I could hardly wait to read Game Change when it first came out in January. I hunted for the book in every one of my local North Carolina book stores and while I was traveling for work in San Francisco, only to find it sold out. I finally found a copy, much to my delight, in the LaGuardia airport and after opening it, couldn’t put it down. You see, it combines my two favorite topics – politics and gossip – within my favorite genre – non-fiction.
What I found to be most fascinating is that Game Change is more or less a history book, recalling the historical Democratic primary and presidential election of 2008. What’s interesting is that this is our history. It’s a peek behind the curtain of what will surely be regarded as one of the most important elections in American history. But unlike historical figures like George Washington, or Abraham Lincoln, these characters seem far more human. In this historical tale, powder white wigs are traded for royal blue pantsuits, and stove pipe top hats, for Chicago Cubs ball caps.
Authors, journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin spun their tale thanks to anonymous accounts of trusted sources behind the campaigns of Hilary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama. The book focuses most of its attention on the hotly contested Democratic primary and shines a light on Clinton’s disjointed campaign and significant spousal liability. It also paints a flattering portrait of Obama’s campaign and the team who took him straight to the top. The same can’t be said for John McCain or Sarah Palin, both who come off has out of touch and unprepared to be elected to the nation’s top office.
Overall, was the book fair and balanced? No. But then again, it is hard to find anything that really is. Was it a page turning, edge of your seat, what happens next modern account of politics at its best (and certainly its worst)? Absolutely! I would recommend it to anyone who watched CNN around the clock in 2008 to get the latest election news. I think you will find it even more so engrossing.
