I admit that I know very little about most presidents of the United States, and that I am just as biased and prejudiced about the person who is to hold that office as anyone. I would like to believe that each party is capable of selecting a nominee for the office who is qualified to actually become the chief executive, but in truth, many times, both parties have failed to demonstrate the ability to select a candidate who is truly capable of dealing with congress, the nation, and nations of the world in a way that suggests that those who run are truly able to BE the president, representing each one of us in our own way.
In this book by Edward Klein, the reader is soon learning that the ability to win a nomination is not the same as the ability to lead and serve a nation such as the United States. It appears that while Barack Obama was capable of gaining the nomination, he has failed abysmally at becoming a credible leader, and responsible president.
In many ways, this book will console many who had thought that Barack Obama would be a tool of Reverend Wright, for it exposes the fact that no sooner had Barack won the election than he soon rid himself of any influences of the strange Reverend who he had followed for so many years. In fact, it appears that many early supporters of Barack Obama get left behind as he climbs up the lofty ladder of success to forget all about them, leaving them in the dust somewhere far back of the pack.
But the few who he kept around him are very powerful and very important to know: Valerie Jarrett, a longtime friend from Chicago politics, and Samantha Powers, a newly acquired friend whose impact upon Barack Obama is utterly undeniable. These two women appear to be more powerful than even his wife Michelle. Nobody gets to Barack Obama except through Valerie Jarrett, and that includes appointed members of his cabinet. She is fully capable of blocking anyone from getting through to Barack Obama, causing much unhappiness within his own circles of appointments.
One would have thought that Oprah Winfrey would have had some influence, but in fact, she like many of Barack's supporters, was given the cold shoulder and a difficult time in gaining access to the newly elected president. It seems that Michelle is quite jealous of any woman's influence except that of the two aforementioned who hold great influence on her husband.
This book is loaded with stories of people who had befriended and supported Barack Obama but given short shrift and are now only mildly lukewarm about his presidency. The author interviewed many of these early backers to hear their stories and recount them in this revealing look at a strange and amateurish president. The term Amateur comes from Bill Clinton who is seen as urging his wife to run against Obama since Clinton is so exasperated with how badly Barack Obama is doing as the leader of the USA.
Barack Obama has alienated nearly everyone within the Washington sector but also goes on to alienate the Jewish voters, and Benjamin Netanyahu in his remarks to Nicholas Sarkosy, and later, in his treatment of Netanyahu when he comes to the White House.
This section on the way that Barack Obama treated Netanyahu is absolutely unb elievable, but it is fascinating to see how Obama regards the Israeli leader. Later, he does try to mend fences, and one wonders if Netanyahu can forget the earlier maltreatment. I must admit that this chapter alone is worth reading this book to know.
In the end, we realize that Barack Obama is not very well liked by many in his party, and even amongst his appointments. Obama is not a warm and friendly man, but an aloof, and haughty personality who believes only in himself, his own personal charm and charisma, and as a result, has few backers and supporters who defend him. His only real fans remain amongst those who see him from far away rather than from up close and personal.
This book sheds insights on his attitude towards the military, his inability to work with his own appointees, General James Logan Jones, jr. for example, and his closest advisors. It is worth reading to learn who all the people are who surround Barack Obama, who sticks with him and why, and who is happiest when finally no longer serving in his cabinet or in an important post or position.
One sentence stood out to me in the book which truly gave me cause to be concerned about Barack Obama's attitude toward the USA. He appears to apologize too much for American intervention and power in the world, and as such, is reducing the miliary to below normal in terms of defense. That sentence is this: Under the Obama presidency, America has become weaker than any time since the Cold War. This is followed by the cuts in the military with the following sentence added as a kicker. Our adversaries are gaining military, economic, diplomatic, and technological advantage over the United States thanks to a president who is considered weak. The author points out that little is done about China's continued rise to power, and also about the possible threats from Iran in terms of nuclear power.
Granted, the author continues to balance these arguments with counter arguments so that the book lets the reader determine for himself whether Obama is actually learning and growing during this process, or if he is actually finding a way out for himself so that he can become a one term president.
Time will tell if any of the stories as told in this book will have any effect on the election or not. Most people do not want to be bothered with the facts, or the importance of the facts so long as their own particular biases and prejudices are met by the administration.
I was pleased to find that Barack Obama is not quite as weak and wishy washy as some think, but also surprised that he is surrounded with a number of women who actually are who determine his failure or success with those in his cabinet and congress. Valerie Jarrett is who one must know to get to make contact with Barack Obama, and Samantha Powers wields much influence in his foreign policy decisions.
In the end, it is a book that is easy to read, easy to understand, and does not either approve or disapprove, but states other people's feelings about the person who now occupys the White House, not necessarily the same man who had been only an attorney in Illinois who made it up the ladder of success due to black power connections and knowhow.
He is finally compared to Richard Nixon in the next to the last chapter which is a most intriguing thought. Both are cut from the poor man lot in life, and both seem to share much in common.
I recommend that those who really care about the USA and its politics and presidential elections should read this book. It can be of some value when having to decide who to support in the forthcoming election. I only wish there were such a book to tell us more about Mitt Romney.
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