by Tom Daschle
First published 2003
Tom Daschle holds one of the most powerful positions in Washington when everything goes wrong at once. As Senate Majority Leader during the 107th Congress, he watches the Supreme Court decide a presidential election, then presides over a Senate split fifty-fifty between parties. September 11 shatters the nation, and anthrax letters arrive at his own office. Corporate scandals rock the economy while the country marches toward war in Iraq. Daschle moves between public hearings and closed-door meetings, weighing each decision against mounting political pressure. He observes presidents and senators up close, recording their responses to each new crisis. The 2002 midterm elections loom as Democrats and Republicans battle over the nation's direction. Daschle believes the fundamental choice facing America comes down to whether citizens want leaders who trust government to solve collective problems or those who view government itself as the problem. Through two of the most turbulent years in recent history, he maintains his position at the center of power while the country transforms around him.
Genres: history, political-science, biography-memoir, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, personal-journey
Setting: Washington
Period: 107th Congress, 2002
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