All Too Human. Stephanopoulos.

All Too Human: A Political Education
George Stephanopoulos
Boston, New York, London: Little, Brown and Company, 1999.

Why read it? Behind-the-scenes view of Bill Clinton’s Presidency. Gain an understanding of the nature of contemporary politics.

A memoir by Bill Clinton’s senior political adviser. Reveals the intricate interplay and subtle backbiting among the politicians, reporters, etc.

People acted as if they were playing a part in a drama that was being written as they spoke. Involved with crisis management almost continuously. Niebuhr: It is when we are not sure that we are doubly sure. Had to face reporters to answer questions about stories he could not control. Clinton always came up smiling after he was hit. One thing leads to another: “The more you’re known, the more you’re approached for information and political favors, which increases your influence, which makes you even better known and more powerful.”

Needed to tell Clinton things he did not already know. The Clinton marriage was more about personal ambition than love. Clinton would call his aides in the morning and vent, which was good because if he vented on them, he would not take his frustrations out on others in public. The media’s insatiable appetite for bad news and our uncanny ability to provide it. Advice from Congressman Tony Coelho: “Nobody will remember what happened to you; they’ll remember how you handled it.” The closer you are to the President, the more information you receive; the more information you have, the more the President listens to you and the more power you have.

The $2 million dollar project to clean the air by cutting bovine flatulence, two million bucks to fight the cow-farting crisis.

In communicating with the press, tell the truth, but don’t say more than you know; don’t speculate; don’t wonder, don’t muse, don’t imagine, don’t try to be helpful. Don’t ever say or do anything that you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the Washington Post or the cover of Time.

The Washington Post reporter Woodward would give you enough information to make you think he knew more than he knew and then you had to figure out if he were bluffing or if he really did know more than you thought he knew. The rule became, find out how much of the public is on what side of the issue and do it according to their wishes. With Dick Morris, you didn’t know if he were speaking for the President, when he was freelancing, when he was anticipating Clinton’s wishes or when what Dick thought would become the President’s command. Dick Morris: "The polls tell us what to do." and "I had to destroy you so that you knew I could."

Hillary Clinton: Whatever I do or say, I am vilified, so I just smile, take it and say please kick me some more.

Bill Clinton: the master of the public smile that masks private rage.

Best sentences: “Every President is Nixon until proven innocent.”
“If only this good president had been a better man.”