The Promise: President Obama, Year One

BarackObama’sinaugurationaspresidentonJanuary20,2009,inspiredtheworld.Butthegreatpromiseof“ChangeWeCanBelieveIn”wasimmediatelytestedbythethreatofanotherGreatDepression,aworseningwarinAfghanistan,andanentrenchedanddeeplypartisansystemofbusinessasusualinWashington.Despiteallthecoverage,thebackstoryofObama’shistoricfirstyearinofficehasuntilnowremainedamystery.InThePromise:PresidentObama,YearOne,JonathanAlter,oneofthecountry’smostrespectedjournalistsandhistorians,useshisuniqueaccesstotheWhiteHousetoproducethefirstinsidelookatObama’sdifficultdebut.Whathappenedin2009insidetheOvalOffice?Whatworkedandwhatfailed?Whatisthepresidentreallylikeonthejobandoff-hours,usingwhathisbestfriendcalled“aRubik’sCubeinhisbrain?"Thesequestionsareansweredhereforthefirsttime.WeseehowasurprisinglycunningObamatookeffectivechargeinWashingtonseveralweeksbeforehiselection,madetrillion-dollardecisionsonthestimulusandbudgetbeforehewasinaugurated,engineeredcolossallyunpopularbailoutsofthebankingandautosectors,andescalatedatreacherouswarnotlongaftersettlingintooffice.ThePromiseisafast-pacedandincisivenarrativeofayoungrisk-takingpresidentcarvinghisownpathamidsky-highexpectationsandsurgingjoblessness.AlterrevealsthatitwasObamaalone—“feelinglucky”—whoinsistedonpushingmajorhealthcarereformovertheobjectionsofhisvicepresidentandtopadvisors,includinghischiefofstaff,RahmEmanuel,whoadmittedthat“Ibeggedhimnottodothis.”AltertakesthereaderinsidetheroomasObamapreventsafistfightinvolvingacongressman,coldlyreprimandsthemilitarybrassforinsubordination,crashesthekeymeetingattheCopenhagenClimateChangeconference,andbouncesbackafteradisastrousMassachusettselectiontoredeemapromisethathadeludedpresidentssinceFDR.InAlter’stelling,therealObamaisanauthentic,demanding,unsentimental,andsometimesoverconfidentleader.Headaptedtothepresidencywitheaseandputmore“pointsontheboard”thanheisgivencreditfor,butneglectedtousehisleverageoverthebanksandfailedtoconnectwellwithanangrypublic.Weseethefamouslycalmpresidentcursingleaks,playfullytrash-talkinghisadvisors,andjokingabouteventhemosttaboosubjects,stillintentonredeemingmoreofhispromiseastheproblemsmount.Thisbrilliantblendofjournalismandhistoryoffersthefreshestreportingandmostacuteperspectiveonthebiggeststoryofourtime.ItwillshapeimpressionsoftheObamapresidencyandofthemanhimselfforyearstocome.