Hardball : How Politics Is Played Told By One Who Knows The Game

Rating:
Summary: One of the TOP 10 Books I have Ever Read
Review: This is an EXCELLENT book! If you are looking for a good primer on the art of politics, look no further. I have read a lot of books on politics and this and Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms and Hill Rat are the two best by far.

Mr. Mathews is an excellent writer and he spent years working on Capitol Hill. Mr. Mathews uses good examples of polititians winning (or losing) at different aspects of politics and campaigning. The best chapters IMHO include: Spin, Hang a Lantern on Your Problem, and Leave No Shot Unanswered. Mr. Mathews uses a lot of humor in his book and he does a great job introducing the novice to politics.

If you read and study this book you can't go wrong. This book is perfect for any Political Science/Government student or to a person considering and run for office. Nearly every staffer and volunteer I have ever known has it in their library.

If you don't read this book, you are at quite a disadvantage in politics (IMHO).

Heck, I'm a Republican and I still loved it.

Rating:
Summary: the only way to really learn politics.....
Review: For an undergraduate Political Science major, there is no better piece of literature to teach the truth of the political scene in America. Through intriguing and often comedic anecdotes, Matthews lays out how politicians operate, how to get things done and how to make the right friends in any political field. Easy to read and follow, Hardball evokes an interest in the reader that makes it hard to put down. Matthews opens the introduction with the statement that it is not a civics book; after reading it, it is obvious that Hardball does something that no civics book can. It creates a genuine interest through honest truth.

Rating:
Summary: Political Must Have
Review: I was given this when I moved to Washington to work for a U.S. Senator by a friend who had worked in Washington for a few years. It is a must read if you have any interest in politics, even if you don't this is a good read and good knowledge for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: AP Government Review...
Review: In politics, power comes in high numbers of support, skilled strategy, and any successful politician is not afraid to ask for help.
Most people are probably familiar with the term "spin," which Matthews states as "defining the events in the most self-seving way possible." (p. 171) But, Matthews also explains a couple of political maneuvers that some people may not be familiar with. "Lowballing" is the method of manipulating the public's expectation about an upcoming election result or poll with an articificially low estimate for possible future political gain. Matthews also explains the related technique of "sandbagging." He says, "One of the most effective means of diminishing your opponent's stature is to advertise his strengths, to set unreasonable expectations of his potential." (p. 201) Matthews sums up these latter two techniques thus: "In both lowballing and sandbagging, the principle is the same: create a handicapping system that makes any success of yours seem bigger than it is and your opponent's victory much smaller." (p. 202) If you watch enough "Hardball" on cable and understand these techniques, you can start to develop a finely tuned spin-meter and you will know when a politician is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. In the chapter called "Spin!", Matthews states that "to mass, uninformed and unanalytical audiences, the moral imagery always outdazzles the scientific." (p. 179) This is quite a sad statement about the public, in general.

Even more pathetic, is some of the quotes attributed to politicians, "If you can't drink their booze, take their money, [have sex with] their women and vote against them in the morning, you don't belong in this place." (p. 67) And also this one, "I would walk over my grandmother to help Richard Nixon." (p. 48)

With quotes and methods such as these, perhaps one can see why someone might not want a book like this to be published. At some point, we, the general public, have to look in the mirror and ask ourselves whether we like to be manipulated in this manner. And if we have the self-respect to say "no" to that question, then it behooves us to understand the methods of how this is done and not to be fooled. At some point, the general public has to start demanding a higher standard out of Washington.

Rating:
Summary: Good way to learn about politics
Review: The book is an excellent source of info for an aspiring politician or just someone who is curious about how politics in America work. Matthews talks about several ways in which to make it in politics and among them are: stay ahead of your enemies, "don't get mad; don't get even; get ahead" and "it's better to receive than to give." The best part of the book is that Matthews doesn't merely give a list of political objectives, he shows how successful politicians have put his strategies into practice, and how these strategies helped those politicians. Another great part about the book is that the reader gets an insight to how politics in Washington are done...since Matthews was in the govt.; he gives several insights about the administrations of such presidents as Reagan and Carter. However one criticism of the book is that, at times it drags. This is why I couldn't give it 5 stars. Sometimes Matthews tends to be a little too specific in his details and the point of the chapter is momentarily lost. This is evident in his discussion of Reagan's push for the MX missile and discussions of former employer, Tip O'Neil. On the whole, though, the book is a great way to get on the right track in politics. And some suggestions may be useful outside of the world of politics.

Rating:
Summary: How politics is really played
Review: In his book Hardball author Chris Matthews explains the basics of how politics is played in America. Chris Matthews goes through each principal or technique explains it and gives some examples of how it was used. Matthews uses examples of LBJ, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and others. The book is a quick and easy read yet is one the best books I have ever read about practical politics. Hardball is broken up into four sections each dealing with a specific theme in which certain principals and techniques are discussed and demonstrated.
The first section of the book is called 'Alliances.' In alliances are the first four chapters of the book. Matthews explains the four concepts of this section of the book using examples of LBJ, Tip O'Neil, Ronald Reagan and others. This chapter examines how to develop alliances, how to keep alliances, who alliances should be made with, and the benefits of alliances with the right people.
The second section of the book is called 'Enemies.' Three chapters are in this section of the book. Matthews uses a number of people from this section to illustrate his points. Matthews uses a very interesting story about revenge to illustrate one of his points. This section of the book explains the technique and importance of incorporating some of your enemies into your team, why it is a waste of time to try to get even with those who wrong you, and an important lesson of how people really react to negative campaigning.
The third section of the book is called 'Deals.' There are two chapters in this section of the book. One of Matthews's key points is illustrated with an interesting story about Winston Churchill. This section of the book shows the importance of keeping quite sometimes and how you can get what you want if you agree with the principal of your opponent's argument.
The forth and last section of the book is called 'Reputations.' There are five chapters in this section. Matthews shows the how to establish and keep a reputation. This section shows that looking directly at your own problem will often make that problem go away, how things are defined often decides who is hurt and who isn't, you must always be wary of members of the media, how to use peoples reputations against them and how to cultivate a reputation most helpful to yourself, and how to position yourself in the most advantages position.
This book is a very good and quick read. This makes it easy for people who don't follow politics to understand what really is happening in Washington and when candidates hit the campaign trail.

Rating:
Summary: 'Hardball' is an updated version of 'The Prince'
Review: Whether you want to apply the techniques in this book to business, the bedroom, or the boardroom really doesn't matter. The soundness of them makes them applicable across all of life's battlefields. Like Machiavelli 500 years before him, Mathews reveals through examples like Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy how to get, keep and wield power.

Rating:
Summary: The man that knows many things...
Review: I love Chris Matthews! I have been a fan of "HARDBALL" for a long time and I watch his show nightly. Chris Matthews is man that shoots straight from the hip and I find that refreshing in politics today. His book "Hardball: How Politics Is Played-- Told by One Who Knows the Game," is a book written around the title (it says it all). If politics and how it works is your game then this is a book you owe it to yourself to read. I think you'll agree this man certainly knows the in and outs in the game of politics!
(Highly Recommended Reading!)

Rating:
Summary: pretty good
Review: definately his best book. good read. try out "now let me tell you what i really think." stay away from "american beyond our grandest notions'

Rating:
Summary: The Real Nitty Gritty
Review: Chris Matthews spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill working for legendary House Speaker Tip O'Neill. While he was there he accumulated a wealth of practical know-how about the political process. Hardball is easy to read and full of simple wisdom about politics.

One story about Lyndon Johnson is almost worth the price of the book. When Johnson first arrived in Washington as an aide, he rose early and headed to the dorm bathroom to brush his teeth several times the first few mornings. Why? Because he correctly figured he could get to know more of his peers than anybody else through apparently "spontaneous" conversations. It should come as no surprise that Johnson became a leader among his young friends right away. There are several similar gems liberally sprinkled throughout the book.

It should be required reading for any college class in American Government. More importantly, Hardball should be read by anyone considering a career in public policy.