Double Down

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced account of the US Presidential Election of 2012. The authors give a detailed description of the twists and turns of the electoral cycle and in fairness it reads like an adventure story. The characters are well drawn and the authors narration of events is authentic and supported by other sources. The contest for the Republican Party nomination and the travails of Mitt Romney the eventual nominee is especially entertaining. The picture of Romney that emerges is of a far more humane and complex man than the one portrayed by the mainstream media. According to this book it would appear that the problem for Romney was that his humanity and complexity held no appeal for the Republican base, especially its Tea Party wing. There is little new in the portrait of President Obama in this book. His strengths and weaknesses are as they were in 2008 and there is no real evidence of change or evolution in his thinking and attitudes to the political process.My main criticism of the book is that it moves swiftly along through the controversies and calamities of the election with undue haste and without sufficient reflection on the underlying causes of the various events that made this election one of the most keenly fought and bitter contests in a very long time. The scale of President Obama's victory obscures the fact that both camps had genuine reasons to fear they would lose the election and that almost to the very end the outcome was in the balance. That sense of fear and suspense is well captured in this book and for that reason I rate it highly and would recommend it as an entertaining and enjoyable read.

Probably due to the nature of the race, this book isn't quite as engaging as "Race of a Lifetime". But it does give a fascinating insight into the money machine that American politics has become, and how for all the appearances of the political machinations that occur, at the heart of it all are real people with their own strengths and weaknesses trying to navigate their way through a myriad of expectations. It reminds me of Alanis Morrisette's description of fame as something that doesn't really change who you are, but amplifies your various personality traits.

I started reading this book with the feeling that I'd be getting into a partisan account of the 2012 election. On the contrary, I was very much surprised to get through a thoroughly enjoyable and deeply interesting behind-the-scenes narrative on the recent elections. Really captures the emotions and political games behind the election cycle.Highly reccommended to fellow political junkies!

Clever and insightful analysis of how Romney moved through nomination and then the election race with Obama.Some clear core themes - Obama's constancy versus Romney's capacity for gaffes, echo throughout the tale, yet get developed and refined as events unfold.Even though we all know-how the ending, the book targets pace and maintains its grip. The story behind live debates is a strong part of the momentum.Obviously as an Englishman, I am excluded, but this would be essential reading for a 2016 candidate!

Once again the boys here written a very interesting book. For those seeking to understand how Obama got elected for the second time then this will deepen your understanding. This book mainly concentrates on the Romney campaign but nevertheless I believe it will improve your understanding about American elections. A good read for those of us who like political books.

Excellent, one of a pair of books covering both of Obama's elections. Im interested in American politics but not deeply interested. This pair of books is easy to read, topical, interesting with just the right amount of detail.

Double down excels in depth and is a reminder to why long form retrospective analysis still champs the hash tag generation. (Albeit, they've taken on much of its 'gossipiness'). Their access appears top to bottom with in-sight through both campaigns highs and lows. It's pacey - a gripping read on a topic of interest to politicos.

Great book