Oh No We Didn't v Yes We Can

What can an ardent liberal like me say about the Bush years? What could I say that wasn't said by Frank Rich in his over-the-top story of Bush's time in the White House? The Greatest Story Ever Sold is just what every ardent Dem thinks about those years. In other words, this book is just a tad biased, way snarky and a delight to read. Just remember that there might be another side. Maybe. Nobody is spared. Actually, nobody is spared. So the Dems aren't portrayed as perfect paragons either. Kind of deer caught in headlight simpletons. I could go along with that because there is no excuse for letting those eight years happen.

Rich was a one-time theater critic for the New York Times. I'm glad he decided to try his hand at political reporting.

Richard Wolffe was given complete access to Obama during the 2000 election so he could write this book. Of course, they didn't know the outcome all along, but Obama and his folks knew that this was historical stuff, even if he lost. Renegade is what the Secret Service called the candidate. Sounds kind of Mavericky to me. Which is pretty odd because Obama is just a middle-of-the-road lawyer/project manager who wants to manage the project of uprighting a collapsed country.

Reminds me of a news story I read about a bunch of Republicans meeting to try to figure out what their thoughts were on foreign policy. Kind of developing an alternative to the White House, which is a good thing for them to do. Too much criticizing without giving alternatives whenever someone else is in control. True of both sides. Anyway, they are having their discussion and criticize the Dems as being "do-gooders." I hear that all the time. But this time I stopped and wondered what the alternative is to being a do-gooder. Think about it. Bad doer? Evil doers? Hoodlums? Selfish bastards? What does it say about you if you sneer at doing good?

So this is a book about a heavy-weight do-gooder, trying to repair the damage done to America. :) I think Wolffe would object, because he tried to be even-handed.

These are both really good books. I can't think of one of my Republican friends who would agree. That's okay. I'm not going to read any of Anne Coulter or Glenn Beck's books either. It just hurt my fingers to type their names.