Anyone who followed the 2008 election knows how Barack battled Hillary for the Democratic nomination, and how Sarah Palin changed the game for John McCain. In Game Change, reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin unveil the gossip behind the race, a narrative best known for Harry Reid’s gaffe about Obama’s skin color and dialect.

Game Change reveals more than that. With notes from the road and deep background, the authors paint Obama as an egotist, Hillary and Bill Clinton as entitled manipulators, McCain as an old crank, and Palin as an unstable fish out of water.

None of the characterizations are revelatory, though the book is interesting in its portrayal of John Edwards, who campaigned to end poverty and wound up embroiled in an affair behind his dying wife’s back.

For those interested in gossip, Game Change is a lurid account of petulant politicians who often care more about their endorsements than their constituents. Interesting fact: George W. Bush often called Bill Clinton when he was bored. Presidents: They’re just like us.

By Casino Connection Staff