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The cover of What It Takes

What It Takes

Richard Ben Cramer

What makes a person want to be President badly enough to endure a campaign, and what does the race do to them?

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At a glance

Author
Richard Ben Cramer

Why read it

  • You will understand what drives people to seek the highest office, and what it costs them and their families
  • You will see how friendships, family and personal habits shape a political career
  • You will learn how much planning goes into one public appearance meant to build an image

Who it is for

  • A reader of politics who wants characters, not policy papers
  • Someone considering a run for any office
  • A campaign volunteer curious how a race looks from the top

Contents

  1. Author’s Note
  2. BOOK I
  3. 1 The Price of Being Poppy
  4. 2 The Other Thing
  5. 3 Flyin’ Around
  6. 4 1944
  7. 5 1945
  8. 6 To Know
  9. 7 1947
  10. 8 1948
  11. 9 God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
  12. BOOK II
  13. 10 Right from the Start
  14. 11 Don’t Tell Michael
  15. 12 Stelian
  16. 13 1951
  17. 14 The Diddybop Bostons
  18. 15 1952
  19. 16 1953
  20. 17 The Night of the Bronco
  21. 18 They Expect to Be Cold
  22. 19 1954
  23. 20 1955
  24. 21 Like They Always Did
  25. 22 Gary and Oletha
  26. 23 Family Values
  27. 24 1960
  28. 25 The Tinsel and the Tree
  29. 26 The Steaming Bouillabaisse
  30. 27 1961
  31. 28 No Choice, Mike
  32. 29 1964
  33. 30 1965
  34. 31 Saturday Night
  35. 32 Bill and Gary and Lynn and Donna
  36. 33 Saturday Night II
  37. 34 Sunday
  38. 35 Monday
  39. 36 Tuesday
  40. 37 Wednesday
  41. BOOK III
  42. 38 Pukin’ in the Basket
  43. 39 Excessive Consultitis
  44. 40 Leadership!
  45. 41 The River of Power
  46. 42 Error-Free Ball
  47. 43 The Age of Dukakis
  48. 44 Their Kinda Guy
  49. 45 Shit Happens
  50. 46 There’s This Couple in Bed ...
  51. 47 A Platform upon Which to Stand
  52. 48 Six-Seven-One
  53. 49 The Secret Weapon
  54. 50 The Badge of the Big Gee
  55. 51 A Weanling Woodlouse
  56. 52 White Men at Play
  57. 53 Into the Death-Star
  58. 54 1968
  59. 55 1970
  60. 56 1972

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