Book summary

In this early salvo in the next national campaign, political strategists of the 1990s James Carville and Paul Begala apply their expertise to the great challenge of reinventing or reinvigorating the Democratic Party and stopping the Republican juggernaut that controls all three branches of government. Like football coaches in the team locker room at half-time, Carville and Begala provide motivation and a game plan: stop losing ground by following the lead of the White House in the war on terror; avoid the trap-issues such as abortion and gay rights; attack, instead, on quality-of-life issues that matter to the people, such as jobs, taxes, energy, and environment. Taking a page from the Rove handbook of political strategy, they identify issue by issue and region by region where Democrats have to score points, and they offer a well-researched book of Republican sins. According to Begala and Carville, the Democrats should stop being weenies and get out there and win.

Media reviews

"After several long chapters...Carville and Bagala uncork a delightful chapter called 'The Meeting.' It is compiled, they assure us, from actual comments heard at actual Democratic strategy meetings. I want to believe them because the chapter is worth the price of the book."