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Rating: 
Summary: Insider's look at what REALLY happened in last election
Review: Heard the taped version of THE BIG ENCHILADA by
Stuart Stevens, a top aide for George W. Bush's presidential
campaign . . . l very much enjoyed it--despite having thought
that I was overdosed on information on what took place . . . little did I know! Stevens presents a real insider's look at what actually happened
during both the campaign and infamous recount . . . I found
myself laughing out loud many times, most often at Gore's
ineptitude. One such example comes to mind: Stevens and other top Bush aides find themselves puzzling over Gore's demand that no cameras be placed behind him during the debate. "It's so his bald spot won't show," Stevens finally realizes. Everyone chuckles. I also liked reading about the preparation for the Bush/Gore debates . . . it was interesting to find out how the Bush team had somebody "pretend" to be Gore . . . at one time, this individual wanders over to Bush and tries to stare him down . . . a bemused Bush comments, "Is he
really going to do that?" If you're a political junkie, this is a MUST read. But it should also be enjoyable reading for anybody interested in marketing, history and even humor.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Politics.....
Review: If you are a Gore fan, which I can't believe there are many left, this book is not for you. If you enjoy politics and are looking for an interesting read, this is it. The book is exactly what it claims to be, an insider's view of the Bush campaign. It is obvious from the start that Stevens respects and truly likes George W. Bush. He doesn't try to hide it. He also doesn't hide his true dislike for Gore, not Democrats, but Gore specifically. The book touches on the post-election drama but does not focus on it. The book is a fun and interesting read, I would recommand it to my political friends, Democrats and Republicans.
Rating:
Summary: Raunchy, partisan and insightful look at 2000 campaign
Review: Most people view politics like an enema: an unpleasant but occasionally necessary procedure to make the system function properly. It is easy to forget there are people, some quite gifted, who derive actual pleasure from campaigns. These technocrats, whether they be James Carville or author Stuart Stevens, sometimes prove as intriguing as the people they try to elect. In The Big Enchilada, Stevens explains how the hired guns can be just as jaded as everyone else and still excel and take great pride in their chosen profession. The Big Enchilada is witty, surprisingly raunchy, and insightful. There have been few books written about the actual 2000 presidential campaign. The Big Enchilada focuses primarily on the propaganda war and the other nuts and bolts work that preceded the Tallahassee train wreck. As a result, the reader gets a feel for the loyalty George W. Bush inspired among his campaign advisers, spin doctors, and media consultants. From the moment political guru Karl Rove diagrams the Bush campaign on a napkin until Vice President Al Gore makes his second concession speech, media consultant Stevens explains how an insular, Austin-based organization triumphed over an incumbent's heir apparent in a time of peace and prosperity. Stevens is at his best when he describes absurd people and moments, such as the demand by the oft-hapless Gore campaign that no cameras be placed behind their candidate's bald head. The author also lays bear the rank hypocrisy of Senator John McCain, who ran on a campaign finance reform platform yet shook down political contributions from the very people over whom he had oversight. The weakest aspect of the book is Stevens' unflagging loyalty to George W. Bush. In the author's eyes, now-President Bush could do and did no wrong. It would have been nice to see some of the president's dirty laundry without a lame apologia. Also, some of the author's one-liners fall flat although that is the exception rather than the rule. The people who dedicate themselves to public service and who play the hardball of politics make democracy work. Stevens shows why there is no dearth of hired guns and foot soldiers in the battles that make the system work.
Rating:
Summary: An insider's view of the Bush campaign
Review: Stu Stevens has given quite a contribution here. He writes the inside story of a campaign with the players we have come to know: Rove, Hughes, Bolton, Lindsey, and Rice- although they weren't well known in 1999 when Karl Rove sketched out his winning plan on a coffee house napkin in Austin. This work also shows the relationship that Bush had with others in his campaign, and how people who worked for George W. actually liked him- which Stevens says is a rarity in presidential campaigns. He does an excellent job capturing the real George W. Bush- a man comfortable being who he is, with a laid back yet demanding leadership style. He shows George W. as unflappable, even in the darkest moments of the campaign. This book also gives humorus insights into things like convention and debate preparation, and the little quirks of Gore that got on everyone's nerves toward the end. But most of all, this book shows the tenacity of a campaign that refused to say die, and won the biggest prize in politics. A must read for political junkies, or fans of President Bush...all a Gore person would get from this book is higher blood pressure.
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