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The Politician: An Insider
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The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down

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Product Info

  • EAN: 9780312640651
  • Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books

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  • ISBN13: 9780312640651
  • Condition: New
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Editorial Reviews:

  • The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down

Spotlight customer reviews:

  • Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
  • Summary: Insecurities abound
  • Comment: Not sure where to start with this other than to say it was truly enlightening to see the behind the scenes drama that was going on with Young and the Edwards family. While I don't want to recount chapter and verse the book, that would spoil the fun, I do want to offer a few observations of the personalities in the book:

    John Edwards reminded me so much of Richard Nixon in his behavior, he had the ability to be compassionate, manipulative and self-centered all at the same time -- but what's most striking is his knack for self-destructive behavior. Like Nixon, no amount of success was enough, and he would spin his own reality field and everyone else outside the bubble was "after him." That paranoia led to self destructive behavior that found both lashing out at people who would have walked on water in support of their causes.

    Mrs. Edwards, even though I think she knew in her heart what was going on, she chose to turn that anger on Mr. Young. It almost seemed that because she was in a awful marriage riddled with infidelity she wasn't satisfied until she could find some one to blame for it and then proceeded to destroy another couple's life. Blind ambition.

    Rielle Hunter enough said.

    Andrew Young, like many who work for politicians the coattails are always long and that access is a very heady thing. Mr Young forgot his values in service to someone else and it was good to see he finally recognized that. It's too bad that the alarm bells didn't go off earlier. I'm unsure as to weather I buy his excuse of "believing in the cause that" that was John Edwards. I believe in many things, but I don't sacrifice family, self respect and dignity in the service of that cause. To this day as old as I am I still ask myself what would mom & dad think BEFORE, not after.

    Ms. Young the sanest of the bunch. She sent up many red flares for her husband but he was in the distortion field and ignored every single one. Credit to her for supporting her husband despite her own personal views on all of it -- Mr. Young is a lucky man to have her.

    It was a fun, yet disturbing read and while it says a great deal about Edwards and Mr. Young it also provides a glimpse at the pitfalls and uglier side of American politics.
  • Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
  • Summary: Sordid, Disgusting Tale Stranger Than Fiction
  • Comment: As an early Edwards' fan, this story absolutely blew me away. I listened to Edwards early on in the campaigns, and I bought into his "small town," "for the people" rhetoric. I really believed he had a vision for middle America. He was articulate, dynamic, energetic, and he was the consummate family man devoted to his wife and children, os so I thought at first. I can still remember reading about his affair with Rielle Hunter and was literally sickened to think the man I had believed in was just like so many other rich men with a sense of entitlement - the rules don't apply to them, and they can get away with their totally immoral lifestyle!

    Of course, Andrew Young has an axe to grind; of course, there are two sides to every story; but if even half of what Young says is true, John Edwards is the ultimate psycho sleaze bag. He makes me sick! I found it fascinating that the type of woman who attracted him was as psycho as he is! She's not intelligent, warm, insightful; just another opportunistic woman out for a rich man, married or not. Her behaviour throughout the book was childish, selfish, controlling, totally spoiled. I cannot even imagine what Edwards saw in her. Which just made me even more disgusted with Edwards.

    As for Elizabeth Edwards, Young's portrayal of her is very upsetting. She comes across as very conniving, manipulative and vengeful. However, given all that she was going through; a stressful campaign, cancer, hints of her husband's affair at such a crucial and public time in their lives, her beahviour seems more understandable, not excusable, just understandable.

    And as for Young himself, his wife deserves wife of the year award. But, he makes me wonder where his head was too. Why in heaven's name would he admit to an affair/child when he was totally innocent? It makes me question his judgement, his intelligence, his convictions, his own sense of morality. He, himself, seems to have a lot of issues.

    But, the book reads like fiction...there were scenes when I felt like it must be fiction...this cannot be real.

    It also makes me wonder, are there NO MORAL people in politics? Are there no politicians with Principles, Morals, Character, Integrity; people who actually live the way they talk? People who actually CARE about bettering the lives of the masses, not just furthering their own egos/agendas? Certainly the people in this book do not fit anywhere near that category.

    I had to wash my hands; the book just makes one feel disgusted, disappointed, and dirty.
  • Customer Rating: Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5Average rating of 5/5
  • Summary: unbelievable
  • Comment: This book shows you that reality is more outrageous than fiction. Young has written this book with great accuracy and an eye for detail. The tasks he has to perform for "his family Edwards" become increasingly absurd until the final sacrifice he is asked to make in acknowledging a child that is not his. It is a real page turner and a thriller until the end.
  • Customer Rating: Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5Average rating of 4/5
  • Summary: Tawdry but compelling
  • Comment: This is so tawdry, I felt guilty reading it and a little dirty when I had finished. Not only does John Edwards come across as the quintessential narcissist, his wife is portrayed as a shrieking mad woman and the mother of his new child appears to be at least three quarters drug fuddled and high maintenance in the extreme. If a quarter of the information in this book is true, then frankly everyone needs a long, cold shower and to be removed from society forthwith; a truly awful bunch of people.
    Interestingly, the worst character in the book has to be the author. There is no doubt he was treated unbelievably badly but what level of self worth leads you to basically act as a butler for 10 years (often at the expense of focus on your own family) and then take responsibility for fathering a child that wasn't yours and go on the run with the mystery woman, your wife and your three children with no idea of how the story might play out? Something tells me Edwards didn'(tm)t need to try too hard to convince Andrew Young to do some of these mad things and that worries me.
    An amazing book which I hope is all a bunch of lies, lest my faith in human kind will be permanently destroyed. I am unsure whether I should click that I recommend it, the events are so filthy as to be slightly depressing. Oh what the hell, I will recommend it, if only to allow you to learn some of Mrs Edwards' charming voicemail technique.
    Oh promise of power, is there nothing you can't wreck?!
  • Customer Rating: Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5Average rating of 1/5
  • Summary: Hate does not equal good
  • Comment: I got this book out off the "sale rack" hoping to find some great inside on Presidential Campaigns. Instead I found a book written by a very angry man. This book is painful and slow. It took me two months to finish it because I really felt the need to speak on it. The author Andrew Young may have felt this book cleared his name but it really made him look foolish and even more so like an evil guy. Next time Andrew please find forgiveness in your heart for yourself before you publish such a book. There is so much to say I don't know where to start.

    1.) Mr. Young believes he is more powerful then he is and would still be in politics as an adviser if he didn't write this book.

    2.) This book never gives you any reason to like John Edwards or even why we should have liked him.

    3.) The underlining vibe is the Mr. Young hated Mrs. Edwards and went along with the affair with Rielle because he hoped John would divorce his wife and marry Rielle. The only part of the book worth reading is the early days of the affair when you feel John and Andrew both have some life in them.

    4.) How dare Mr. Young lecture the Edwards at the end of the book. What an idiot! Mr. Young supported and promoted the affair AND he brought his wife and family in on the deal. You dirtied your whole family! How dare you speak in judgement.

    5.) Mr. Young's wife is the only person you feel is sane in this whole book.

    6.) When ever Mr. Young compliments the Edwards he always throws a quick low blow in. Very third grade of him.

    7.) Mr. Young loved power and loved the power the affair game him.

    8.) I did learn that if your boss is an immoral man then it is best to leave early because it never has a happy ending.

    9.) Please read a few pages of this at the book store before you buy it. It may be the first time I read a book and feel worse for doing so.

    10.) I pray that Mr. Young turns his life around and since his father's story toaught him nothing...I hope this hands on experience will educate him.

    I know you are reading this and figure I'm someone involved in this whole thing but I'm just a guy from Arkansas who likes reading political books...good ones.

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