by Glenn Thrush
First published 2014
President Barack Obama sits in the White House, four years removed from his historic 2008 victory, watching his approval numbers sink. The economy struggles. Republican challenger Mitt Romney gains ground. Obama's own campaign team stumbles through unforced errors that would have been unthinkable during their flawless first run. The trash-talking competitor in Obama emerges as he speaks harshly about Romney, the man he believes wants to steal his legacy. But Obama's greatest enemy may be the ghost of Obama 2008. The political landscape has shifted dramatically. Super PACs flood the airwaves with money. His superstar appeal has faded. His talented advisers struggle to reconcile their nostalgia for that once-in-a-lifetime campaign with harsh new realities. Obama grows impatient with his staff's mistakes. The prospect of joining the ranks of failed one-term presidents spurs him to action. He prepares for the most critical fourth quarter of his political career, knowing this final stand will either cement his place in history or destroy it forever.
Genres: american, political-science, politics, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, underdog
Setting: White House
Period: 2008, 2012
ebook · Random House