As usual Goldman is a step ahead of the pols and news media
347462
Fascinating reporting from a fellow who always seems to be at least one step ahead of the blathering politicos and their media cronies. While the Greens would have us taxing and regulating ourselves to avoid so-called global warming, etc., population decline threatens to eliminate them (and a good portion of the rest of us) within two generations.

As for the Muslim part of the story, the book elucidates something Goldman recently reported: the Turkish prime minister (who can see his demographic implosion coming) begging Turkish women to have more children but only being rewarded with an immediate spike in contraceptive sales. This is a  ridiculous price for an ebook, especially when the author is unlikely to see much of the money, but its news is too important to miss.
2102298
We get the rare glimpse of an insider analyzing the decision process inside the government during the bailout.  In his case he was reviewing the bailout and TARP money.

Barofsky gets to the point by frequently showing situations were a clear desire to please those who were actually asking for favors was manifest in those dealing with TARP.  Therefore, the drive was usually towards accommodating those who should be making all the efforts towards accommodation. Barofsky shows himself as honest N.Y. D.A. trust into D.C. politics, while at first it seems a bit clich the lack of other narratives of this same period with a similar level of candor indicate that this accommodating mood indeed has taken hold over at D.C.

I found especially interesting his views and critiques of the Treasury department decisions and effective stonewalling of information.  Im not surprised by this, since they even stonewalled congress, but it is incredible how powerful this trend is that even today we get very little but brief and uninformative accounts from anyone who leaves the Treasury Dept.

Barofsky is also pretty upfront about his political biases (he is a Democrat), and truly unabashed on his critique of the Obama administration (he was nominated by Bush on the very end of his second term).  The book covers his decision to accept the position, assembling a team, obtaining office supplies and even his personal life disrupted by the need to be in D.C. instead of New York. The crucial aspect of the book is his detailed account on how the Treasury actually worked towards blocking any investigation or transparency on a program set to disburse massive amounts of funds.

He is also very clear about his political failings, and how some of his moves didn't work towards strengthening his investigative capacity.  I got the impression that he wasn't a skilled political operator by his very personality, but then again we have so many skilled political operators that its in itself a problem.  This book has the a bull-in-china-shop feel that Im sure was similar to those who dealt with him in D.C., whereas some wanted a quieter and more accommodating oversight they got Barofsky trying to run over them.

In the end he failed, or achieved such a smaller form of success as to be the same as failure.  But, the book is in itself a victory, we never get these narratives which indicates to me that people with Barofsky stance on not accommodating and not being a part of the revolving door between D.C.s law and lobby firms and the government are truly rare in today's government.  We need more of this type of book, it would be a sign of having more of this type of person in positions of responsibility on D.C.
3689228
If you have no interest in the Chechen Wars, this book may not be for you.  It is timely once again, however, as it offers a bird's eye view of a totalitarian state and the man, Putin, (a thug and criminal) whom are current President sitting in our White House admires so much.

I think the reader would have been better served if the dispatches were arranged chronologically.  Events Anna Politkovskaya was reporting on in Chechnya were hard to follow as is in this book.  "A Russian Diary" by Ms. Politkovskaya covers most of the same topics, but offers more clarity.

My favorite part of this book was the section "The Other Anna" which offers the reader another facet of Anna's character.  These pieces were real gems.  I only wish there were more included.  I also appreciated the numerous reactions to her life and death recorded at the end of the book.  She was truly a gifted and brave humanitarian and journalist.  And I couldn't help but be more than a little concerned for our own future since our own President banned select news agencies from his press conference the other day.  Trust me, we do not want to go down the same road as Russia.  Freedom of the press is a fundamental part of our democracy.  I'll end with a quote from Condoleeza Rice, the Republican Secretary of State at the time of Anna Politkovskaya's death, concerning the importance of freedom of the press and found on page 406 of "Nothing But the Truth".  "People need information in order to hold their government accountable.  And only through an independent press can that information be developed and communicated.  And whether it is in fighting corruption or questioning government policies or communicating to the Government the concerns of the people, an independent press plays an extremely important role."  Anna Politkovskaya was murdered because she dared to speak the truth.  No one should have a target on their back for such an honorable reason.
4073250
The Washington Times is a well-balanced neutral newspaper that reports the news.  It also has a great editorial section with insightful analysis.
3220470
In the midst in an era of unprecidented spin by the left to twist the truth and throw common sense out the window, it's good to see common sense within the media for a change. Good Book.
1797868
nice read and even more relevant with our current status and love fest between the media and big govt, amazing that this is still in print yet our "leaders" continue the lockstep march to follow status quo and ignore any relevant outsider info
especially relevant with the fact that fbi had info on airplanes flying into towers and did nothing at top end
3486944
The third entry in the "Making of the President" series continues to show that Ted White is a cut above other political journalists.  White manages to balance the blow by blow of a presidential campaign with his quadrennial assessment of where the United States and the world are and where they are going.  Few political authors begin a discussion of cities by explaining the etymological origins of the word.  When political journalists talk about a candidate's swing through Chicago, few dissect each ethnic enclave of the city.  Although perhaps a bit grandiose for some readers, White digs deeper into what makes politicians tick and how they assemble votes than any other political journalist before or since.  Those that have claimed to be the next White are legion, but none have come close to the delicate balance he is able to deliver.

White even manages to keep his personal views from obstructing his writing.  Just as in 1960 it was clear his favorite was JFK, this time White's personal connection is with RFK and later, he seems to be rooting for a Humphrey come from behind victory.  But his treatment of Nixon, who he had covered for decades and showed dislike for in 1960, is more than generous.  His relationship with Nixon would only improve by the 1972 book.  Perhaps if I were reading White when he wrote I would find his personal relationships with the candidates more intruding, but I think he has found the right balance.

A few thoughts:
1. A reviewer notes that the conclusion of the book was likely outdated by the time the book was published.  That is probably true.  Specifically, White's warnings of a strong, Southern third party turned out to be false.  However, a stronger Democratic candidate in 1972 and a healthy George Wallace may have made a Southern party more of a possibility.  Regardless, there is still some relevance to White's concluding comments.  In particular, his dissection of the Electoral College, its flaws, and its alternatives could have been written today.
2. White also concludes his books with a discussion of the issues he expects to affect America in the future.  For example, in the 1964 book he discussed immigration.  Here he discussed Japan among others.  It turns out, White has excellent foresight.
3. White favors the insider primary process.  When he discusses the proposal to replace it with a national primary, he shows his disdain.  That may be because the insider process is easier to cover.  After 1968, the amount of candidates entering the primaries would explode.  Where previously lots of candidates may enter their names into the convention, many as favorite sons, post 1972 most primaries in either party would include candidates in the double digits at least as a starting point.  White seems to prefer a world, and is great at covering a world, where two or three candidates are vying for the support of Mayor Daley in Chicago, a random union leader, or Nelson Rockefeller.

I do not just recommend picking up this book, but the entire series of books.  The authors of political books today seem to have nailed down the blow by blow that White captures well, but they have failed to capture the deeper issues that White distills.
659958
There is nothing better than the INSIDE story of what was going on behind the headlines of the 2012 presidential campaign. And as crazy as those headlines were, the wrangling behind the scenes only enhances the narrative of an already extraordinary campaign for the White House. PANIC 2012 contains great insider insight! A quick fun read ..that left me wanting even more detail ...would have loved to see the book ....before the final edit!
1761296
If you wonder how folks like Steve Inskeep at NPR can sound so refreshing, hour after hour, getting up before the crack of dawn, then wonder how the reporters assigned to cover the '08 presidential election are going to file timely, accurately and perhaps with insight as the bus horn beeps (or more likely, airplane propeller whirrs) incessantly. Like no other "inside" piece I've read, Crouse's work paints a textured if somewhat disturbing portrait of a uniformly-messaged, sleep-deprived and occasionally sotted press corps that almost always manages to answer the bell and do its duty on behalf of democracy.

By far the most interesting chapter in "Boys On The Bus" deals with the plight of the late Sen. Thomas Eagleton, revealed during the '72 campaign to have undergone electroshock therapy to curb his chronic depression. In the sylvan Dakota foothills, just when the media thought they could kick up their heels, the story breaks. Working the tables, McGovern plays the media clumsily, one by one (wounded by a categorical statement of support for Eagleton attributed to a campaign source), and the media, casting sideways glances and saying nothing, start to play one another. There's more than a little bit of "The Front Page" in this episode and it makes for a couple of hearty chuckles.

The Fourth Estate proves it isn't perfect in this page-turner, but like democracy, it's the best thing we've devised yet. Look for more grappling for toothbrushes on the trail with Obama, Thompson and (Gore?) in 2008.
1722721
Hemingway this book ain't, but it's nonetheless engaging.  Fans of Norman Goldman will find it a quick and satisfying read.  He discusses his hardscrabble upbringing in vivid detail.  Later, he explains his political views.  I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
1166494
Along with the superb Libertarian thriller&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Gods-of-Ruin/dp/1600200486/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Gods of Ruin</a>&nbsp;and other excellent non-fiction, Ron Paul is leading the popular movement toward liberty. I've consistently said that if Rob Paul had the eloquence and speaking ability that Obama has, we might just have a liberty-loving president today and the result would be REAL change toward a sustainable government/citizenry balance.

Paul's latest is a fine installment in his relentless fight for common sense libertarian ideology. He says that to believe in liberty is not to believe in any particular social and economic outcome--but to know that people will make the right choices when government gives up the role of nanny and tyrant. With this general principle down, Paul goes on to show how the ideas of liberty can be applied to 50 hot-button topics today (from abortion to Zionism). It is consistent, fairly thorough, and absolutely brilliant. I highly recommend this work.
3015551
The story of Watergate is certainly the political story of a lifetime.  In All the President's Men, Woodward and Bernstein give the complete and definitive story of the who, what, when, where and why of the fall of the Nixon administration.  This non-fiction book gives thought provoking insight as to the role and power of informational media the free press.

 Woodward and Bernstein are two reporters for the Washington Post trying to scout out the facts of the National Democratic Headquarters break-in.  What begins the story as a trivial robbery attempt by some Cubans, escalates to a scandal including of some of the government's highest authorities.  Harassed and bullied by a desperate Republican administration, Woodward and Bernstein travel through the peaks and valleys that come from their investigation.  The book is fast paced, giving insight to interviews with previously unnamed sources of those from the FBI, CIA, and other top government organizations, making it feel as if you yourself are searching for the answer to the question of Watergate.  While the cast of characters is broad and occasionally confusing, the immense detail and care taken in the accuracy of content is astonishing and shows what painstaking work good journalism truly is.

 A majority of the time, media is described as being primarily liberal in its writing.  Bernstein and Woodward worked to print only bipartisan and factual reporting and kill the image of the typical news agency.  By being able to print any and all of the dirt they can decipher about the cover up of Watergate, these two men are able to bring justice and change to the ethics of the White House.  Not only had they delivered the truth to the American people, but they had also given light to the corruption that could take place when the government was left unchecked by a skeptical media.

 All the President's Men should be on the reading list of every American.  There is no true way to conceive of the strength and influence of mass media without following the exciting and nerve-racking story of these two average journalists who are simply out to find the truth and bring their story into the light.  After reading this book informational media gains new perspective and appreciation.
2758521
Read like a news story that is ongoing plenty of action of the political kind and a wrapup finish that rewards the reader my first Harris novel though there will be others
3100704
Love the Lou Mason's books. Mr Goldman keeps Lou one step ahead of doom making a fun read. I'm looking forward to the next book.
2390729
With this title Pat Buchanan comes back to his style that you saw with "Right from the Begining" and which has been missing from his magazine articles. Packed with first and third hand information that accuratly depicks the invasion of the American Southwest. Provides a clear dialogue on why America is in the current situation and what the future looks like if the political culture does not change.

A quick read for a political title that will encourage you to finish it in a few sittings. Perhaps the author's strongest title.
4896697
For those that are still hooked into mainstream "news" this is a must read. For those of us who have figured out what goes on, this book is a good validation from an honest reporter. She is and will become a needed ally for the truth. She exposes the dangerous times in which we live.
4300829
I love William Goldman's books, and this might be my favorite.