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Loading... Down to the Crossroads: On the Trail of the 2008 Presidential Election (edition 2008)by Guy Rundle
Work InformationDown to the Crossroads by Guy Rundle
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If the past is a foreign country, 2008 is another planet. Who imagined the United States electing its first black president? Who imagined the scale of the global economic crisis? Who imagined Sarah Palin? Guy Rundle was on the ground throughout the momentous election, trailing its unlikely cast of candidates from Washington to Wasilla - the steely former First Lady and the backwater hockey mom, the maverick Republican war veteran and the Southern Baptist bass player, and the youthful greenhorn who was catapulted into the global spotlight. With caustic wit and political nous, Rundle's celebrated Crikeyreports told the day-by-day story of the gruelling primaries, orgiastic conventions and debates. HIllary's photogenic tears, Troopergate, the bailout, 'Walnuts' McCain's countless houses, Tina Fey. . . Rundle counters the spin with the homespun, talking to cab drivers, party volunteers and fellow bar flies. The result is a compelling and irreverent record of the history-making year, when America went down to the crossroads and chose an inspirational new direction for the world. 'Far and away the best coverage of the election' - Phillip Adams No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)324.973Social sciences Political Science The political process Biography And History North America United StatesRatingAverage:
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Australians will find the book a terrific introduction to the abstruse and complex process by which the US determines candidates for public office, and a blow by blow description of the 2008 election campaign. In addition, Australians will come to understand a great deal about the US - its society with its generosities and meannesses and complexities. Other readers, not from the USA, will find the book a very interesting read for similar reasons, though the Australian-centric references might be a very slight barrier for some matters to all but Kiwis. But for citizens of those US of A this book is a wonderful opportunity to understand at least a little why the rest of the world (yes, that's more or less all of it other than the 50 states) would still see Obama as a politician of the centre. Rundle has created in this book a mirror for Americans, one which shows the generosity of spirit and inherent goodness that is so evident when one meets Americans individually, but also one which places US politics and society into an international context, and in this context a key role for Government is to provide core services for citizens, and core services go beyond law and order to include health care, education and even (gasp) information and knowledge. Finally, the energetic writing is a joy to read. A great book, recommended to all. ( )