The Gatekeepers Book Review
It isn't every day that I read a book on politics. I'm usually a supernatural/thriller/horror/mystery type. There was something about this though that intrigued me.
The book is well written. It's easy to read, especially for someone who doesn't really follow politics like me, it's relatable.
It explains the role in the White House in a way that you never even thought about. It captivates the reader and makes you want to keep reading more. It was hard to put the book down!
If you are like me, not so into politics, you can learn a lot from this book and it isn't boring! I would recommend it to anyone looking to learn about how things work inside the White House, or someone who is into politics.
"What do Dick Cheney and Rahm Emanuel have in common? Aside from polarizing personalities, both served as chief of staff to the president of the United States—as did Donald Rumsfeld, Leon Panetta, and a relative handful of others. The chiefs of staff, often referred to as "the gatekeepers," wield tremendous power in Washington and beyond; they decide who is allowed to see the president, negotiate with Congress to push POTUS's agenda, and—most crucially—enjoy unparalleled access to the leader of the free world. Each chief can make or break an administration, and each president reveals himself by the chief he picks.
Through extensive, intimate interviews with all seventeen living chiefs and two former presidents, award-winning journalist and producer Chris Whipple pulls back the curtain on this unique fraternity. In doing so, he revises our understanding of presidential history, showing us how James Baker’s expert managing of the White House, the press, and Capitol Hill paved the way for the Reagan Revolution—and, conversely, how Watergate, the Iraq War, and even the bungled Obamacare rollout might have been prevented by a more effective chief.
Filled with shrewd analysis and never-before-reported details, The Gatekeepers offers an essential portrait of the toughest job in Washington."
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