In the President's Secret Service

Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect

De: Ronald Kessler

Narrado por: Alan Sklar

Secret Service agents, acting as human surveillance cameras, observe everything that goes on behind the scenes in the president's inner circle. Ronald Kessler reveals what they have seen, providing startling, previously untold stories about the presidents, from John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as about their families, Cabinet officers, and White House aides.

Kessler portrays the dangers that agents face and how they carry out their missions---from how they are trained to how they spot and assess potential threats. With fly-on-the-wall perspective, he captures the drama and tension that characterize agents' lives. In this headline-grabbing book, Kessler discloses assassination attempts that have never before been revealed. He shares inside accounts of past assaults that have put the Secret Service to the test, including a heroic gun battle that took down the would-be assassins of Harry S. Truman, the devastating day that John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas, and the swift actions that saved Ronald Reagan after he was shot. While Secret Service agents are brave and dedicated, Kessler exposes how Secret Service management in recent years has betrayed its mission by cutting corners, risking the assassination of President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and their families. Given the lax standards, "It's a miracle we have not had a successful assassination," a current agent says. ,p>Since an assassination jeopardizes democracy itself, few agencies are as important as the Secret Service---and few subjects are as tantalizing as the inner sanctum of the White House. Only tight-lipped Secret Service agents know the real story, and Kessler is the only journalist to have won their trust.

©2009 Ronald Kessler (P)2009 Tantor

Fascinating and frightening

This book is well written and very well read. At times, it’s a little gossipy, but at the same time, this author glosses over Bill Clinton’s womanizing and talks about his $700 haircut. The details about how the Secret Service works were very illuminating. The fact that these agents are so overworked is frightening. If this author is to be believed, the leadership in this organization is abysmal. God help us all.!

Not so good

The reader had a whiny voice and the text was too self deprecating (personally aggrandizing) to be fully credible. There were some very good points but FAR too repetitive.

Total Waste of a credit...Don't waste your time!

Would you try another book from Ronald Kessler and/or Alan Sklar?

No

What could Ronald Kessler have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

If you are a right wing conservative it will right up your alley.

Any additional comments?

How can the Democratic Presidents of the last 50 years all be so horrible to work for and Republicans all be so sweet and accommodating.

Meh

Not that bad, but not that great either. Can't tell if the Secret Service should have our praise, our sympathy, or just be disbanded all together.

Just a gossip rag

I purchased this book expecting to learn how the secret service works, but all I learned was useless gossip and one sided opinions of the author. I did learn an important lesson, read other member reviews before purchasing. Most of the reviewers share my opinion regarding the book. The book contained very little actual history or a "behind the scene" look at the secret service. I wish I could return this download, at least I can delete it and warn others before they make the same mistake.

In the President's Secret Service

I found the book to be disjointed, boring and most of all self serving. I would not recomment it. To much like a cry baby's persective.

just horrible

Such a waste of money or credits. Please don't waste yours.

Am I the Only One Seeing a Conflict Here?!

Following a brief introduction stating the need to establish confidence between the Secret Service & their charge and why it’s vital the Protected must feel their privacy secure, the body of the book swiftly ushers you down the path of intimate details of shenanigans going on behind mostly closed doors. According to this author, LBJ enjoyed a “5 finger discount” to White House goodies, flying them back to his place in TX, Jimmy Carter showed the public he was a regular guy by toting his own luggage (which happened to be empty) & maintained a “dry” White House — aside from the nightly brandy for his mother & the Sunday screwdrivers for Rosalyn. You can read about the Clinton’s habitual tardiness, the Bush girls underage drinking and enough extramarital affairs, you’d be wise to stock up on penicillin before getting comfy with Kessler. At least the book concludes with shortcuts taken — like forgoing metal detection when crowds are large & the time is ticking and highlighting that the Secret Service is overworked, underpaid and their value is neck and neck with that of a First Family’s pet. The performance was fair, but a bit jumpy as if using a voice activated mic. Bottomline; this book left me with the impression I know more about who Ronald Kessler is than anyone else.

Bad Soap Opera

This book is a compendium of absolutely useless and trivial information about the Secret Service and the families they guard.
It is a really bad soap opera filling us in with "dirt and stupid stories about the First Families.
Do not waste your time or money

Gossip or Compelling Stories?

Would you try another book from Ronald Kessler and/or Alan Sklar?

Interesting stories about several of our presidents but most of it feels like gossip. Much of the stories show our presidents in a negative light. I was under the impression that it was more about the life and training of secret service agents.