The Gatekeepers

How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency

By: Chris Whipple

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Now with a chapter on the chaos in the Trump administration, The New York Times best-selling, behind-the-scenes look at the White House Chiefs of Staff, whose actions - and inactions - have defined the course of our country.

What do Dick Cheney and Rahm Emanuel have in common? Aside from polarizing personalities, both served as chief of staff to the president of the United States - as did Donald Rumsfeld, Leon Panetta, and a relative handful of others. The chiefs of staff, often referred to as "the gatekeepers", wield tremendous power in Washington and beyond; they decide who is allowed to see the president, negotiate with Congress to push POTUS's agenda, and - most crucially - enjoy unparalleled access to the leader of the free world. Each chief can make or break an administration, and each president reveals himself by the chief he picks.

Through extensive, intimate interviews with 18 living chiefs (including Reince Priebus) and two former presidents, award-winning journalist and producer Chris Whipple pulls back the curtain on this unique fraternity. In doing so, he revises our understanding of presidential history, revealing to us how James Baker’s expert managing of the White House, the press, and Capitol Hill paved the way for the Reagan Revolution - and, conversely, how Watergate, the Iraq War, and even the bungled Obamacare rollout might have been prevented by a more effective chief.

Filled with shrewd analysis and never-before-reported details, The Gatekeepers offers an essential portrait of the toughest job in Washington.

©2017 Chris Whipple (P)2017 Random House Audio

The men behind Presidents

It is impressive to realize that the American political circle is a circle made up of about the same men in the sixties, through today.

A Reminder and New Revelations

Great men understand the important of appointments. Wish we had a great man right now.

Not a bad read if you like history

I enjoyed the history lessons in each administration if all true. I felt like the content and events we're presented without bias and that probably changes some of my opinions about some of the administrations that seems ineffective. There were successes and failures and it seemed each president was his own man. For sure the presidents that had the stronger chiefs of staff were more successful in accomplishing the goals of their boss.

One for the books

This book has some of the most inside stories you can get about presidents’s terms. A great read and one that every college political science major should read.

Great read

I didn't want to put it down. This is is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.

COS

Eye opening into the history of the chief of staff and his impact on history

Chiefs-of-Staff Get Their Due

An incredibly insightful book that sheds light on the important, but often unsung, roles played by White House chiefs-of-staff. The contrasts in abilities, personality and effectiveness of each are well described. I learned a lot of information about this important role. I highly recommend this book.

Interesting and Revealing

I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone open minded enough to learn more about our political system and those charged with governing our country. It is has very revealing insights on our leaders and we citizens of the USA

Great insight

Really great insight into the COS role in shaping the White House, policy, and ultimate success of the Presidency.

Excellent Book!!!

This is an excellent book that allows reader to go far beyond the walls of the Oval Office and into the mind of each president. One will get to see how candid, tough and demanding it is for the gatekeepers of the president to be in the foxhole with the president. Each Chief of Staff was honest and gave wonder overviews what it is like being next to the president. Well written.