HR-ML's Reviews > Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime

Authors Heilemann & Halperin (hereafter H+ H) explored
the 2008 POTUS election from the POV of both major parties.
Hardback edition 3.5 stars.

Hilary Clinton (HRC) thought Barak Obama a lightweight
elitist & he thought her haughty & unyielding. Over time
each appreciated the other's mental toughness. HRC's
campaign spread rumors about Obama, including he was
really a Muslim (untrue). HRC could not picture him as
Commander-in-Chief.

John McCain became the Republican nominee. His people
did a rush-job vetting of Sarah Palin (S.P.) as VP. Some of
McCain's staff thought Sarah "psychologically fragile."
She'd had a baby 5 months prior, so may have had Post
Partum Depression? Palin tended to get off script on what
her McCain handler's expected her to say.

Obama, the Democratic nominee, chose as VP Joe Biden
(J.B.). Ironically S.P. & J.B. were both verbally gaffe-prone!
J.B. called himself more qualified to be POTUS then Obama
to a media outlet. Joe-think before you speak. McCain was
as distrustful of the media as HRC had been. Both avoided
confrontation.

The egos of the candidates & their staff made it difficult to
believe they accomplished anything. There was constant
friction, competition and worship of the poll numbers
(not always accurate). H+ H depicted McCain as easy to
anger and his heart wasn't in this run for POTUS.

Obama indicated he did not want HRC as his VP b/c then
there would be "3 Presidents" IE Obama, HRC + lastly her
ex-POTUS spouse Bill. In several instances Bill tried to
impose his views on HRC & her campaign. HRC did not
correct Bill on this.

H+H indicated various couples had a tense relationship:
IE Hilary+ Bill Clinton, John + Cindy McCain & Elizabeth
& John Edwards. Edwards took too long to admit he sired
an "outside baby." He expected various staffers to keep
his lie.