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The Speechwriter
- A Brief Education in Politics
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
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Publisher's summary
Everyone knows this kind of politician: a charismatic maverick who goes up against the system and its ways, but thinks he doesn't have to live by the rules. Using his experience as a speechwriter, Barton Swaim tells the story of a band of believers who attach themselves to this sort of ambitious narcissist - what makes them invest in these leaders, how these leaders do provide moments of inspiration, and then how they let them down.
The Speechwriter is a funny and candid introduction to the world of politics, where press statements are purposefully nonsensical, grammatical errors are intentional, and better copy means more words. Through his three years in the office of a controversial governor, Swaim paints a portrait of a man so principled he'd rather sweat than use state money to pay for air conditioning, so oblivious he'd wear the same stained shirt for two weeks, so egotistical he'd belittle his staffers to make himself feel better, and so self-absorbed he never once apologized to his staff for making his administration the laughing stock of the country. On the surface, this is the story of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford's rise and fall. But in the end, it's an account of the very human staffers who go into politics out of conviction and learn to survive a broken heart.
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- Collected Writings
- By: Peggy Noonan
- Narrated by: Betsy Foldes Meiman, Rena-Marie Villano, Peggy Noonan
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Peggy Noonan is one of the most brilliant and influential political thinkers and writers of our time. The author of five best-selling books ( What I Saw at the Revolution is now a classic), her column in The Wall Street Journal is a must-read for millions of Americans. Witty, incisive, and always original, Peggy Noonan is a conservative intellectual with wide-reaching appeal across the political spectrum. Now, for the first time, the best of Noonan's writing will be collected in one indispensable volume.
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Ronald Reagan is God. Who knew?
- By Rick on 11-20-15
By: Peggy Noonan
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The Briefing
- Politics, the Press, and the President
- By: Sean Spicer
- Narrated by: Sean Spicer
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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For more than two decades, Sean Spicer had been a respected political insider, working as a campaign and communications strategist. But in December 2016, he got the call of a lifetime. President-elect Donald J. Trump had chosen him to be the White House press secretary. And life hasn’t been the same since. When he accepted the job, Spicer was far from a household name. But then he walked into the bright lights of the briefing room, and the cameras started rolling. His every word was scrutinized. Every movement was parodied. Every detail became a meme. And that’s just the public side.
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I did not expect to like this non-fiction book!
- By Wayne on 07-30-18
By: Sean Spicer
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Black Man, White House
- An Oral History of the Obama Years
- By: D. L. Hughley
- Narrated by: Mia Barron, Cherise Boothe, Ron Butler, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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From legendary comedian D. L. Hughley comes a bitingly funny send-up of the Obama years, as "told" by the key political players on both sides of the aisle. What do the Clintons, Republicans, fellow Democrats, and Obama's own family really think of President Barack Obama? Finally, the truth is revealed in this raucously funny "oral history" parody.
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Clever and Hilarious!
- By Fylynne on 07-14-16
By: D. L. Hughley
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Unhinged
- An Insider's Account of the Trump White House
- By: Omarosa Manigault Newman
- Narrated by: Omarosa Manigault Newman
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Few have been a member of Donald Trump’s inner orbit longer than Omarosa Manigault Newman. Their relationship has spanned 15 years - through four television shows, a presidential campaign, and a year by his side in the most chaotic, outrageous White House in history. But that relationship has come to a decisive and definitive end, and Omarosa is finally ready to share her side of the story in this explosive, jaw-dropping account.
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Take if for what it's worth...
- By Clay on 08-14-18
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Ike and Dick
- Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage
- By: Jeffrey Frank
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Richard Nixon was a young Navy officer when he first saw Dwight D. Eisenhower through a storm of tickertape as Manhattan celebrated the end of the war in Europe. Seven years later, Nixon was Eisenhower's running mate on the Republican presidential ticket-the beginning of a political and personal relationship that lasted for nearly twenty years. Despite a gulf that separated them by age and temperament, their association evolved into a collaboration that helped to shape the nation's political ideology.
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He's against NIxon
- By James A. Bretney on 01-20-14
By: Jeffrey Frank
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Finale
- A Novel of the Reagan Years
- By: Thomas Mallon
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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From the author of the acclaimed novel Watergate comes a galvanizing new novel about the tumultuous administration of the most consequential and enigmatic president of modern times - Ronald Reagan. Finale takes listeners to the political gridiron of Washington in 1986, the wealthiest enclaves of Southern California, and the volcanic landscape of Iceland, where the president engages in two almost apocalyptic days of negotiation with Mikhail Gorbachev.
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Gore Vidal for the 21st Century
- By philip on 10-31-15
By: Thomas Mallon
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Whistlestop
- My Favorite Stories from Presidential Campaign History
- By: John Dickerson
- Narrated by: John Dickerson
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Whistlestop tells the human story of nervous gambits hatched in first-floor hotel rooms, failures of will before the microphone, and the cross-country crack-ups of long-planned stratagems. At the bar at the end of a campaign day, these are the stories reporters rehash for themselves and embellish for newcomers. In addition to the familiar tales, Whistlestop also remembers the forgotten stories about the bruising and reckless campaigns of the 19th century.
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Lovers of the podcast this is ultimate fix!
- By killerqueen on 09-06-16
By: John Dickerson
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The Book of Joe
- The Life, Wit, and (Sometimes Accidental) Wisdom of Joe Biden
- By: Jeff Wilser
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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The aviators. The Amtrak. The ice cream cones. The memes. Few politicians are as iconic, or as beloved, as Joe Biden. Now, in The Book of Joe, Biden fans will finally have the definitive look at America's favorite vice president - and what he can teach us. Structured around key moments in Biden's life and career - and filled with Biden-isms like "That's a bunch of malarkey" and "I may be Irish, but I'm not stupid" - this blend of biography, advice, and humor will reveal the experiences that forged Joe Biden, and the lessons we can use in our own lives.
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I LOVED it!!!
- By Leslie on 11-19-20
By: Jeff Wilser
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Rush Limbaugh
- An Army of One
- By: Zev Chafets
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
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Do you remember your first time? People tend to remember the moment they first heard The Rush Limbaugh Show on the radio. For Zev Chafets, it was in a car in Detroit, driving down Woodward Avenue. Limbaugh's braggadocio, the outrageous satire, the slaughtering of liberal sacred cows performed with the verve of a rock-n-roll DJ-it seemed fresh, funny and completely subversive.
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Enjoyed it, despite poor narration
- By David on 06-02-10
By: Zev Chafets
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The Defining Moment
- FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope
- By: Jonathan Alter
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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In this dramatic and fascinating account, Newsweek columnist Jonathan Alter shows how Franklin Delano Roosevelt used his first 100 days in office to lift the country from the despair and paralysis of the Great Depression and transform the American presidency.
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Very infomative, and also refreshingly honest
- By Andy on 02-19-09
By: Jonathan Alter
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Tip and the Gipper
- When Politics Worked
- By: Chris Matthews
- Narrated by: Chris Matthews
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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They were the political odd couple - the two most powerful men in the country, a pair who "couldn't be more different or more the same." For six years, Matthews was on the inside, watching the evolving relationship between President Reagan and Speaker of the House O’Neill. Drawing not only on his own remarkable knowledge but on extensive interviews with those closest to his subjects, Matthews brings this unlikely friendship to life in his unique voice.
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I didn't want it to end
- By Jim on 10-06-13
By: Chris Matthews
What listeners say about The Speechwriter
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- wminot
- 07-28-15
A Discreet Memoir of a Despicable Man
Perhaps too discreet. The protagonist is such a predictable bore., that the book itself is hardly riveting.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Darren Sapp
- 07-07-17
Inside Baseball
Any additional comments?
The Speechwriter delivers on the inside baseball of speechwriting. It's certainly not as easy as it seems, especially when dealing with that particular politician. I only wish the author would have given a little more insight into his educational background and road to that position.
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- Amazon Customer
- 09-13-18
not as expected
this book was touted as hilarious. i found it rather sad and depressing that the author would stay in a job he found so frustrating and unrewarding
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- Steven
- 09-30-16
Whiny
Would you listen to The Speechwriter again? Why?
I would not listen to this again.
What did you like best about this story?
The story is good. Easy to understand.
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jonathan Yen?
Almost anyone. I found his voice very whiny. Annoyingly so.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Political suicide.
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- Kindle Customer
- 08-03-15
A well-written complainers guide
The best part of this book was the speaker. It was well written in plenty of time but the negative perspective got old.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 01-26-16
A fun read well read
This book was really enjoyable. The story was well written and the narration was excellent.
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- Katherine Peragine
- 07-31-15
Story dragged a little
Author at times tried to impress reader with his vast vocabulary at the cost of slowing down the narrative. The ending was not very satisfying.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Richard
- 07-26-15
Not exactly new
I suppose the American voter has to be reminded that nothing has changed. The author/narrator seems shocked and saddened that the politicians are not to be trusted. Except of course we get it. Perhaps a bit of history included in his remarkable education would be helpful. Nixon is still within living memory. The people who followed him are just as interesting. Except maybe Carter, and although he is acknowledged as a good person he is not remembered as a strong President. Perhaps its not them, its us.
As smart as this author is perhaps he could suggest some remedies. We get that the people running for office are defining issues in their favor. We get that today's party politics are a better machine than anytime in history. So don't whine, without at least offering a fix.
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2 people found this helpful
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- frogbob
- 04-02-17
great book if you love history or politics
this book is going to go down as a political commentary classic. a great inside view into the inner workings of Washington politics.
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- Lil'teacher
- 01-28-17
Gives you an inside view to state government
Any additional comments?
This is a very interesting memoir about what it is like to be inside state government. Of course, the salacious details about Mark Sanford are interesting, but I found that even without that angle I really enjoyed what this writer had to say. The narrator does a fabulous job imitating the voices of various state legislators/blow hards.
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