The American Presidency (The Real Story Series)

Rating:
Summary: Gore Vidal's Presidential Reality Check
Review: As his literary life continues, Gore Vidal delivers a blow to the solar plexus of the American Empire. Demolishing the ridiculous myths surrounding the presidency as a noble and fine institution, the author presents a short, dynamite-laden essay leaving no stone unturned and no president untouched.

For the one-third desperately clinging to the ridiculous notion that their vote means an expression of power and choice, Vidal shows that, "the American Empire is governed not from the Oval Office but from the White House TV studio." As important, Vidal discredits the liberal-conserviative paradigm so warmly embraced by the likes of WAMU Washington talk show host Diane Rehm and her NPR minions.

Tracing American history, Vidal clearly shows the reader where the empire was created and how Americans today are living with the results. With Bill Clinton crowning himself both president and king, it is any surprise that the president's lawyers presented the ludicrous argument that since he can be both commander-in-chief and enlisted man at the same time, can a military coup d'etat be far behind?

Moving to the creation of the national security state under Truman, Vidal argues that the so-called "communist threat" was "all nonsense. They also knew it was good for business." Kennedy agreed but, as with all presidents, was powerless to act upon it.

However, the author's assessment of Clinton as a president who naively thinks that the office has power and that he will exercise it for the common good is mistaken. Clinton's actions on behalf of the multi-nationals and his acquiescence on behalf of corporate lobbyists, big business and the Pentagon-based military-industrial complex clearly portrays a president not unlike his predecessors, not a victim of the corporations that run America. For Clinton is not a victim; he is a player, admittedly naive and ridiculous, but a player nonetheless--Mena, Filegate, Iraqgate, travelgate, Monicagate, Whitewater, the murders of Vince Foster and Caity Mahoney, deals with the Chinese giving them influence over American elections, and a military base in Long Beach, California, and finally a plethora of represssive immigration, criminal and welfare laws harkening back to the worst abuses of Dickensonian England will be the lasting historical legacy of the "Clinton regime."

Rating:
Summary: not essential, but very helpful
Review: For those who don't have the time to read James Loewen's "Lies My Teacher Told Me" this book is a nice short summary of why we shouldn't take the institution of the American presidency too seriously. Also, it highlights the grossly mistaken manner in which American history is taught in the nation's high schools. Vidal makes it clear that far from the proud heroes presented in the history textbooks, most American presidents were just ordinary guys with more than their far share of flaws. He also explains why it is important to understand that the policies led by these flawed, often greedy and usually power hungry individuals had grave consequences not only for America but most of the world.

Rating:
Summary: History from the bitchy queen perspective
Review: Now, I consider myself a liberal and a cynic and someone who doesn't take the presidency too seriously, but I still hate this book. Maybe if I had read it when I was in high school and bitter, I would have loved it.

Gore Vidal sets out to poke holes in our national mythology and he succeeds up to a point. Only he seems gratuitous. He is only pointing out the faults of the presidents from Kennedy to Washington to Lincoln. Lincoln was a tyrant. Kennedy was an idiot who thought that McCarthyism was the way to run the country. Washington was a spoiled noble who was a lousy general and an even worse president. He leaves no room for consideration as to why these people were considered great presidents and leaves one feeling that anyone who thinks that they were great presidents must be an idiot.

This book is an antidote for the dull textbooks that deify all of our historical figures, but it goes the other way too far. It sounds like it was written by the high schooler who has just realized that Jefferson owned slaves and that the textbooks have been leaving things out. It's all criticism and no perspective.

For books that give a historical perspective that's not just sniping, try either Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me, or The American Aurora

Rating:
Summary: Unforgiving, to the point, and funny
Review: The book/pamphlet is unusual. It is quick reading and very amusing and funny. It does not try to be completely historically detailed and is not written in the scholarly style but rather goes through the key American presidents in order and gives a brief description of their character, accomplishments, and the problems they faced/solved/created.

In my opinion, Gore Vidal can be considered an elite insider of the US system. He pretty much writes as one blatantly and I believe he is making a point: here is someone on the inside who knows many of the presidents, politicians, the rich, and the media editors and is presenting history through such a perspective and in such a mode. He is a traditional republican and conservative (in the original sense of these words, hence the lower case use): foreign adventures/interventions, domestic political repression, economic polarization, and increasing corporate control are things he speaks against vehemently. For these reasons, this is a very refreshing book to read.

In addition, the book raises and deals with important questions about the presidency as an institution: what are its limitations and powers? How did this historically lead to its use and abuse for particular ends by various characters? What types of people were the various presidents and how did they change this institution?

Finally, Gore Vidal sees the US in the process of a slow but steady downfall, particularly since the Cold War years (1950s): politically, culturally, and economically (since the 1980s). The costs of being imperial master, with attendant crushing stifling of dissent at home, the huge military spendings and deficits, and foreign interventions and the loss of foreign and US life in the process, etc. are reviewed quite negatively in this book. Whether you believe this or not is something else, and the facts he produces are suggestive only (but then again,
the book is quite short).

In short, I recommend the book. As long as read properly, it provides quite some insight into American history. If you're looking for detailed history, facts and figures, and precise arguments, go elsewhere. If you're looking for a quick overall and consistent viewpoint and history viewed in broad burshstrokes, this book really hits the spot.

Rating:
Summary: Total waste
Review: This book is comprised of meaningless antecdotes and other useless information. I usually am incredibly impressed by Vidals wit and his ability to expose the "truth," but unfortunately, this time I was very disappointed.