To Be President

by Ian Leslie

First published 2009

Barack Obama faces the political fight of his lifetime as he challenges Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2008. The contest begins as a seemingly impossible uphill battle against the Clinton political machine. Obama must navigate the brutal primary season while John McCain stages his own surprising comeback to secure the Republican nomination. The general election pits two men of vastly different backgrounds and ages against each other. McCain's campaign introduces Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, reshaping the entire race. As election day approaches, both candidates must respond to a devastating economic crisis that threatens to upend American society. The campaign culminates on election night in Chicago's Grant Park, where Obama's victory marks a historic moment as America elects its first Black president.

Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 21st-century, political-thriller

Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, underdog

Setting: Chicago, Grant Park

Period: 2008

256 pages · Paperback · Politicos Publishing

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