by Tim Alberta
I can’t possibly begin to thank the hundreds of sources who fed me information for this book and for so many other stories over the years. (Not that many of you are dying to be named.) That said, I would like to thank two politicians and their staffs in particular: John Boehner and Ted Cruz. While they couldn’t be more different—hence one calling the other “Lucifer”—both of these men and their operations, from the top down, have always been accessible and helpful to me, even when my coverage was harsh. They both understand that, even when I’ve had to kick them in the teeth, I approach my job, and my relationships with their teams, with the utmost objectivity, fairness, and commitment to truth. Speaker Boehner and Senator Cruz, it remains my mission to bring the two of you together over some bottles of red. We could make it a Netflix special, or maybe even pay-per-view. Think it over.
It was some seven years ago that I was first asked to deliver a speech to Georgetown’s Government Affairs Institute about the fratricidal nature of Congress and the challenges facing party leadership. What a blessing it has been to go back, again and again, revising and updating that speech and giving it countless times more in the years since. Not only did I discover terrific people along the way—Josh Huder, Worth Hester, Mark Harkins, and Kristin Nicholson, to name a few—but the speeches became an organizing ritual by which critical elements of this book’s narrative came together. To my friends at GAI, keep up the great work—and don’t expect my fire-and-brimstone routine to lighten up anytime soon.
I’m also grateful to Daniel McCarthy and the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship Program, which provided grant money to help with my costs pertaining to travel, research, and transcription. It was an honor to be selected for the fellowship, and I highly encourage other young journalists to apply in the years ahead.
An unsung hero in the completion of this book is Clara Martin, our friend and part-time nanny, whose help with the boys was indispensable during some of the dimmest stages of my writing marathon. Thanks a ton, Clara.
Philippians 4:13 reminds us, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” This book is proof positive. Coming off an exhausting midterm election stretch and facing some significant personal challenges, there was no reasonable expectation that I could write this manuscript in three months. Looking back, those three months are a blur; I’m not quite sure how it was done. But I do know that Christ strengthened me throughout. And I do know that, despite my straying from the path, He loves me and forgives me.
Lastly, I want to thank the Detroit Lions, my first love and foremost tormenter, for turning in such a wretched performance in the 2018–2019 season. My timetable for producing this book was already unforgiving; had the boys in Honolulu blue put a compelling product on the field, I would have been robbed of two hundred valuable minutes each Sunday last fall. (Also, I found that listening on the radio is considerably less stressful than watching on television.) To the Ford family, Bob Quinn, Matt Patricia, and above all, Matthew Stafford: Now that I’m finished, feel free to go out and get that elusive second playoff win since 1957. Forward down the field!
Notes
CHAPTER ONE: FEBRUARY 2008
1. D. Nowicki and B. Muller, “McCain Profile: Prisoner of War,” azcentral.com, 2007, http://archive.azcentral.com/news/election/mccain/articles/2007/03/01/20070301mccainbio-chapter3.html.
2. Michael Kranish, “Famed McCain Temper Is Tamed,” Boston Globe, January 27, 2008.
3. Laurie, Goodstein, “Huckabee Is Not Alone in Ignorance on Mormonism,” New York Times, December 14, 2007.
4. Michael Cooper, “In Christmas-Greeting Style, Huckabee Makes Appeal to Voters,” New York Times, December 19, 2007.
5. David Folkenflik, Morning Edition, transcript, NPR, February 7, 2008.
6. Charles Krauthammer, “The GOP Votes for Safety,” Washington Post, February 8, 2008.
7. Jonathan Allen, “Bar Is Set High for Immigration Bill in House,” CQ Today (Washington, DC), June 21, 2007.
8. Richard Gooding, “The Trashing of John McCain,” Vanity Fair, November 2004.
9. National Review, “No on Joe (And Tom Ridge, Too),” National Review, August 18, 2008.
10. Elisabeth Bumiller and Michael Cooper, “Conservative Ire Pushed McCain from Lieberman,” New York Times, August 30, 2008.
11. Henry Blodget, “McCain Staff Not Sure How to Pronounce Sarah Palin’s Name,” Business Insider, September 3, 2008, https://www.businessinsider.com/2008/9/mccain-staff-not-sure-how-to-pronounce-sarah-palin-s-name.
12. Peggy Noonan, “Palin’s Failin’,” Wall Street Journal, October 17, 2008.
13. Edmund L. Andrews, Michael J. De La Merced, and Mary Williams Walsh, “Fed’s $85 Billion Loan Rescues Insurer,” New York Times, September 16, 2008.
14. Martin Jonathan and Mike Allen, “McCain Unsure How Many Houses He Owns,” Politico, August 21, 2008, https://www.politico.com/story/2008/08/mccain-unsure-how-many-houses-he-owns-012685.
15. John Bentley, “McCain Says ‘Fundamentals’ of U.S. Economy Are Strong,” CBS News, September 15, 2008, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mccain-says-fundamentals-of-us-economy-are-strong/.
16. Christopher J. Goodman and Stephen M. Mance, “Monthly Labor Review, 2011,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Unemployment and Unemployment Statistics.
17. Andrew Clark, “US Bailouts Prevented 1930s-style Great Depression Says New Study,” Guardian, July 28, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/28/us-bailouts-prevented-1930s-style-great-depression.
18. Scott Kraus, “Local GOP Chief Takes Heat for Use of ‘Hussein,’” Morning Call (Allentown, PA), October 9, 2008.
19. Leslie Wayne, “Outside Groups Aid Obama, Their Vocal Critic,” New York Times, January 30, 2008.
20. Ben Smith, “Mount Vernon Statement,” Politico, February 16, 2010, https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2010/02/mount-vernon-statement-025096.
CHAPTER TWO: JANUARY 2009
1. Betsy Klein, “Comparing Donald Trump and Barack Obama’s Inaugural Crowd Sizes,” CNN, January 21, 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/politics/donald-trump-barack-obama-inauguration-crowd-size/index.html.
2. Gallup, Inc., “Presidential Approval Ratings—Barack Obama,” Gallup.com, https://news.gallup.com/poll/116479/barack-obama-presidential-job-approval.aspx.
3. Robert Draper, Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives (New York: Free Press, 2013).
4. Tim Fernholz, “Obama’s Republican Hit List,” The American Prospect, February 9, 2009, https://prospect.org/article/obamas-republican-hit-list.
5. Eric Cantor, “Eric Cantor: What the Obama Presidency Looked Like to the Opposition,” New York Times, January 14, 2017.
6. Kimberly Amadeo, “Obama’s Stimulus Package and How Well It Worked,” The Balance, January 26, 2019, https://www.thebalance.com/what-was-obama-s-stimulus-package-3305625.
7. Office of the Press Secretary, “Remarks by the President at GOP House Issues Conference,” news release, January 29, 2010, The White House: President Barack Obama, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/realitycheck/the-press-office/remarks-president-gop-house-issues-conference.
8. Patrick O’Connor, “At Retreat, Upbeat GOP Looks to 2010,” Politico, January 31, 2009, https://www.politico.com/story/2009/01/at-retreat-upbeat-gop-looks-to-2010-018238.
9. Michael Falcone, “New R.N.C. Chairman Wants a ‘Hip-Hop’ Party,” New York Times, February 19, 2009, https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/new-rnc-chairman-wants-a-hip-hop-party/.
10. Glenn Thrush, “Steele Calls for ‘Bling, Bling’-free Stimulus,” Politico, February 9, 2009, https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2009/02/steele-calls-for-bling-bling-free-stimulus-015960.
11. Ben Smith, “Steele Offers Jindal ‘Slum Love,’” Politico, February 26, 2009, https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2009/02/steele-offers-jindal-slum-love-016395.
12. Ben Smith, “Steele: Abortion an ‘Individual Choice,’” Politico, March 11, 2009, htt
ps://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2009/03/steele-abortion-an-individual-choice-016721.
13. Mike Allen, “Steele to Rush: I’m Sorry,” Politico, March 2, 2009, https://www.politico.com/story/2009/03/steele-to-rush-im-sorry-019517.
14. Reid Wilson, “RNC Member Calls on Steele to Quit,” The Hill (Washington, DC), March 5, 2009.
15. “Rahm Emanuel on the Opportunities of Crisis,” Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mzcbXi1Tkk.
16. Eric Kleefeld, “FreedomWorks Cuts Estimate for Crowd at Its 9/12 Rally by One Half,” Talking Points Memo, September 14, 2009, https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/freedomworks-cuts-estimate-for-crowd-at-its-9-12-rally-by-one-half.
17. Andy Barr, “Palin Doubles Down on ‘Death Panels,’” Politico, August 13, 2009, https://www.politico.com/story/2009/08/palin-doubles-down-on-death-panels-026078.
18. “Employment, Hours, and Earnings from the Current Empolyment Statistics Survey,” Bureau of Labor Statistics data, U.S. Bureau of Labor, https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth.
19. “The Employment Situation: January 2009,” news release, February 6, 2009, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_02062009.pdf.
20. “The Employment Situation—August 2009,” news release, September 4, 2009, United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_09042009.pdf.
21. Peter S. Goodman, “U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 10.2%, Highest in 26 Years,” New York Times, November 6, 2009.
22. Lydia Saad, “Obama Starts with 68% Job Approval,” Gallup.com, January 24, 2009, https://news.gallup.com/poll/113962/obama-starts-job-approval.aspx.
23. Gallup, Inc., “Presidential Approval Ratings—Barack Obama,” Gallup.com, https://news.gallup.com/poll/116479/barack-obama-presidential-job-approval.aspx.
CHAPTER THREE: APRIL 2010
1. Sarah Parker, “Poll: Crist Approval High Across the Board,” CNN, April 15, 2009, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/15/poll-crist-approval-high-across-the-board/.
2. Erick Erickson, “On the NRSC Memo: What About Florida and Texas. And Fiorina?” RedState, September 8, 2009.
3. “Election 2010: Florida Republican Primary for Senate,” Rasmussen Reports, April 12, 2010, http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/florida/election_2010_florida_republican_primary_for_senate.
4. Raw data, CNN Opinion Research Poll, Opinion Research Corporation, March 22, 2010.
5. Andy Barr and Ben Smith, “Tea Partiers Give Big Bucks for Palin,” Politico, January 12, 2010, https://www.politico.com/story/2010/01/tea-partiers-give-big-bucks-for-palin-031409.
6. Robert Gehrke, “Bennett Out; GOP Delegates Reject 18-Year Senate Veteran,” Salt Lake Tribune, May 8, 2010.
7. Josh Kraushaar, “Reid’s Dangerously Low Approval Rating,” Politico, September 3, 2009, https://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0909/Reids_dangerously_low_approval_rating.html.
8. Bernie Becker, “Club for Growth Endorses in Nevada,” New York Times, May 19, 2010, https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/19/club-for-growth-endorses-in-nevada/.
9. “Angle to Hispanic Children: ‘Some of You Look a Little More Asian to Me,’” Las Vegas Sun, October 18, 2010, https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/2010/oct/18/angle-hispanic-children-some-you-look-little-more-/.
10. David Catanese, “Rape Case Haunts Buck in Colorado,” Politico, October 12, 2010, https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/rape-case-haunts-buck-in-colorado-043415.
11. “Senate Exit Polls,” New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2010/results/senate/exit-polls.html#colorado.
12. Ben Smith, “O’Donnell Backer Makes Sex Charge in Delaware Race,” Politico, September 1, 2010, https://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2010/09/odonnell-backer-makes-sex-charge-in-delaware-race-028961.
13. Lucy Madison, “Christine O’Donnell Win Net Gain for GOP, Republican Strategists Argue,” CBS News, September 15, 2010, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christine-odonnell-win-net-gain-for-gop-republican-strategists-argue/.
14. Danny Yadron, “NRSC: No Plans to Fund O’Donnell,” Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2010, https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/09/14/nrsc-no-plans-to-fund-odonnell/.
15. Rachel Weiner, “Michele Bachmann Links Swine Flu to Democrats, Gets History Wrong (VIDEO),” Huffington Post, May 25, 2011, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/28/michele-bachmann-links-sw_n_192493.html.
CHAPTER FOUR: JANUARY 2011
1. Andy Barr, “The GOP’s No-Compromise Pledge,” Politico, October 28, 2010, https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/the-gops-no-compromise-pledge-044311.
2. Patrick O’Connor and Damian Paletta, “Ryan Is Irked as Obama Picks Apart His Budget Plan,” Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2011, https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/04/13/ryan-is-irked-as-obama-picks-apart-his-budget-plan/.
3. Ralph Z. Hallow, “RNC Faces $20 Million Debt in 2011,” Washington Times, January 2, 2011.
4. Jeff Zeleny, “G.O.P. Elects a New Chairman as Steele Drops Out,” New York Times, January 14, 2011.
5. Chris Good, “Obama Sticks It to Donald Trump Over Birth Certificate,” The Atlantic April 27, 2011, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/obama-sticks-it-to-donald-trump-over-birth-certificate/237937/.
6. Jonathan Capehart, “Donald Trump for President. Seriously?” Washington Post, March 17, 2011, https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/donald-trump-for-president-seriously/2011/03/04/ABvVq4k_blog.html?utm_term=.ab25180c34aa.
7. Lindsay Powers, “Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries’ Divorce: By the Numbers,” The Hollywood Reporter, November 1, 2011, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kim-kardashian-kris-humphries-divorce-by-the-numbers-hoax-255849.
8. Transcript, Larry King Live, CNN, October 8, 1999.
9. Transcript, Meet the Press, NBC, October 24, 1999.
10. Steve Kornacki, “When Trump Ran Against Trump-ism,” NBC News, October 2, 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/when-trump-ran-against-trump-ism-story-2000-election-ncna915651.
11. Mitch Daniels, Speech, Ronald Reagan Centennial Dinner, Washington, DC, February 11, 2011.
12. Joseph E. Stiglitz, “Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%,” Vanity Fair, May 2011.
13. David S. Addington, “Obama Couldn’t Wait: His New Christmas Tree Tax,” Heritage.org, November 8, 2011, http://people.uncw.edu/imperialm/UNCW/PLS_505/Xmass_tree_tax_11_9_11.pdf.
14. Ann Compton, “Blowback for Obama on Christmas Tree ‘Tax,’” ABC News, November 9, 2011, http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/blowback-for-obama-on-christmas-tree-tax/.
CHAPTER FIVE: JANUARY 2012
1. Becca Aaronson, “What Kinds of Jobs Has Texas Created Under Rick Perry?” Texas Tribune, August 29, 2011, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/08/what-kinds-of-jobs-has-texas-created-under-rick-perry/244279/.
2. Abby Phillip and Dave Levinthal, “Adelson Tally to Gingrich: $20M,” Politico, April 22, 2012, https://www.politico.com/story/2012/04/gingrich-camp-mired-in-debt-075418.
3. Gallup, “Media Use and Evaluation,” Gallup.com, https://news.gallup.com/poll/1663/Media-Use-Evaluation.aspx.
4. Gallup, “Americans’ Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low,” Gallup.com, September 14, 2016, https://news.gallup.com/poll/195542/americans-trust-mass-media-sinks-new-low.aspx.
5. Philip Rucker, “Romney: ‘I Like Being Able to Fire People Who Provide Services to Me,’” Washington Post, January 9, 2012, https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/romney-sees-need-to-be-able-to-fire-service-providers/2012/01/09/gIQAF18alP_blog.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.0fe7bdfb4f40.
6. Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Erik Eckholm, “Prominent Pastor Calls Romney’s Church a Cult,” New York Times, October 7, 2011.
7. Bryan Hall, “The DeMoss Group—Jay Sekulow vs. Pastor Robert J
effress,” YouTube, October 20, 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Obac8dFNFw.
8. Alexander Burns, “Perry Backer: Romney Not a Christian,” Politico, October 7, 2011, https://www.politico.com/story/2011/10/perry-backer-romney-not-a-christian-065445.
9. Alexander Burns, “Woman Mentioned in Priorities Ad Died in ’06,” Politico, August 7, 2012, https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/woman-mentioned-in-priorities-ad-died-in-06-131332.
10. David Lightman and Steven Thomma, “Romney Wins in New Hampshire, Strengthens Claim to GOP Nomination,” McClatchyDC, January 10, 2012, https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article24721867.html.
11. Emi Kolawole and Rachel Weiner, “Gingrich Calls Medicare Voucher Proposal ‘Right-Wing Social Engineering,’” Washington Post, May 16, 2011, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gingrich-calls-medicare-voucher-proposal-right-wing-social-engineering/2011/05/15/AFHhoR4G_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cf868c3cc462.
12. Xuan Thai and Ted Barrett, “Biden’s Description of Obama Draws Scrutiny,” CNN, February 9, 2007, http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/31/biden.obama/.
13. Associated Press, “Mourdock Talks Rape, Pregnancy and God’s Plan,” Politico, October 24, 2012, https://www.politico.com/story/2012/10/mourdock-rape-pregnancy-and-gods-plan-082795.