Why is Hillary Clinton not the first woman President?
Many people, political types, historians and sociologists will consider that question for many years to come. But besides Hillary Clinton herself, the people who surely must think about it most are the ones who worked with her for years and during the campaign.
Jennifer Palmieri is one of them.
You may know: Palmieri was Director of Communications for Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Previously she served as President Obama’s White House Director of Communications, National Press Secretary for the 2004 John Edwards presidential campaign and for the Democratic National Committee in 2002. She also was Deputy White House Press Secretary under Bill Clinton.
That’s quite a history in politics, but Jennifer hasn’t written a strictly political book. Instead she’s written – based on the campaign, certainly – a compelling and important reflection on the future. And it’s excellent.
The book is “Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World,” and it’s already a New York Times best-seller. Palmieri wrote it in the form of a letter – addressed to the future first woman President, whoever she may be.
Palmieri considers it all – history, gender bias, campaign mistakes, Donald Trump – and offers advice to the girls and women who, as she puts it, will run the world.
Why is this book breaking through? There’s no bitterness. More importantly, it’s incredibly reflective. Palmieri writes not only about political life, but also what she’s learned through death – specifically, her sister Dana and her friend and wife of her former boss, Elizabeth Edwards.
In a time of #MeToo and even #EnoughisEnough, the result is a really thoughtful story that captures our times and provides clear insights about the future.
Dan Drezner: Foreign Policy for Campaigns is Like an Unexploded Landmine
Jim Messina: "It Was Always Going to be Close"
Maureen Dowd: "This is Pure Madness"
Robert Costa: Reporting on a 'Wild and Weird' Election
Stuart Stevens: A Neutron Bomb Has Gone Off in the Republican Party
Jim Lehrer: There's Never Been One Like This
Taegan Goddard: Is This Clinton's Election to Lose?
John Dickerson: Have We Really Never Seen a Presidential Election Like This One?
Van Jones: When the Temperature Gets Too Hot
Josh King: An Advance Man’s Look at the 2016 Campaign
Charlie Cook: This Has Been the Wildest Year
Taegan Goddard: The Outcomes Look Bleak for Republicans
Rick Shenkman: What Your Brain Really Thinks About Donald Trump
Mark Blumenthal: What Do Americans Really Think About Politics?
Taegan Goddard: The Party No Longer Decides
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore
David King, Harvard Kennedy School
Larry Sabato, Center for Politics at the University of Virginia
Charlie Cook, The Cook Political Report
Stan Greenberg, Democratic pollster
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