I always love reading books about politics...this one only brought back the bad taste of the dole campaign.
The book was well written (no surprise there) and truly captured the people in a way that put them outside of the media's spotlight.
From the onset you could see that Dole would not win...the background information on the campaign and what was going on behind closed doors was felt by those of us working the other end of the campaign.
If you want to know some of the back story about the 1996 campaign...then this is the book. ( )

Woodward paints an intimate picture of the inner workings of an otherwise lackluster and boring 1996 presidential campaign. Clinton and team work on building a strong message but the weak challenge by the Dole/Kemp team, I think provided a true lack of foil in the story.

This type of book may be where I enjoy Woodward the most - using his prose to make an election who's outcome was seemingly a foregone conclusion from the outset exciting, amusing and above all interesting. The Choice was an insightful and eye opening look into the election process. ( )

Bob Woodward did a great job of giving us a view of what the candidates and their families have to go through during the political process of getting elected. All the decisions that must be made. From whether or not to even run. When to announce, who to hire on staff, raising fuds and advertising. Woodward had direct contact and interviews with all the candidates excpet Clinton. Where he had to rely on the President's staff and friends.

The book covers all the candidates that try for the nomination, including those that would have been considered but chose not to run. A very interesting insight into the process of running for our most powerful elected office. The book eventually comes down to the campign between Dole and Clinton.

Woodward is known for being very accurate and tapes all his interviews. This is the first book of his that I have read. And I will now try to pick up and read the Agenda next. ( )

The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House by Bob Woodward (?)