Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2011), Edition: Reprint, 496 pages
Description
Jonathan Alter, one of the country's most respected journalists and historians, uses his unique access to the White House to produce the first inside look at Obama's difficult debut. In Alter's telling, the real Obama is an authentic, demanding, unsentimental, and sometimes overconfident leader.
User reviews
LibraryThing member OldRoses
Barack Obama is not a saint. What a relief. "The Promise: President Obama, Year One", written by Jonathan Alter, a "Newsweek" reporter, is a refreshing change from the worshipful treatment of President Obama in "Game Change". Mr. Alter provides an even-handed treatment of the first year of the
The reader is provided with thorough background information on all of the major players in President Obama’s administration. I was especially fascinated by the description of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s agonizing decision whether to take the job as Chief of Staff or remain in the House, eventually succeeding Nancy Pelosi to become the first Jewish Speaker of the House. First Jewish Speaker? I had no idea that anyone thought that way in the 21st century. I thought that we had put silly religious issues behind us. I’m old enough to remember when (Catholic) JFK was running for the presidency and voters (including my Goldwater Republican parents) were terrified that if he were elected, the Pope would be running the country. As history reminds us, JFK was elected and governed the country without the Pope.
First Lady Michelle Obama is treated respectfully. I was surprised to learn that despite her husband never having been subject to rumors of infidelity, she is described as “a tiger when it came to Barack and other women”, the example of Halle Berry’s enthusiasm in campaigning for Obama prompting the future First Lady to forbid her husband to appear with her.
Mr. Alter’s previous book, "The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope", dealt with FDR and the New Deal. Not surprisingly, he frequently draws parallels between President Obama’s first year in office and FDR’s first year in office. Both entered office faced with a collapsing economy. Both were forced to clean up the messes left by the previous administrations. And both passed landmark legislation in their first year, Social Security by FDR and health care reform by Obama.
It’s often difficult to end a book of this length and breadth, especially with the protagonist still early in his administration and still likely to continue making history, but I found the ending to this book very satisfying. The long, drawn-out battle for health care reform takes up most of the book, but in the end the reader is reminded of President Obama’s other first year accomplishments such as banning pay discrimination against women (always close to my heart), health insurance for millions of children, tightened rules governing credit cards and the crackdown on predatory lending, achievements that have become lost in the noise and confusion of the battle over health care, but which are huge victories in their own right.
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Obama presidency. He shows us a president who is all too human, making mistakes in both personnel and policies but mostly getting it right. The reader is provided with thorough background information on all of the major players in President Obama’s administration. I was especially fascinated by the description of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s agonizing decision whether to take the job as Chief of Staff or remain in the House, eventually succeeding Nancy Pelosi to become the first Jewish Speaker of the House. First Jewish Speaker? I had no idea that anyone thought that way in the 21st century. I thought that we had put silly religious issues behind us. I’m old enough to remember when (Catholic) JFK was running for the presidency and voters (including my Goldwater Republican parents) were terrified that if he were elected, the Pope would be running the country. As history reminds us, JFK was elected and governed the country without the Pope.
First Lady Michelle Obama is treated respectfully. I was surprised to learn that despite her husband never having been subject to rumors of infidelity, she is described as “a tiger when it came to Barack and other women”, the example of Halle Berry’s enthusiasm in campaigning for Obama prompting the future First Lady to forbid her husband to appear with her.
Mr. Alter’s previous book, "The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope", dealt with FDR and the New Deal. Not surprisingly, he frequently draws parallels between President Obama’s first year in office and FDR’s first year in office. Both entered office faced with a collapsing economy. Both were forced to clean up the messes left by the previous administrations. And both passed landmark legislation in their first year, Social Security by FDR and health care reform by Obama.
It’s often difficult to end a book of this length and breadth, especially with the protagonist still early in his administration and still likely to continue making history, but I found the ending to this book very satisfying. The long, drawn-out battle for health care reform takes up most of the book, but in the end the reader is reminded of President Obama’s other first year accomplishments such as banning pay discrimination against women (always close to my heart), health insurance for millions of children, tightened rules governing credit cards and the crackdown on predatory lending, achievements that have become lost in the noise and confusion of the battle over health care, but which are huge victories in their own right.
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LibraryThing member TheTwoDs
I've never been a fan of instant history books or instant biographies, but my fascination with the behind the scenes wheeling and dealing of politics, and, I admit, my admiration for President Obama, caused me to read The Promise as soon as it was published.
Through first and second hand interviews
I've been disappointed by some of the results of Obama's first year; as a progressive I was hoping for policies that matched my worldview more closely. However, Alter has reminded me that, as a candidate, President Obama never described himself as a progressive, and that he has to deal with a deeply partisan political environment where the opposition's platform is to oppose everything vigorously, even when it contains substantial input from them. As an example, healthcare reform closely matches the Republican proposals from 1994 and includes mandates similar to those espoused and signed into law by Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. Now that the same package is presented by a Democrat, the same people are against the proposals. Even when the Democrats had a 60 seat majority, enough to overcome filibusters, the egos of various Senators and the wide political viewpoints from far left Bernie Sanders of Vermont to centrist (some may describe as Democrat in Name Only - DINO) Ben Nelson of Nebraska made getting anything passed a back and forth negotiation as complicated as an arms control treaty.
While many of Alter's sources are inside government, and he readily illustrates the poisonous political environment, he also levels criticisms at the administration. President Obama is criticised for not taking the lead on various issues, instead opting to let Congress do so in an effort to give them "ownership" which he believed would make them more likely to actually get something done.
Overall, the book reads like an extended Newsweek (the magazine which publishes Alter's column) article or well-written blog, which is probably what was intended. However, due to the nature of the book's timeline, it does not contain the analysis one would expect to see in a historical review of President Obama which can only come with more time having passed.
I'm not sure if Alter intends to produce a new book for each year of the Obama Presidency, but then, I'm not sure I'd want to read another book summarizing each year either. The Promise stands out from other instant history books, probably because its gestation lasted nearly two years and included sources known to Alter from his coverage in Newsweek.
Through first and second hand interviews
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with hundreds of subjects in and out of government, Jonathan Alter has assembled a compelling portrait of Mr. Obama's first "year" in office. Starting with his acceptance of the Democratic Party nomination in August 2008 and concluding with the passage of healthcare reform in March 2010, the timeline includes brief passages on the campaign, but truly focuses on the governance of the administration and the interactions between its members with each other and Congress.I've been disappointed by some of the results of Obama's first year; as a progressive I was hoping for policies that matched my worldview more closely. However, Alter has reminded me that, as a candidate, President Obama never described himself as a progressive, and that he has to deal with a deeply partisan political environment where the opposition's platform is to oppose everything vigorously, even when it contains substantial input from them. As an example, healthcare reform closely matches the Republican proposals from 1994 and includes mandates similar to those espoused and signed into law by Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. Now that the same package is presented by a Democrat, the same people are against the proposals. Even when the Democrats had a 60 seat majority, enough to overcome filibusters, the egos of various Senators and the wide political viewpoints from far left Bernie Sanders of Vermont to centrist (some may describe as Democrat in Name Only - DINO) Ben Nelson of Nebraska made getting anything passed a back and forth negotiation as complicated as an arms control treaty.
While many of Alter's sources are inside government, and he readily illustrates the poisonous political environment, he also levels criticisms at the administration. President Obama is criticised for not taking the lead on various issues, instead opting to let Congress do so in an effort to give them "ownership" which he believed would make them more likely to actually get something done.
Overall, the book reads like an extended Newsweek (the magazine which publishes Alter's column) article or well-written blog, which is probably what was intended. However, due to the nature of the book's timeline, it does not contain the analysis one would expect to see in a historical review of President Obama which can only come with more time having passed.
I'm not sure if Alter intends to produce a new book for each year of the Obama Presidency, but then, I'm not sure I'd want to read another book summarizing each year either. The Promise stands out from other instant history books, probably because its gestation lasted nearly two years and included sources known to Alter from his coverage in Newsweek.
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LibraryThing member sangahn
Very good book. Covers the Obama from the Sept 2008 to roughly March 2009.
Provides a nice inside view of Obama and his advisors. Easy read.
Provides a nice inside view of Obama and his advisors. Easy read.
LibraryThing member carterchristian1
Excellent analysis of Obama's first year. The chapter treating his relationship with the military is especially well handled.
LibraryThing member olegalCA
Insightful and informative look inside the first year of the Obama administrative. Best part was the look inside Obama's personality through how he deals with those in his inner circle to how he treats the American people. Extensive coverage of the economy, foreign policy and the health care bill.
Proud to have finished this a few hours before Father's Day because it was my father who introduced me to American politics (Aaron Sorkin did have a hand in it as well but Dad explained all the political insides that I didn't get). Happy Father's Day, Dad!
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It took a while to read but was worth it!Proud to have finished this a few hours before Father's Day because it was my father who introduced me to American politics (Aaron Sorkin did have a hand in it as well but Dad explained all the political insides that I didn't get). Happy Father's Day, Dad!
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LibraryThing member sarahlh
An insightful and mostly unbiased look into President Obama's first year leading the country. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone who wants an all-angles account of recent history, especially if they enjoy the occasional anecdote of life inside the White House. (Naturally, my favorite
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chapter was number ten - 'Rahmbo'.) Show Less
Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — 2010)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction — 2010)
Language
Original language
English
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