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Buy the Book
Friends and Sources
Jonathan Alter’s insider take on Obama’s glorious first year.
The Promise: President Obama, Year One
By Jonathan Alter
(Simon & Schuster, 458 pages, $28)
“A mile above sea level,” reads the first awful sentence by Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter in his prologue to this book, “the thin Denver air refreshed the throngs as they waited in the summer darkness for their man to ascend. It was an electric evening for a nation yearning to believe in something or someone again. Barack Obama accepted his party’s nomination for president on August 28, 2008, the forty-fifth anniversary of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech at the Lincoln Memorial.”
As far as we know, no loaves and fishes to feed the hungry multitudes, no water changed to wine. But otherwise, the symbols are all there — the adoring throngs, the mountaintop, the ascension — and the tone is set. And there’s much more. Several months later, Election Day, “A new generation of elites felt no embarrassment over displays of love for their country. In Harvard Square, students stopped traffic and sang ‘God Bless America’ and ‘America the Beautiful.’”
Wow! Harvard Square! Elites! The first time! We’ll take his word for it, just as we’ll take his word that on LaSalle Street in Chicago, an unnamed “working-class African American” stopped an unnamed “white reporter” to offer congratulations. “Congratulations to you,” the reporter responded. “‘No, it’s you folks, the Caucasians, who did this, who should get the credit. We knew we’d vote for Barack today, but we just weren’t sure y’all would.’”
That “y’all” lends an air of authenticity, doesn’t it? And lucky he picked the right Caucasian to stop. But with such a precise and harmless quote, why are “the white reporter” and “the working-class African American” unnamed, just as so many of the 200 people the author says he interviewed are unnamed? In some cases, of course, it’s a matter of job security or fear of retaliation. In others, there’s no point at all. Poetic license? But no matter. Alter is a good reporter and writer, and his book picks up once he comes down from the mountain and off the street and settles into the White House, where he enjoys unusual access and is among friends — perhaps, at times, in-appropriately so.
A significant amount of space is given to Rahm Emanuel, former Illinois congressman, erstwhile booster of Rod Blagojevich, and Obama’s chief of staff; and David Axelrod, longtime consultant who has worked for nearly every Chicago Democratic politico and now serves as Obama’s political adviser. In a somewhat off-putting way, Alter always refers to Axelrod as “Ax” and Emanuel as “Rahm” or even “Rahmbo,” as one chapter is titled. (Wonder if they call him “Alt”?)
“I’m going to kill that f***ing dog,” Alter has Emanuel saying of the White House pet. “I told the president, ‘You can have your Portuguese water dog, but you’ve also got a pit bull and his name is Rahm.’ ” In his office, writes Alter, Emanuel keeps a name plate reading “Undersecretary for Go F**** Yourself.” A real Chicago tough guy, a hard man. “When an aide came to his office and stammered nervously on a difficult topic, Rahm barked at him, ‘Take your f***ing tampon out and tell me what you have to say.’ ”
Some say you can tell a great deal about the character of an executive by the way he treats his staff. But no matter. He’s a tough guy, and proud of it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed his friend Alter to use the direct quotes. But you can’t help but wonder. Elsewhere, Alter tells us that Emanuel is “only five-foot-eight and 150 pounds,” who, “as a young man was such a good ballet dancer that he was invited to join the Joffrey Ballet,” and attended Sarah Lawrence, where, back in the day, only smart girls used to go.
As a top adviser, Alter tells us, Emanuel was also expected to send a tough-guy foreign policy message to Israel: “The message was unmistakable: President Barack Hussein had a chief of staff named Rahm Israel Emanuel and he would use his knowledge and credibility for a new level of candor in U.S.-Israel relations no matter how much the Israeli press screamed about it or Netanyahu himself called Rahm and Ax ‘self-hating Jews.’ ”
Has the message been effective? Writes Alter: “The two fundamental foreign policy issues of Year One were restraining nukes — the most immediate threat to everyone’s security — and improving relations with the Muslim world.” On restraining nukes, aside from the one Soviet-era-style signing ceremony between the U.S. and Russia that accomplished nothing, there’s little to point to. In fact, at the same time we’ve lost respect in the Arab world, we’re perceived as having turned our back on Israel, whose security is immediately threatened by Iranian nuclear development. As a result, the Israelis, increasingly isolated, may feel they’re being forced to take matters into their own hands.
In the other important areas of concern — Pakistan and Afghanistan — “Chaosistan” is the chapter heading — Alter attempts to make sense of the administration’s efforts to fashion a coherent policy. Thus far, Obama has taken two shots at articulating it — one in a speech at West Point, the other in his Nobel acceptance speech. Although George Bush’s successful surge was ultimately responsible for stabilizing Iraq, neither the name “Bush” nor the word “surge” was mentioned in either speech or in any White House or Pentagon pronouncements.
But in the end, after great procrastination (what Dick Cheney called “waffling”), Obama proposed a surge — a limited, modified surge, to be sure, and not called that — but a surge, nevertheless, and a surge with the odd codicil that while we surged we’d be getting ready to leave. Alter quotes David Gergen: “The cavalry is coming — but not for long.”
Incidentally, although Alter skirts the point, the president’s Nobel speech, initially celebrated in the major media as a brilliant statement of a new “Obama Doctrine,” with its emphasis on national strength and just wars, and minus the obligatory Niebuhrian felicities, could just as well have been read by George W. Bush.
And finally, before leaving “Chaos-istan,” it would be well to take note of the germ of an idea planted with Alter by his White House friends, involving General David Petraeus. The president, worried about Pentagon and military buy-in to his confused — and confusing — surge, suspected that Robert Gates, Admiral Mullen, and Petraeus had been conspiring to torpedo his plan, using General McChrystal as their front man. The upshot was “a cold and bracing meeting” at which Obama (some might say Queeg-like) accused his defense chairman and military leaders of plotting against him, and demanded they swear their fealty. They did, of course, and Alter reports that Admiral Mullen was “chagrined,” denying that anyone had ever tried to limit the president’s policy choices.
As Alter puts it, apparently swallowing the White House spin whole, “The commander-in-chief…undertook the most direct assertion of presidential authority over the U.S. military since President Truman fired General MacArthur in 1951.” And although Alter doesn’t mention it, by so doing, he also set the military up to take the fall, should his confusing and contradictory policy in Afghanistan fail, as seems likely. And then there’s this: “Some aides worried…that Petraeus was politically ambitious and was making an implied threat: Decide Afghanistan my way or I just might resign my command and run for president in 2012.” And so, in approved Chicago fashion, you hit your perceived opponent first, in this case sending a message through a sympathetic journalist.
About the Author
John R. Coyne, Jr. a former White House speech-writer, is co-author with Linda Bridges of Strictly Right: William F. Buckley Jr. and the American Conservative Movement (Wiley).
Letter to the Editor View all comments (31) | Leave a comment
More Articles by John R. Coyne, Jr.
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Appleby| 7.15.10 @ 6:58AM
While I will never read this book, I appreciate the review, especially that commentary on Rahm being a spindly little guy who used to study ballet and attended a womens university ... it explains practically everything including the proud public display of potty-mouth, the way toddlers prove they are men.
I will be so glad to see the back of this whole administration, lock, stock and potty.
Old Soldier| 7.15.10 @ 10:19AM
Toughness, politeness, and disrespect are three different things. Being rude and disrespectful is not a sign of toughness and is only interpreted as such by the weak. The toughest guys I have served with were always respectful and polite because they were disciplined.
Actual tough guys recognize Rahm's behavior for what it is - bluster to cover his own weakness and insecurity.
loulou| 7.15.10 @ 10:35AM
I too will never read this book.
I see Rahm as a smarter (?) version of Obama. Uncouth louts, both.
Obama is the creep who puts his feet up on the desk in the Oval Office. Wait, aren't Muslims not allowed to show the soles of their shoes? The Indonesian Kenyan is showing his contempt for the USA.
The Obamas and their crew are filth, plain and simple. And that includes Massive Michelle, the affirmative action ingrate, who loves her ribs as she harrangues the little people about their fattening diet.
RCV| 7.15.10 @ 12:50PM
Of course, you "will never read this book." You only read things that reinforce beliefs you already have. God forbid that you might encounter some information that would challenge the glib notions you pick up from sites like this.
The Obamas are a wonderful family, people many of us are proud to have as representatives of our Nation.
Anthony| 7.15.10 @ 1:25PM
Sorry Monica, nice try there girl; your spot on the Oval Office rug has already been taken over by Alter. I'm sure you miss your vital roll in uplifting leftist presidents, but hey girl, you had a heck of a ride.
Go visit Bill and bring some Viagra, for old times sake.
Nick| 7.15.10 @ 7:52PM
RCV,
"You only read things that reinforce beliefs you already have."
And you don't?
RCV| 7.16.10 @ 12:20PM
No, I don't. I regularly read TAS, National Review and most conservative publications, and listen daily to Beck and Limbaugh and Mark Levin. I seek out conservative and libertarian books as well. I've never understood why most liberals and conservatives I know stick to reading and listening to only people they agree with.
Nick| 7.17.10 @ 4:41PM
RCV,
Then, when do you have time to read lefty propaganda?
I, too, keep tabs on the left, but not daily. Except, maybe, Chris Matthspews. I can't stand Sheppy Smith, and there's not much on at 7 pm, besides Larry Kudlow. But, I can't do economics everyday, either.
RCV| 7.18.10 @ 10:56PM
Huffpost is about all I read daily on the left, plus the NY Times.
Marc Jeric| 7.16.10 @ 12:52AM
What a wonderful family - educated for 20 years by Rev. Wright and Sol Alinsky. Abu Hussein al-Mombassa (or wherever in Kenya this marxist Muslim was born) is the head of a true communist regime bent on nationalizing private enterprise. And komrad Alter is a ranking member of the Communist Party USA.
Alan Brooks| 7.15.10 @ 3:52PM
"I will be so glad to see the back of this whole administration, lock, stock and potty."
IF you can elect Ikes, Coolidges, Reagans.
R Martin| 7.15.10 @ 8:57AM
I think Alter's opening sentence in the prologue could be a viable entry in the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.
Mark Long| 7.15.10 @ 10:01AM
My first thought upon reading Alter's opening line is that the administration might founder one mile below the sea, in the Gulf of Mexico. Upon further reflection, though, I realize it began with the campaign: the Reagan envy in Berlin, that ridiculous display in Denver, the empty slogans, etc. It is all superficial preening.
He was never going to live up to the absurd expectations of his worshippers because he is not the Messiah. I almost will feel sorry for him when the inevitable downfall comes--almost. His narcissism will turn it into schadenfreude.
Anthony| 7.15.10 @ 1:07PM
I'll glance at this book at the $1.00 book bin at the church book sale next summer.
Alter, aka Constanza, reminds me of the woman who appears in the movie "Private Parts", who, much to Howard Stern's adolescent glee, swollows a 12 inch kielbasa whole.
Come to think of it, Alter is really theMonica Lewinsky of the Obama Administration. Whew, how ugly is Alter in a thong?? Curious minds don't want to know!!
JS| 7.15.10 @ 3:42PM
Better him than Helen Thomas!
Padoux| 7.15.10 @ 3:13PM
I haven't read Alter's book and son't intend to. I've never had any use for this smug butt kisser's line. On Lettterman's show the other night Alter and that clown Lettermen took turns mocking Bush with Alter saying Obama's low poll results stem from Obama's inablitiy to communicate or "emote" proplerly. Americans who oppose him are thus just not getting it or are misinformed. In Alter's world he can't conceive that most oppose Obama because of his policies which will put the feds in control of our lives more than ever. I looked at the energy bill passed by the house online, it is a nightmare reaching everywhere into our lives and businesses. Add this to the financial bill, and health care, and this is why, Alter, my brown nose friend, so many oppose the "professor" in chief.
Alan Brooks| 7.15.10 @ 3:56PM
"In Alter's world he can't conceive that most oppose Obama because of his policies which will put the feds in control of our lives more than ever."
You will have to wait until at least mid-century to roll back the feds. Americans are not the frugal sort they were decades ago.
Clinton nee Publius | 7.15.10 @ 6:07PM
I finally figured out what the deal was with the media when the Supreme Court's opinion came down that decided the matter and Alter slipped and said, "we haven't lost yet. We can still win this."
On that day I stopped watching MSNBC, CNN, CBS, NBC and ABC. I tuned into Fox and soon realized how foolish I had been.
I'm sure this will be a big seller this summer and will be read by all of the liberal-progressive movement. He can look forward to the same reaction that Ed Shultz got for his book.
Nobody cares what Alter thinks any more. He gave up being a journalist a long time ago.
true religions | 7.15.10 @ 10:52PM
Hey this is a great article. I'm going to email this to my friends. I stumbled on this while googling for some new lyrics, I'll be sure to come back. thanks for sharing.
Sam H| 7.16.10 @ 1:08AM
RCV,
God forbid!
The Obamas are good people, idolized by millions who are proud of them!
Heavens!
Did your parents have any children that lived? Grow up already...you and your ilk are tiresome indeed.
RCV| 7.18.10 @ 11:01PM
Thanks, Sam. You seem like a really neat guy too.
shearwater| 8.22.10 @ 5:05AM
The community organizer and chief and his wife are steeped in Marxist thought of Saul Alinski, a notable communist from Chicago. Their model of change is taken from Cloward and Piven, Columbia University Sociology professors who say that to bring revolutionary change you first exhaust the people and the economy to such extreme straits that the economy collapses such as Obama is doing with health care and all the unfunded entitlement programs that we will be paying for for generations. Then you capitalize on the crisis by making everyone at the same economic level through wealth redistribution via the tax system. Wa la . . . the nation becomes a banana republic with a dependent slave population which dictators like Obama can manipulate. Ceasar Chevaz is the model in Venezuela. Free market capitalism is framed as the villain. Collectivization as in unionism is installed and venerated. The "goose that laid the golden egg," aka free market capitalism is dead and is what those Chicago, New York and California thugs are happy as oysetrs.