White House Confidential is a compilation of nasty rumors, known facts, canards, and wild speculation that have titillated the unwashed for a couple of centuries.
White House Confidential
by Gregg Stebben & Austin Hill
published by Cumberland House Publishing; 2nd edition (September 1, 2006)
Ppbk., 320 pgs.
ISBN: 1581825447
I have secretly embraced the notion that we would have been much better off had our founding fathers established a monarchy! George Washington would have made a splendid king; after all he had few indiscretions to reveal, urged the government to mind it’s own business in foreign affairs, and believed people ought to be left to their own devices. Heck, none other than John Adams agrees with me, when he urged those calling on President Washington to refer to him as “His Majesty!”
Of course, as you well know, history took another course and we tried republicanism until the War Between the States, and then it all pretty much went in the crapper!
By establishing the office of “president” the founders, unknowingly, opened the door for smart aleck observers to heap scorn and derision on those that who “lead us.” Yes, particularly since the beginning the presidency has been the target of acerbic, quick-witted, and sometimes mean-spirited pundits who’ve made a buck or two pummeling whomever resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The latest of these Menchenesque savants to come along are two young men whose day jobs apparently don’t keep them fully occupied. Working in concert they’ve assembled a book that is laugh-out-loud funny, fairly accurate, devoid of misspellings, and slightly contemptuous!
The book in review, White House Confidential, by Messrs. Gregg Stebben and Austin Hill, is a compilation of nasty rumors, known facts, canards, and wild speculation that have titillated the unwashed for a couple of centuries; an encyclopedia of presidential poo tossed against the wall just to see what sticks. To their credit they confess, or rather disclaim, that “This much can be counted on, however: If it appears here, regardless of how cruel, mean, baseless, or untrue it may be, someone somewhere (other than your authors) reported it first.”
Well, now you’ve got to admire authors who admit they aren’t too interested in accuracy or research and are merely attempting to excite the passions of the democratic masses for entertainment value and to make a buck. Frankly, I find the admission refreshing.
If I was going to criticize the book, and I am, I’d inform prospective readers that there is no INDEX! Gee, fellas, it would have been nice to have a simple, plain, vanilla, index! However, to counter this glaring inadequacy the authors are superbly gifted, almost facile writers; one might describe them as the Cheech and Chong of presidential history.
Reading White House Confidential took me back to the late 50’s when I would race to Hieme’s store, purchase the latest issue of Mad magazine, and devour it in one sitting. However, the difference is good old Mad magazine was a ribald critique of some rather pronounced absurdities inherent in American culture; hey, come to think of it maybe they aren’t so different after all!
Buy the book and have a good laugh, after all we do take our politics much too seriously. Maybe this pair of post-modern Henny Youngmans will take a look at academia next.
White House Confidential is available on Amazon.com.
robertcheeks@core.com
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