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Everything You Always Wanted Your President To Know And Do
Scribner
October 2009
On Sale: October 6, 2009
224 pages
ISBN: 1439148155
EAN: 9781439148150
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
Helen Thomas has covered the administrations of ten
presidents in a career spanning nearly sixty years. She is
known for her famous press conference closing line, "Thank
you, Mr. President," but here she trades deference for
directness. Thomas and veteran journalist Craig Crawford
hold nothing back as they use former occupants of the White
House to provide a witty, history-rich lesson plan of what
it takes to be a good president.Combining sharp observation
and dozens of examples from the fi rst presidency through
the forty-fourth, the authors outline the qualities,
attitudes, and political and personal choices that make for
the most successful leaders, and the least. Calvin Coolidge,
who hired the fi rst professional speechwriter in the White
House, illuminates the importance of choosing words wisely.
William Howard Taft, notorious for being so fat he broke his
White House bathtub, shows how not to cultivate a strong
public image. John F. Kennedy, who could handle the press
corps and their questions with aplomb, shows how to
establish a rapport with the press and open oneself up to
the public. Ronald Reagan, who acknowledged the Iran-Contra
affair in a television address, demonstrates how telling
hard truths can earn forgiveness and even public trust.By
gleaning lessons from past leaders, Thomas and Crawford not
only highlight those that future presidents should follow
but also pinpoint what Americans should look for and expect
in their president. Part history lesson, part presidential
primer, Listen Up, Mr. President is smart, entertaining, and
exceedingly edifying.
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