The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to Be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Rev

[RamboLiberal]

Listed as release date of May 8, 2007

From Amazon.com

“In this remarkably reported and beautifully written book, Naftali Bendavid provides a vivid, no-holds-barred account of how one man—through force of willpower, drive, and vision—led Democrats to respect and power in Washington after years of Republican dominance. With unprecedented access, Bendavid puts you inside the room and on the campaign trail with Rahm Emanuel, the fiery leader of the Democratic effort, as he cajoles and curses his way to an improbable sweep of the House in 2006. This is a gripping story, tautly told, of a pivotal election that dramatically changed the power structure in the nation's capital and put significant limits on President Bush's agenda.”
—Jan Crawford Greenburg, legal correspondent, ABC News, and author of Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court

“Naftali Bendavid got amazing access for a political reporter, and in The Thumpin’ he puts it to effective use. His book provides a revealing look at how modern political campaigns are actually run. His portrait of Rahm Emanuel—warts and all—is insightful and often entertaining.” —Michael Isikoff, author of Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War



Book Description

In the 2006 midterm elections, the Democratic party ended twelve years of electoral humiliation by seizing back Congress and putting an end to Republican rule. The Thumpin’ is the story of that historic victory and the man at the center on whom Democratic hopes hinged: Congressman Rahm Emanuel, head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

Chicago Tribune reporter Naftali Bendavid had exclusive access to Emanuel and the DCCC in the year and a half leading up to the elections and ended up with the story of a lifetime, the thrilling blow-by-blow account of how Emanuel remade the campaign in his own ferocious image. Responsible for everything from handpicking Congressional candidates to raising money for attack ads, Emanuel, a talented ballet dancer better known in Washington for his extraordinary intensity and his inexhaustible torrents of profanity, threw out the playbook on the way Democrats run elections.

Instead of rallying the base, Rahm sought moderate-to-conservative candidates who could attract more traditional voters. Instead of getting caught in the Democrats’ endless arguments about their positions, he went on the attack, personally vilifying Republicans from Tom DeLay to Christopher Shays. And instead of abiding by the gentlemen’s agreements of good-old-boy Washington, he broke them, attacking his counterpart in the Republican party and challenging Howard Dean, the chairman of his own party.

[MADem]

1. Got a link? nt

[RamboLiberal]

2. Just check Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble

for description of book. I mentioned info I posted was from Amazon.com - I don't post Amazon.com links cause they have my account info in the link.

[wake.up.america]

3. I am going to order this book because it reveals a lot of the American psyche

[MADem]

7. I was interested in reader reviews. You just sign out to get a link without your info in it,,,,

http://www.amazon.com/Thumpin-Democrats-Ruthless-Republican-Revolution/dp/0385523289/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9495940-8620047?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176025222&sr=8-1

[Demeter]

4. I Rather Think Howard Dean Had More to Do With It Than Rahm

Just based on whose candidates succeeded to office.....

but don't let facts get in the way of a good story.

[LaPera]

5. You are 100% correct!

[librechik]

6. erm yeah! Hold my hair while I

:puke:

over how "one man" (Rahm Emanuel!!????) singlehandedly won 2006 for the Dems. Just forget about the lousy war president and the outraged populace itching to kick his ass off the planet. Oh, and a unifying strategy with a competent Dem leader--The Doctor.But he didn't do it on his own, that was the whole idea

Thanks Rahm! For squabbling with leadership and muddying the waters! Oh and forwarding more of that stupid savior on a horse crap, and "ruthlessly" hewing to the DLC agenda.

[acmavm]

11. That's what I was thinking. Howard Dean had to deal with the DLC and

its losing tactics the entire 2004 campaign season. His strategy (the 50-states strategy) of dealing with this election was contrary to the way the DLC wanted to run things. And Howard's 'in your face' fight to bring out what a corrupt bunch of slugs and thugs the republican party membership is made of was totally opposite of what the DLC wanted the election to be run.

We'd have lost, and we'd have lost big time, without Howard Dean.

Rahm Emmanuel is a joke.

[mahina]

8. Ralp und sputen, erbrechend

:puke:

[xchrom]

9. THE THUMPIN -- how howard dean and the fifty state strategy

brought the democratic party back to the people.

[RamboLiberal]

12. I agree - not enough credit given to Dean

and way too much to Rahm. I'm sick of the DLC fighting Dean and the DNC and I'm glad the coup after the election fell flat on its face. And while I love most of our new Dem congress a few of these moderates IMHO am or will bite us in the butt.

[w4rma]

10. You've got to be kidding. The majority of Rahm's "handpicked" "moderates" lost.

They either lost to progressives who went on to win in the general or they lost in the general to the Republican.