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The Battle for America, 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election Audiobook
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(3.05) - 300 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The election of 2008 shattered political barriers, illuminated undercurrents of race, gender, and class, and ignited an extraordinary battle among some of the most formidable rivals ever to seek the presidency in Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain. It was an election that played out against a backdrop of war, economic collapse, and deep pessimism about the future.
Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson followed this campaign from the candidates’ first forays into Iowa and New Hampshire to the historic night of Obama’s victory celebration. They offer behind-the-scenes details of turning points like the stunning endorsement of Obama by Senator Edward M. Kennedy. They probe the strategic mistakes of the Clinton campaign and the story behind Obama’s breakthrough organization. They cast in new light McCain’s struggle for survival in the Republican primaries, his selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, and the economic meltdown that ensured Obama’s victory.
Exclusive interviews with the candidates and their top strategists produce intimate portraits of Obama, Clinton, and McCain under stress throughout the longest and most expensive presidential campaign in American history. Balz and Johnson also move far off the campaign trail to listen to voters in battleground states express their deep anxieties about the darkening economic climate and the challenges facing the United States. This audiobook is a riveting account of how this election not only marked a new era in American politics but also offered a test of historic proportions at a watershed moment for our nation.
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"Of course I was following the election in 2008, so one might think that this book might be mots -- and some of it is. The authors, however, got some real inside information, so some of it was new to me. I liked having a summing up of the whole thing with a little bit of time perspective -- though obviously not a lot! A good read for those at all interested in politics."
— Vicki (4 out of 5 stars)
The Battle for America, 2008 Listener Reviews
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" Interesting book - the authors do a good job of portraying both sides' views on comments and actions throughout the campaign. In particular, the chapters concerning the Clintons and how they tried so desperately to get the Democratic nomination for Hillary are quite informative and entertaining "
— Aaron, 2/9/2014 -
" I couldn't wait to see who won! "
— Steven, 1/25/2014 -
" Overall an enjoyable read especially for those who can't get enough of the historic 2009 election. Not sure any new ground was covered--for those who saw interviews with the authors most of the new anecdotes were mentioned there. But still, well written and a solid chronicle of last year's presidential race. "
— Jennifer, 1/15/2014 -
" Very good and in-depth view of the various campaigns for POTUS in 2008. "
— William, 1/10/2014 -
" Flew through this book in a week, though it was soon topped by Game Change which I would recommend out of the two. Nonetheless, if you're fascinated by political races it was captivating to see the structure of these campaigns that ultimately led to failure or success. "
— Hilary, 1/7/2014 -
" A solid overview of the 2008 election, from pre-primary to inauguration. The writing was okay, though the narrative was too often broken by inserting quotes, however relevant, which did slow the book down. Decent depth, though I wouldn't have minded the authors going deeper. "
— Ben, 1/3/2014 -
" An interesting view behind the scenes of the 2008 election. Not as exciting as Newsweek's post-election issue (which I loved), but still an interesting read. "
— Katie, 1/3/2014 -
" A good after action report on the 2008 presidential elections. Non-biased and non-partisan, it is a good read for anyone interested in hearing from someone who had an inside tract on the happenings of one of the most important periods in recent history. "
— John, 12/11/2013 -
" Nice recap of the last election. Most of the book is focused on the Democratic primary, which is justified because that's where most of the action was. I would have liked to see a bit more on the general election, though, which was given rather perfunctory treatment. "
— Joshua, 11/29/2013 -
" It felt like it was written fast and didn't have that much new and interesting information. "
— Chris, 1/6/2013 -
" Very interesting, quick-paced read about the elections. Particularly intriguing were the comparisons of the Clinton vs. Obama campaigns. To me, this book didn't seem biased, which was refreshing. "
— Erin, 7/30/2012 -
" A general overview of the events of the 2008 election. The treatment of the events was fairly vanilla, but it provided a thorough time line mingled with the requisite Obama butt kissing. "
— Joshua, 4/15/2012 -
" Somehow, this just didn "
— Mark, 4/16/2011 -
" Great read for political junkies. "
— Eric, 4/14/2011 -
" The truth is more extreme even that what got into the popular press at the time. John McCain shoots from the hip, Sarah Palin was virtually unvetted, Hillary's team never had a leader, and Obama's team was made up of true believers and idealists. "
— Declan, 4/4/2011 -
" despite being a bit pompous some of the time this was pretty good. Who knew that an African American man got elected president of the free world after all? Quite an interesting novel. "
— Damon, 3/11/2011 -
" Detailed timeline of the 2008 US presidential election. "
— Amr, 12/3/2009 -
" This ain't no Teddy White book, but it's good enough. "
— Jack, 11/10/2009
About the Authors
Dick Hill, named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, is one of the most awarded narrators in the business, having earned several Audie Awards and thirty-four AudioFile Earphones Awards. In addition to narrating, he has both acted in and written for the theater.
About Dick Hill
Laural Merlington is an audiobook narrator with over two hundred titles to her credit and a winner of multiple Earphones Awards. An Audie Award nominee, she has also directed over one hundred audiobooks. She has performed and directed for thirty years in theaters throughout the country. In addition to her extensive theater and voice-over work, she teaches college in her home state of Michigan.