stuff.
This is an excellent review of the nomination race as well as the actual 2008 US Presidential Election. Based on extensive interviews with people who were involved in Republican, Democratic campaigns, the authors look at why the US ended up with McCain and Obama facing off against each other in the final rundown, and what pushed Obama over the top. Many of the candidates and their families come out looking not so good. This is especially true of the Edwards family. Elizabeth comes off looking like a manipulative, conniving Lady Macbeth who has stage managed her pretty boy husband's career.
Still, this work is engrossing, full of insider details about how a campaign is run and funded. Worthwhile for even the most casual political junkie.
Still, this work is engrossing, full of insider details about how a campaign is run and funded. Worthwhile for even the most casual political junkie.
Seemed a little gossipy, and the authors seem to have treated Obama with kid gloves. (Seriously, he comes off as a Boy Scout in this, while Hillary is the shrill harridan from Hades.) Still a fun read, especially in light of this year's political circus.
oh, and don't watch the HBO movie, it's pretty bad. It covers about 10% of the book and Ed Harris's McCain is even more sleep-inducing than CSPAN.
oh, and don't watch the HBO movie, it's pretty bad. It covers about 10% of the book and Ed Harris's McCain is even more sleep-inducing than CSPAN.
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it rather gripping. In fact I could have plowed right through it but I limited my time on it to specified period each day or it would have been finished much faster.
We all lived through the story told in this book, and that is a large part of the excitement of reading it. The book is well written, better than I expected for a book about recent politics, and reads like a delicious novel, which is not a bad thing. That said, although there is a lot about the different candidates and their personal lives, I am not sure that I hold that data to be all that accurate. Everything is interpreted through the eyes of the observers, most of the quotes are unattributed, and the particular details aren't really that important beyond their titillation factor. Certainly the personal stories are what really drives this book. That said, I was not surprised by any of the revelations in the book either.
But there is more to the book than the personal stories and the gossip factor. What particularly intrigued me was the way the game of politics was played, and how badly some of the key players actually played that game. The whole thing really reminded me of a chess match played on a rather grand scale with people as the pieces.
At the end of the book, I think I want to know more. Although the book is long, over 400 pages, there are many areas that only get surface treatment. I want to know more about the process of politics and I think I will probably pay more attention and watch with a more critical eye in the future. At the very least, I think I will be looking at the process somewhat differently than I have in the past. I also think I have more respect for the process of campaigning than I did before, I hadn't really made the connection between the control and calculation necessary to steer a campaign and win and the control and calculation necessary to run a country. To me the title Game Change reflects not so much the game-changing political campaign, but the way reading the book has changed the way I look at the process of politics. If the book has the same effect on other readers, that too is a game change.
We all lived through the story told in this book, and that is a large part of the excitement of reading it. The book is well written, better than I expected for a book about recent politics, and reads like a delicious novel, which is not a bad thing. That said, although there is a lot about the different candidates and their personal lives, I am not sure that I hold that data to be all that accurate. Everything is interpreted through the eyes of the observers, most of the quotes are unattributed, and the particular details aren't really that important beyond their titillation factor. Certainly the personal stories are what really drives this book. That said, I was not surprised by any of the revelations in the book either.
But there is more to the book than the personal stories and the gossip factor. What particularly intrigued me was the way the game of politics was played, and how badly some of the key players actually played that game. The whole thing really reminded me of a chess match played on a rather grand scale with people as the pieces.
At the end of the book, I think I want to know more. Although the book is long, over 400 pages, there are many areas that only get surface treatment. I want to know more about the process of politics and I think I will probably pay more attention and watch with a more critical eye in the future. At the very least, I think I will be looking at the process somewhat differently than I have in the past. I also think I have more respect for the process of campaigning than I did before, I hadn't really made the connection between the control and calculation necessary to steer a campaign and win and the control and calculation necessary to run a country. To me the title Game Change reflects not so much the game-changing political campaign, but the way reading the book has changed the way I look at the process of politics. If the book has the same effect on other readers, that too is a game change.
I read Game Change because of the movie with the same name and, though the movie was more entertaining, Game Change is a very interesting book for people into this kind of stuff, the boring politico types, I learned a lot of things I didn't know and filled in some pretty major gaps.
I'm not sure how credible the book is overall, some of the stuff about McCain himself seemed a little out there, but for the most part it's at least very believable. I'd say worth a read if you want to know more about the odyssey that was 2008.
I'm not sure how credible the book is overall, some of the stuff about McCain himself seemed a little out there, but for the most part it's at least very believable. I'd say worth a read if you want to know more about the odyssey that was 2008.
Two households, both alike in ambition and privilege,
In fair USA, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new drama,
Where uncivil tongues makes press hands unclean.
From forth the fatal parties of these foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers join their fates;
Whose misadventur’d extramarital affairs overthrows
Do with their defeats escalate their party's strife.
The fearful passage of their union-mark’d death for the ticket,
And the continuance of their constituent’s rage,
Which, but with the triumphal end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hundreds pages of our book;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
Not since Romeo and Juliet have we humans been blessed with such drama and intrigue. Last time it was a work of fiction, but this time it was the 2008 Presidential election. I enjoyed reading about the election almost as much as I enjoyed being captivated by it 2 years ago. I learned however that my friend Sarah is the best informed politico out there. Almost all of this she knew during the election. From now on, I'm not assuming the pundits know anything. I'm just going to be listen to Sarah.
In fair USA, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new drama,
Where uncivil tongues makes press hands unclean.
From forth the fatal parties of these foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers join their fates;
Whose misadventur’d extramarital affairs overthrows
Do with their defeats escalate their party's strife.
The fearful passage of their union-mark’d death for the ticket,
And the continuance of their constituent’s rage,
Which, but with the triumphal end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hundreds pages of our book;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
Not since Romeo and Juliet have we humans been blessed with such drama and intrigue. Last time it was a work of fiction, but this time it was the 2008 Presidential election. I enjoyed reading about the election almost as much as I enjoyed being captivated by it 2 years ago. I learned however that my friend Sarah is the best informed politico out there. Almost all of this she knew during the election. From now on, I'm not assuming the pundits know anything. I'm just going to be listen to Sarah.