Game Change
Page 50
Pawlenty, Tim, 354, 358, 363, 368
PBS, 245
Pelosi, Nancy, 381–82, 387–89
Peltier, Leonard, 86–87, 88
Penn, Mark, 16, 17, 43–44, 52, 160, 187–88, 194, 196, 264–67, 344 Bill Clinton and, 39–40, 82, 90–92, 98, 104, 154–55, 156, 174, 179, 185, 206, 212
business connections of, 43, 194, 240, 266
campaign strategy of, 4–5, 39–40, 78, 81–82, 83, 84, 88–92, 97, 98, 99, 150, 152–56, 163, 172, 174–75, 179–81, 190, 198, 202–3, 230, 239, 255, 256, 259, 260
colleagues alienated by, 81–83, 95, 104–5, 187–88, 226, 239, 266
Pennsylvania primary of 2008, 228, 233–34, 240–42, 248–49
Petraeus, David, 297, 298, 302, 329
Philadelphia, Pa., 121, 145–49, 245 National Constitution Center in, 237–38, 241–42
Plouffe, David, 62–63, 242–43, 263, 345, 374, 406
Obama’s campaign managed by, 2, 3, 32, 103, 105, 107–9, 112–16, 159–60, 184–85, 204, 223–24, 228–29, 251, 327, 339, 341, 412
Podesta, John, 42, 100–101, 429–30, 432–34
political action committees (PACs), 14, 16, 32–33, 43, 60, 128, 130
Politico, 300, 414
Portman, Rob, 384, 391
Powell, Colin, 69–70, 421–22
Prince, Jonathan, 91, 168, 342
Pritzker, Penny, 106, 113, 115–16
Purpose Driven Life, The (Warren), 69
racism, 75, 234–39, 246, 247
radio talk shows, 284, 315–16, 334
Reagan, Ronald, 200, 201, 205–6, 286, 368, 420
Reid, Harry, 33–34, 35–38, 42, 383, 384, 387, 389, 433
Reines, Philippe, 46–47, 52
Republican National Committee (RNC), 328, 334, 414
Republican National Convention of 2008, 258, 330, 350, 355, 356, 366, 377, 401 McCain’s speech at, 371
Palin’s speech at, 368, 370, 371–72
Republican Party, 40, 146, 252–53 conservative wing of, 14, 22, 42, 273, 274, 275, 286, 293, 294, 307, 355, 357
Hillary Clinton’s attacks on, 150, 151, 158, 205–6
2006 election losses of, 61, 271–72
Rezko, Tony, 235, 255 corruption trial of, 231, 234
Obama’s ties to, 156, 206, 231, 234
Rhode Island primary of 2008, 224, 316
Ricchetti, Steve, 16, 49–50
Rich, Marc, 15, 86–87
Richardson, Bill, 430 Clintons and, 5, 172, 239
Obama endorsed by, 239
see also election of 2008, Richardson’s campaign in
Ridge, Tom, 357
Roberts, John, 296, 365
Robertson, Pat, 361
Robinson, Craig, 26, 66–67
Robinson, Marian, 28, 66–67
Rockefeller, Jay, 231
Rodham, Dorothy, 173
Roe v. Wade, 399
Rolling Stone, 75, 235
Roman Catholic Church, 273
Romney, Ann, 293
Romney, George, 293
Romney, Mitt, 151, 185, 354, 357, 358 as former Massachusetts governor, 9, 273, 286, 293, 294, 302
Mormonism of, 294, 295, 357
social liberalism of, 293–94
wealth and success of, 273, 312
see also specific primaries and elections
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 24
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 412, 419
Rose, Charlie, 163
Rouse, Pete, 26, 27–28, 31–32, 57, 62, 109, 116–17, 242–43, 429
Rove, Karl, 328, 357–58, 375
Rubey, Kim, 133, 134–35, 169
Rubin, robert, 49, 380
Rumsfeld, Donald, 423
Russert, Tim, 30, 31, 51, 59–60, 147, 249, 251
Russia, 341, 397, 398
Saddleback Church, 69, 71, 390
Saint Anselm College, 179–80
Salter, Mark, 271, 275–77, 279, 281–82, 284–86, 301–2, 308, 314–15, 318, 324, 325, 360–64, 372, 383, 401
Salt Lake City olympics of 2002, 293
Saturday Night Live (SNL), 10, 398, 405, 410–11, 422
Saving Graces (E. Edwards), 127, 135
Scher, Peter, 133–34
Scheunemann, randy, 370–71, 404
Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy, 217–18, 339
Schmidt, Steve, 296–98, 301–2, 308, 310, 314–15, 318 as McCain campaign senior strategist, 328–30, 332, 355–56, 358–68, 370, 383–84, 396–98, 401–5, 408–10, 414–16
Schumer, Chuck, 47 433 Obama encouraged by, 36–37, 38, 116
Schwarzenegger, Arnold, 296, 314, 356
Sebelius, Kathleen, 267, 335, 339
Secret Service, 4, 13, 109, 125, 164, 259, 280, 426
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 378, 380
Senate, U.S., 51, 271, 284, 294 Banking Committee of, 339
Commerce Committee of, 305–6
Democratic leadership in, 34–38, 388
Foreign Relations Committee of, 28, 336
policy debates in, 28, 297
Shaheen, Billy, 161–62, 198
Shanahan, Kathleen, 299
Sharpton, Al, 198
Sheehan, Michael, 346, 347, 349, 391, 406
Shelby, Richard, 389
Shriver, Maria, 222
Shumaker, Terry, 77–78, 79, 178
Shuster, David, 225, 226
Simon, Paul, 26, 63
Simon and Schuster, 15
Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, 256
Smith, Andrew, 366, 408–9
Smith, Jean Kennedy, 227
Snow, Kate, 343
Soetoro, Maya, 426
Soetoro, Stanley Ann Dunham, 242, 350, 425
Solis Doyle, Patti, 58, 79 family background of, 43, 195
as Hillary Clinton’s closest aide and
campaign manager, 5, 14, 16–17, 19–20, 49–50, 52, 80–83, 88, 92, 95–97, 153–54, 157, 172, 179, 181–83, 187–88, 193, 195–96, 202–3, 211–12, 265–66
loyalty and discretion of, 5, 17, 43, 44, 181–82, 183, 227
Obama’s team joined by, 339, 345, 413
resignation of, 226–27
Sommers, Mike, 386–87
Soros, George, 69, 106
Sosnik, Doug, 187, 194, 196
South Carolina, 63, 103, 141–42, 205–15, 354 black vote in, 195, 198, 203, 205, 210, 213, 215
South Carolina primary of 2000, 276
South Carolina primary of 2008, 124, 195–96, 202–15, 227 Bill Clinton’s outbursts in, 9, 207–15, 332
Edwards’s campaign in, 203–5, 222
Hillary Clinton’s campaign in, 202–3, 205–15, 222, 223, 252
McCain’s campaign and win in, 298, 311–12
Obama’s campaign and win in, 198–200, 202, 204–11, 213–15, 221
South Dakota primary of 2008, 256, 258
Spears, Britney, 15, 330–31
Spielberg, Steven, 85–86
Spitzer, Eliot, 147
Springfield, Ill., 28, 74–75, 83, 105, 118, 235, 245
Springsteen, Bruce, 424
Steele, Michael, 391
Stephanopoulos, George, 241
Stevens, Ted, 359, 364
Stewart, Jimmy, 305
Stewart, Jon, 318
stock market crash of 1929, 412
Story of My Life (McInerney), 132
St. Paul, Minn., 258–59, 357, 366, 369
Strickland, Ted, 100, 152, 255
Summers, Larry, 380
Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses of 2008, 153, 181, 190–91, 195–97, 199–200, 203, 204, 221–25, 291, 312, 314
Supreme Court, U.S., 296, 365, 367, 399
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, 21
Take Back America, 45–46
Tancredo, Tom, 295
Tanden, Neera, 5, 81–82, 85, 92, 187, 212
Team of Rivals (Goodwin), 83, 419
Tennessee republican Party, 254
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 9, 45, 234, 246, 287, 397, 418
Tewes,
Paul, 107, 151, 159
Texas primary and caucuses of 2008, 224, 226, 228–33, 236, 239, 244, 248, 255, 316
Thain, John, 382
This Week with George Stephanopoulos, 166
Thompson, Fred, 288, 295, 299
Time, 68, 193, 314
Today, 149, 399
Trinity United Church of Christ, 234, 235–36, 238, 253
Trippi, Joe, 138, 163, 168, 171, 203–4
Truman, Harry, 219
Tsongas, Paul, 90, 267
Tuskegee medical experiments, 246
Tyson, Laura, 380
UBS Americas, 378
Udall, Mo, 323–24
United Nations, 5, 398–99 General Assembly of, 395
weapons inspection of Iraq by, 46
U.S. News & World Report, 306
Vermont primary of 2008, 224, 316
Vietnam War, 21, 301 McCain’s service in, 272, 274, 276, 279, 301–2, 317, 318, 324
Vilmain, Teresa, 97, 99, 150, 152–53, 165, 173
Vilsack, Tom, 18–19, 26, 29, 35, 56, 100, 152–53, 164, 171–74
Virginia, 81, 375, 426 Hillary Clinton’s headquarters in, 101, 150, 157, 188, 193–97, 212, 255, 259–60
McCain’s headquarters in, 277, 278, 329
Vogue, 101, 362
Volcker, Paul, 378
Walk the Line, 86
Wallace, George, 421
Wallace, Mark, 398, 400–401, 404–5, 415
Wallace, Nicolle, 355, 366, 369, 371, 372, 395, 397–400, 415
Wall Street Journal, 240, 345, 418
Warner, Jack, 85
Warner, Mark, 35, 56
war on terror, 371
Warren, rick, 69, 390
Washington, D.C., 123–24, 350, 395–7 Clinton home in, 14, 15, 77, 79, 82, 83, 150, 156, 196
Washington Post, 39, 90, 99, 117, 161, 170, 316, 373, 418
Washington State caucuses of 2008, 225
Washington University, 397
Wasilla, Alaska, 359, 396, 403
Watergate scandal, 327
Weather Underground, 241–42, 408
Weaver, John, 271–79, 281–85, 306–7, 314, 315
Webb, Jim, 339
West Virginia primary of 2008, 251–53
Whitaker, Eric, 116, 236, 248
White House, 15, 44, 272, 297, 316, 366, 384, 387 Lincoln Bedroom in, 86, 194
oval office in, 24, 26, 45, 230, 274, 344
West Wing of, 19, 368
Whitewater scandal, 15
Whouley, Michael, 95
Wilkinson, Jim, 393
William J. Clinton Foundation, 433
Williams, Brian, 110, 146–48, 414
Williams, Maggie, 16, 19, 80, 82, 152, 187, 195, 196, 212, 226, 228
Wilmington, Del., 336, 341, 405, 411
Winfrey, Oprah, 159, 165, 265, 330
Wisconsin primary of 2008, 228, 238
Wolf, Robert, 106, 378
Wolfson, Howard, 4–5, 81–82, 84, 88–89, 91–92, 97, 165–66, 173–74, 187–88, 194, 225, 240, 256
Wonder, Stevie, 152, 248
World Series, 287
World War I, 370
World War II, 370
Wright, Jeremiah, 9, 70, 234–39, 241, 243–49, 253, 331, 333 inflammatory sermons of, 75, 234, 235, 237–38, 239, 246
Obama’s close association with, 75, 235–36, 238, 239, 245–48, 408
Obama’s repudiation of, 247, 410
Yale Law School, 39, 81, 212, 230
Young, Andrew, 167–69
YouTube, 107, 111, 139, 211, 224, 238, 294, 295, 354–55, 406
Zeleny, Jeff, 208
Author’s Notes
THE IDEA FOR THIS book arose in the spring of 2008 out of a pair of firm convictions. The first was that the election we had both been following intensely for more than a year was as riveting and historic a spectacle as modern politics had ever produced. The second was that, despite wall-to-wall media coverage, much of the story behind the headlines had not been told. What was missing and might be of enduring value, we agreed, was an intimate portrait of the candidates and spouses who (in our judgment) stood a reasonable chance of occupying the White House: Barack and Michelle Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, John and Elizabeth Edwards, and John and Cindy McCain.
The vast majority of the material in these pages was taken from more than three hundred interviews with more than two hundred people conducted between July 2008 and September 2009. Almost all of the interviews took place in person, in sessions that often stretched over several hours. We set out to speak with every individual named in the book; only a handful declined to participate. Many also provided us with emails, memos, contemporaneous notes, recordings, schedules, and other forms of documentation.
All of our interviews—from those with junior staffers to those with the candidates themselves—were conducted on a “deep background” basis, which means we agreed not to identify the subjects as sources in any way. We believed this was essential to eliciting the level of candor on which a book of this sort depends. To a very large extent, we were interviewing people with whom one or both of us had longstanding professional relationships, and thus a solid basis to judge both the quality of the information being provided and the veracity of the providers.
While we made great efforts to compare and verify differing accounts of the same events, we were struck by how few fundamental disputes we encountered among our sources. In part, this owes to timing. We conducted many of our interviews about the nomination fights in the summer of 2008, when the combatants were out of the heat of battle and ready to talk, but their memories were still fresh. And the same dynamic held true in the months after the general election, when we turned intensely to that topic. In most every scene in the book, we have included only material about which disagreements among the players were either nonexistent or trivial. With regard to the few exceptions, we brought to bear deliberate professional consideration and judgment.
With the help of the participants, we have reconstructed dialogue extensively—and with extreme care. Where dialogue is within quotation marks, it comes from the speaker, someone who was present and heard the remark, contemporaneous notes, or transcripts. Where dialogue is not in quotes, it is paraphrased, reflecting only a lack of certainty on the part of our sources about precise wording, not about the nature of the statements. Where specific thoughts, feelings, or states of mind are rendered in italics, they come from either the person identified or someone to whom she or he expressed those thoughts or feelings directly.
No doubt some of our principal dramatis personae will find images of themselves in these pages that they would rather not see in print. But in every case, we have tried to tell their stories in two ways: as fairly as possible from the outside and as empathetically as we could from behind their eyes. In doing so, we have tried to address the multitude of vital questions that daily journalism (and hourly blogofying) obsessed over briefly and then passed by, or never grappled with in the first place. How did Obama, a freshman senator with few tangible political accomplishments, convince himself that he should be, and could be, America’s first African American president? What role did Bill Clinton actually play in his wife’s campaign? Why did McCain pick the unknown and untested governor of Alaska as his running mate? And who is Sarah Palin, really?
Although no work of this kind, lacking the distance and perspective of time, can hope to be definitive, we are convinced that some answers are more readily discovered in the ground that lies between history and journalism—precisely the spot that we were aiming for and believe this book occupies. Our first and most obvious debt is to our sources, who spent countless hours with us in person and on the phone. We would also like to thank their assistants, who facilitated many of the interviews.
We are grateful to our bosses, Adam Moss and Rick Stengel, the editors of New York magazine and Time, respectively, who granted us the space we needed to take on this project; our agents, Andrew Wylie and Scott Moyers at the Wylie Agency and Jeff Ja
cobs at CAA, without whom we would have been lost; Richard Plepler of HBo, for his encouragement and perspicacity; our editor Tim Duggan, our publisher Jonathan Burnham, and the rest of the team at HarperCollins—Kathy Schneider, Tina Andreadis, Kate Pruss Pinnick, Leslie Cohen, and Allison Lorentzen—for placing a big bet on this book and laboring to make it a success.
A number of friends and colleagues in the journalism racket provided us support, including work from which we drew wisdom or memories that we tapped: Mike Allen, Matt Bai, Dan Balz, David Chalian, John Dickerson, Robert Draper, Joshua Greene, John Harris, Al Hunt, Joe Klein, Ryan Lizza, Jonathan Martin, John McCormick, Chris Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, Liza Mundy, Adam Nagourney, Bill Nichols, John Richardson, Michael Shear, Roger Simon, Ben Smith, Jeffrey Toobin, and Jeff Zeleny. In the closing phase, Aaron Kiersh contributed careful and timely research. And we were assisted throughout by an armada of transcribers, of whom two in particular deserve mention: Frankie Thomas and Steven Yaccino.
A special expression of gratitude is due Elise O’Shaughnessy of Vanity Fair, a gifted editor who came up with the book’s title and then performed miracles to keep the manuscript from turning into War and Peace; we salute her poise under pressure and artful way with the scalpel. Another profound word of thanks is due Karen Avrich, whose tireless and brilliant work as a writer, editor, and researcher is evident on every page that follows.
FROM JOHN HEILEMANN:
A panoply of pals provided me with less tangible, but no less invaluable, forms of aid and comfort: Kurt Andersen and Anne Kreamer; Chris Anderson; John Battelle; Lisa Clements; David Dreyer; Mike Elliott and Emma Oxford; Mary Ellen Glynn and Dwight Holton; Katrina Heron; Michael Hirschorn; John Homans; Jeff Kwatinetz; Kerry Luft; Kenny Miller, Rachel Leventhal, and my goddaughter, Zoe Miller-Leventhal; Neil Parker and Kay Moffett; Jeff Pollack; Robert Reich; Jordan Tamagni and Michael Schlein; Will Wade-Gery and Emily Botein; Harry Werksman; Fred and Joanne Wilson.