I don’t know if the folks at Occupy Wall Street have read Confidence Men by Ron Suskind, but it might be the motivation for a lot of folks to show up in New York with pitchforks.
Of course the author didn’t mean for it to turn out that way. The focus is actually on President Obama and the early stages of his Presidency. Suskind has written a detailed and well researched look at that critical time when the economy seemed to be crashing and America empowered a new administration to address it.
The book exposes all the strengths and weaknesses of President Obama as it also tracks the infighting within the White House. Suskind approaches the era from a progressive viewpoint, implying that a health care bill is a good thing and that regulation of investment banks is a necessity. So progressives will find things that they really like — an eloquent writer who makes a strong case for significant reform. Thus my thought that it may have inspired those Occupy Wall Street folks.
But conservatives will also find things they love. That’s because Obama’s weaknesses are laid bare, giving them plenty of ammunition to say, “I told you so.” Those who said he was too young and too inexperienced will find gold in this book. Even cynical Democrats — those who believe their party can never get it right — will find vindication in the stories of White House dysfunction.
The book makes clear that it didn’t take long for Wall Street to realize they could manipulate the system. The White House economic team comes across as all Wall Street insiders who silence the voices of reform. Obama comes across as a leader afraid to challenge the incestuous relationship between Wall Street and Washington DC. All of which, again, leads to those folks protesting in New York.
It’s actually a depressing book in some ways. No matter your political viewpoint, the country needed strong leadership during the worst economic crisis in a lifetime; this book says we didn’t get that.
But here’s the thing … is the book true? I think it mostly is, but I also think the author shades everything toward his main thesis (i.e. Obama missed a great opportunity to transform the system). And I believe that the author wants to sell books, so even the smallest White House mistake is magnified. I read the book with a grain of skepticism because this is true for all political writers.
I’m also less negative about Obama’s future than the author. Obama learned a lot in the first two years of his Presidency and will make some changes that make him a better leader (which some will consider a good thing, some will consider a threat). It might be too late for him to be a great President that leads the country through a transformational moment, but then that’s arguably not what America wanted anyway.
One perspective to keep in mind is that we’re still too close to the recent economic meltdown to fully understand how historians will see it. Eventually this book is going to be a great resource because it is filled with so many quotes. I’m actually amazed so many people talked to Suskind the way they did! Their transparency will be invaluable as future historians piece together the story of Obama.
I’ve said this too often lately, but this is another “must read” book. Well written, thoroughly researched, and fascinating. Now go get a pitchfork.
