The Opposition…

Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

John Heilemann,

Mark Halperin

Discussion: 2016-Apr-May-Jun

Why we're reading this: CR: January 13, 2010; January 4, 2012
TDS: June 22, 2016
[close] CR: January 13, 2010; January 4, 2012
TDS: June 22, 2016

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What Members Thought

Dec 22, 2011 Kathrina rated it liked it

Shelves: history

I couldn't stop reading until I found out who won. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2010 Jack rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, presidents, politics, history

I didn't follow the 2008 election in every step-by-step detail. So perhaps true political junkies will find this book yet another story of stuff they already knew. But I thought it was fascinating and read like cheap and easy fiction. Maybe there was some fiction in it, but even if there was 20% truth to it, it's still eye-opening. Basically, all of the story-lines made known throughout the election year are present here, but all those story-lines have been injected with steroids: Obama is even I didn't follow the 2008 election in every step-by-step detail. So perhaps true political junkies will find this book yet another story of stuff they already knew. But I thought it was fascinating and read like cheap and easy fiction. Maybe there was some fiction in it, but even if there was 20% truth to it, it's still eye-opening. Basically, all of the story-lines made known throughout the election year are present here, but all those story-lines have been injected with steroids: Obama is even more self-confident, Hillary is even more frustrated, Bill is even more angry, Edwards is even more sleazy, McCain is even more mavericky, and Palin is even more uninformed. The most interesting parts of the book were those parts discussing John and Elizabeth Edwards and Sarah Palin. I didn't realize that Elizabeth Edwards had such a nasty reputation (well before her health issues). John Edwards seemed to practically live in a fantasy world. And Sarah Palin not only was uninformed about some basic stuff, but many around her thought she may be emotionally or mentally unstable. She practically shut-down when times got tough. In her defense, she always was able to pick herself back up and perform when it was most important. Of course, with the Palin story, there's a lot of animosity between the McCain folks (but not McCain) and Palin, and I don't know any of them enough to know who is telling the truth.
The main weakness of the book is that there are no citations or references. Who really talked to the authors? It seems clear that an awful lot of people did. But then, if the authors had to cite their sources, no book could have been published because they would have had nothing juicy to write about. That's one of the facts about journalism and politics. Still, in the authors' defense, I haven't heard of anyone coming forward to seriously challenge the more alarming allegations. (Peggy Noonan made that same point I believe.) That's good for the reliability of the book, but not so reassuring for America since a few people who were clearly not qualified to serve in national elective office almost made it there. ...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Judy rated it really liked it

What really goes on during a presidential campaign? Especially in the months leading up to the early caucus decisions and the early primaries? Why do some candidates with seemingly slim resumes surge to the top and other, more experienced, candidates fall by the wayside? John Heilemann and Mark Halperin reveal the ups and downs, the strategies that work and those that back-fire, and the last-minute maneuvers that create campaigns. And while the book focuses on Barack Obama, Hillary and Bill Clin ...more

2 likes · Like · see review