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Buy the Book
Friends and Sources
Jonathan Alter’s insider take on Obama’s glorious first year.
(Page 2 of 2)
ALTER IS TOO CLOSE to his sources and too sympathetic to the party line. Nevertheless, there are good things here. There’s a chapter titled “Larry and Tim,” with sketches of Tim Geithner and Larry Summers (“In the early days, Geithner often looked like a piñata,” and “On good days Summers was nearly as brilliant as he thought he was.”); a description of a shouting match about sexism between Summers and Christina Romer, who gave better than she got; references to an ongoing feud between White House economists and columnist Paul Krugman; the First Lady of France (where else?) wanting to talk to an obviously embarrassed Michelle Obama about sex; Obama having to break up a potential fistfight between Henry Paulson and Barney Frank (and who would you root for in that one?).
But Alter’s primary purpose, he tells us, is to answer three questions: What happened during the administration’s first year in office? What’s the president like? How well did he do? To a great extent, the first and last questions are answered by one phrase: health care. Against the advice of his top advisers, Alter tells us (“I begged him not to do this,” said Rahm Emanuel), Obama pressed on, devoting most of a legislative year to the passage of an extraordinarily complex bill that no one has read (not even Nancy Pelosi, who gets paid to read such things), full of contradictory and unenforceable provisions, and doing nothing at all to reduce the cost of health care.
Because the health care struggle consumed so much time and was covered to exhaustion by the national media, there’s nothing at all new for Alter, who gives it a great deal of space, to add to the story. As for other accomplishments, Alter gives us a list that reads very much like a White House communications office info dump and an end-of-year set of talking points. And what does Alter think the president is like? Three chapter headings pretty much tell the story: “Obama Takes Charge,” “Zen Temperament,” and “Professor-in-Chief.”
As the headings indicate, there’s little beyond the stylized and trite here, but that’s understandable. As a Newsweek editor, under the direction of Jon Meacham, Alter has necessarily been involved in creating the Obama image. In fact, it may be because of Meacham’s excessive Obama worship — the president has graced a record number of Newsweek covers, along with contributions to the magazine from the idealized Obama family (no doubt happily shaped by Newsweek staffers working with White House ghosts) — that Newsweek, once a good weekly news magazine, albeit excessively liberal and suffering from Luce envy, has been kicked out of the nest by the Washington Post and may soon fold, for reasons ably enumerated in TAS by Jeffrey Lord.
But don’t cry for Jonathan Alter and Jon Meacham. As Patrick Gavin writes in Politico, Meacham “has the great fortune of being part of an elite club of journalists who take care of their own.” He quotes Peter Mirijanian, a Washington crisis communications expert: “Within the fraternity and sorority that is the journalist corridor between New York and Washington, I think he’s fine…” And so is Alter. After Game Change and The Bridge, his Promise is third in a series of at least three more Obama books this year by that “elite club” of journalist/writers, topping off with Bob Woodward, who creates great fictional characters and will find at least one Deep Throat in the administration, unnamed of course, to pass him secrets in an unlit parking garage.
The story will change, the plot thicken, and Alter will be kept in book contracts for a few more years — at least up through Year Four — thus continuing to ensure him a place beside Jon Meacham at Charley Rose’s table.
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.