Game Change

Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

By: John Heilemann, Mark Halperin

Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris

Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

"This shit would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."--Barack Obama, September 2008

In 2008, the presidential election became blockbuster entertainment. Everyone was watching as the race for the White House unfolded like something from the realm of fiction. The meteoric rise and historic triumph of Barack Obama.... The shocking fall of the House of Clinton - and the improbable resurrection of Hillary as Obama's partner and America's face to the world.... The mercurial performance of John McCain and the mesmerizing emergence of Sarah Palin.

But despite the wall-to-wall media coverage of this spellbinding drama, remarkably little of the real story behind the headlines has yet been told. In Game Change, John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, two of the country's leading political reporters, use their unrivaled access to pull back the curtain on the Obama, Clinton, McCain, and Palin campaigns. How did Obama convince himself that, despite the thinness of his résumé, he could somehow beat the odds to become the nation's first African-American president? How did the tumultuous relationship between the Clintons shape - and warp - Hillary's supposedly unstoppable bid? What was behind her husband's furious outbursts and devastating political miscalculations? Why did McCain make the novice governor of Alaska his running mate? And was Palin merely painfully out of her depth - or troubled in more serious ways?

Game Change answers those questions and more, laying bare the secret history of the 2008 campaign. This is a reportorial tour de force that reads like a fast-paced novel.

©2010 John Heilemann and Mark Halperin (P)2010 HarperAudio

Fascinating!

Would you consider the audio edition of Game Change to be better than the print version?

I can only imagine that the audio edition is better. The narrator was great.

What did you like best about this story?

The inside knowledge I gained.

Which character – as performed by Dennis Boutsikaris – was your favorite?

I think he did a pretty good Bill Clinton.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The struggle it was for Hillary Clinton. I never cared that much for Her during the campaign but had no idea what she/they were going through.

there's a story in there somewhere

Is there anything you would change about this book?

excessive verbiage praising the wonderfulness of Hilary Clinton, but no stories that actually demonstrate that she's wonderful. having a hard time getting thru it. there's a great story in there somewhere, but it is dragged down by the heavy, boring attention praising Hilary. but there is NO proof that she deserves all the accolades

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

less glowing adjectives about Hilary, more facts

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

boring

Fascinating!

Not a book I'd be drawn to but the reviews here were so good I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. It was informative and thought-provoking, and the narration was just superb. Loved the references to "Hillary-Land" and "McCain-World"!

Affirming

Thoroughly enjoyable. What happens in life when the right guy is in the right place at the right time? So perfect, you couldn't have made it up.

Behind the Public Facade

If you could sum up Game Change in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, Riveting, Disturbing.

What did you like best about this story?

I could not stop listening to this book. What a fascinating look at one of the most interesting Presidential runs in history. I just had to keep listening to this it had me from page 1.

What about Dennis Boutsikaris’s performance did you like?

I thought his narration was great and he hit the perfect tone for this book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Politics will never be the same.They have made a film about this book, but concentrating on the McCain/Palin portion of the book.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book.We would all like to believe that our candidates have the highest of ideals in wanting to run for President. This book exposes the harsh reality behind the public facade.It is shameful that so much money is wasted on this election. Only well healed people can now run for this office, often attracting vain self interested individuals who have no real vision for the future of the nation and its people.

An Exciting Ride

This fun, fast-paced book does a great job of covering some of the "inside baseball" during the 2008 Campaign. The authors have done their homework.

All authors have biases, and Heilemann and Halperin are no exception. I think they make an earnest, journalistic effort to be objective, and largely they're successful.

The most nuanced and multi-faceted character in the book is Hillary Clinton: sometimes conniving, protective mother, earnest crusader, spiteful pol, dismissive in victory, gracious in defeat, beloved statesman, mistrusted reminder of the Clinton Administration.

Great book.

Great perspective

I followed the election with attention to the smallest details, yet these two authors managed to find things I'd heard nothing about. This book doesn't set out to be a flattery piece. It does reveal truths. In many cases, the truth is not pretty.

The way they captured personality nuances of the major players is significant. It's more than McCain's daredevil, Palin's whatever, Hillary's determination and Obama's calm. How it played out day-to-day amidst a grueling campaign is fascinating. It's interesting if you like the nitty gritty of politics and want to understand some of the human motivation behind the headlines.

I came out of the book with newfound appreciation for the strengths of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. That they were able to find a way to work together and become friends is amazing.

Totally guilty pleasure

OK, to start with, the whole book is deep background, which means you'll just have to take the authors' words that they're giving you the straight scoop. The story never drags and it effortlessly keeps its cast of hundreds clear in the head of the reader/listener.

It's a totally glib piece of maybe-faux-reportage but eerily enchanting in a gossipy train-wreck kind of way that I love every minute of though makes me feel dirty afterwards. (Admittedly, I have ambivalence issues.)

Boutsikaris is just pitch-perfect, the only unabashed 5-stars I can give, hinting at the cadences of the better known speakers without flat-out imitating them.

Excellent inside view

Well narrated and written. Wonderful portraits of McCain, Hillary and Obama and their behavior under the pressure of this campaign. Shocking revelations about Edwards' recklessness. McCain and Hillary are sincere but misguided. Obama shows nothing but grace. A must read (or hear).

Awesome!

Best book on the inner workings of a presidential election ever. The is no left/right slant, just pure fact. Listen carfeully to the foreward, every fact was verified by at least three insiders. Finally a non-judgemental and true portrayal of the 2008 campaign. The media should take lessons from the authors on how to report verified fact.