First published 2008
Dick Cheney rewrote the rules of American power from his vice presidential office. Washington Post journalist Barton Gellman conducted hundreds of interviews with Cheney's allies and opponents to expose how the vice president operated behind closed doors. Gellman documents Cheney's unprecedented influence across foreign policy and domestic governance. The book reveals how Cheney provided faulty intelligence about Iraqi weapons to congressional leaders, blocked Bush administration peace efforts in the Middle East for five years, and allowed North Korea and Iran to advance their nuclear capabilities. Domestically, Cheney functioned as a shadow chief of staff who shaped Supreme Court nominations, edited budget legislation, controlled environmental regulations, and enforced conservative ideology throughout the administration. Gellman shows how Cheney leveraged the September 11 attacks to expand executive power and position himself as the most influential vice president in American history. The book offers readers an inside look at the mechanics of political power and the hidden operations that shaped the Bush presidency.
Genres: biography, political-science, politics, united-states, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes, political-machinations, shadow-government
Setting: Middle East, Washington
Period: 21st Century
384 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press