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Books by and about 2020 presidential candidates |
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Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015) |
United,
by Cory Booker (2016) |
The Truths We Hold,
by Kamala Harris (2019) |
Smart on Crime,
by Kamala Harris (2010) |
Guide to Political Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2017) |
Where We Go From Here,
by Bernie Sanders (2018) |
Promise Me, Dad ,
by Joe Biden (2017) |
Conscience of a Conservative,
by Jeff Flake (2017) |
Two Paths,
by Gov. John Kasich (2017) |
Every Other Monday,
by Rep. John Kasich (2010) |
Courage is Contagious,
by John Kasich (1998) |
Shortest Way Home,
by Pete Buttigieg (2019) |
The Book of Joe ,
by Jeff Wilser (2019; biography of Joe Biden) |
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018) |
Our Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2016) |
This Fight Is Our Fight,
by Elizabeth Warren (2017) |
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018) |
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017) |
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Books by and about the 2016 presidential election |
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What Happened ,
by Hillary Clinton (2017) |
Higher Loyalty ,
by James Comey (2018) |
Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016) |
Hard Choices,
by Hillary Clinton (2014) |
Becoming ,
by Michelle Obama (2018) |
Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015) |
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Book Reviews |
(from Amazon.com) |
(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com)
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Core of Conviction
My Story
by Rep. Michele Bachmann
(Click for Amazon book review)
BOOK REVIEW by OnTheIssues.org:
This book is Bachmann's basic autobiography. It's her first autobiography, so it just covers the basics: Her family of origin; how she met her husband; how she entered politics; and an outline of her presidential campaign philosophy.
The book explores several issues that have arisen during the presidential campaign. That's unusual, since most of the presidential candidates came out with their autobiographies prior to the race, or very early in the race. Bachmann's book came out in late November 2011, after a dozen debates, and well after she had won the Iowa Straw Poll in August 2011. Hence Bachmann had the opportunity to address several of the hot issues that her opponents and the press raised:
- Pray the Gay Away: Bachmann's husband Marcus was accused of running, with Michele, a Christian counseling center which "cured" homosexuals. While that is partly true, Marcus is a legitimate therapist with a master's and doctor's degree in psychology. Bachmann cites their business as a counseling center with a Christian theme; the press instead portrayed it as a thinly-veiled evangelical camp.
- Migraines: Bachmann was accused by the press of being potentially unqualified for the presidency because she suffers from migraine headaches. Bachmann admits in this book that she does have regular migraines, for which she takes several medications. She admonishes the press for sexism, since migraines are primarily a woman's condition.
- 23 Foster kids: Bachmann has not released her numerous foster daughters' names (all girls; all teens) on the basis of privacy. She has been criticized for claiming that she "raised" them when she had some for only a few months. Bachmann provides numerous details (pp. 109-10); few will accuse her of anything except overzealousness in Christian duty after this book.
Bachmann describes in detail how she got started in politics (pp. 5-9). Bachmann fans might be surprised to learn that her first successful run for office was in 2000, for Minnesota State Senate (she ran unsuccessfully for School Board in 1999). She won her U.S. Congress seat in 2006,and hence is a relative newcomer only in her third term.
In other words, her political future looks long and bright: she is only 55 (which translates to at least three more possible presidential cycles); and she is one of the founders of the Tea Party movement. Her presidential run establishes Bachmann as one of the permanent leaders of the Tea Party; if they continue to do well, we can expect the same for Bachmann.
-- Jesse Gordon, editor-in-chief, OnTheIssues.org, Dec. 2011
| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)
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Abortion
Jimmy Carter: OpEd: Pro-life to pro-lifers; pro-choice to pro-choichers.
Michele Bachmann: Supreme Court justified abortion out of thin air.
Michele Bachmann: Committed to pro-life upon hearing Roe v. Wade at age 16.
Michele Bachmann: Actively pro-life pro-Carter Democrat in 1970s.
Michele Bachmann: Woman's Right to Know Act: 24 hours info before abortion.
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Budget & Economy
John Boehner: TARP is a "crap sandwich" but vote for it anyway.
Michele Bachmann: No TARP: Uncle Sam should be lender of last resort.
Michele Bachmann: Dodd-Frank Wall St. Reform is just another lobbyist mosh pit.
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Civil Rights
Michele Bachmann: Fight the faddish fog of feminism.
Michele Bachmann: How dare a court force same-sex morality on the people.
Michele Bachmann: MN needs constitutional amendment on marriage, despite DOMA.
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Corporations
Michele Bachmann: 1995 Bachmann & Associates: Christian counseling services.
Michele Bachmann: Automaker bailout cost $14.3B to illegally break contracts.
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Drugs
Michele Bachmann: High school: didn't drink; didn't smoke; didn't do drugs.
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Education
John Boehner: 2002: Pushed through No Child Left Behind with Ted Kennedy.
Michele Bachmann: Kids need rigorous academics, not secular values.
Michele Bachmann: Charters are creative & constructive step in right direction.
Michele Bachmann: Founded New Heights Charter School: rigorous, not religious.
Michele Bachmann: Abolishing the Department of Education is a good idea.
Michele Bachmann: No Child Left Behind imposes 50 new state mandates.
Ronald Reagan: 1980 platform plank: abolishing Department of Education.
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Energy & Oil
Michele Bachmann: Turn down thermostat & build synfuel plants.
Michele Bachmann: Tap the natural abundance of Alaska and the lower 48.
Michele Bachmann: Climate science is unknowable, and riddled with corruption.
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Families & Children
Michele Bachmann: Foster care provider for girls with eating disorders.
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Foreign Policy
Michele Bachmann: Don't force Israel back to indefensible 1967 borders.
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Free Trade
Michele Bachmann: Free enterprise & free markets can be summed up: "Freedom".
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Government Reform
Ronald Reagan: Big enough to give everything means they can take it away.
Tea Party: Tea Party supports G.O.P.: Government Of the People.
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Health Care
Michele Bachmann: Universal healthcare is euphemism for government takeover.
Michele Bachmann: One shot at ObamaCare; after 2012, it metastasizes.
Michele Bachmann: Insurance mandate profoundly violates Constitution.
Michele Bachmann: ObamaCare is bad policy; bad economics; and immoral.
Tea Party: OpEd: Tea Party came from angry "No to ObamaCare!".
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Homeland Security
Michele Bachmann: 1970s: Missile defense made obvious sense to replace MAD.
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Jobs
Michele Bachmann: NRLB shouldn't stop Boeing's factory in right-to-work state.
Nikki Haley: NLRB vs. Boeing is "direct attack on what America is".
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Principles & Values
Michele Bachmann: 1970: Parents divorced & family stability was gone.
Michele Bachmann: Accidental politician: ran for State Senate at Convention.
Michele Bachmann: As teen, volunteered on Israeli kibbutz.
Michele Bachmann: 1976: Met husband at mutual job at Elementary School.
Michele Bachmann: Rejects dismissiveness of American institutions & history.
Michele Bachmann: Switched party in 1970s; Democratic Party left us.
Michele Bachmann: Migraines as campaign issue is foes playing gender card.
Michele Bachmann: Members of Congress swear to uphold Founding principles.
Michele Bachmann: Economic AND social AND foreign policy conservative.
Ronald Reagan: Conservatism of bright colors, not pale pastels.
Sarah Palin: Mayor is like community organizer but actually responsible.
Tea Party: Tea Partiers are Constitutional Conservatives.
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Social Security
Michele Bachmann: Young should invest retirement money, not give it to gov't.
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Tax Reform
Michele Bachmann: Took job with IRS: Know the enemy.
Michele Bachmann: Complexity of tax code almost always favors the IRS.
Tea Party: T.E.A.: Taxed Enough Already.
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War & Peace
Ronald Reagan: 1984: Laid to rest Unknown Soldier of Vietnam War.
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Welfare & Poverty
Michele Bachmann: Government subsidizes idleness, dependency, and delinquency.
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The above quotations are from Core of Conviction
My Story
by Rep. Michele Bachmann.
Autobiographies for 2012 GOP primary candidates:
- No Apology, by Gov. Mitt Romney, Mar 2, 2010
- Real Change, by Speaker Newt Gingrich, Dec 18, 2007
Biographies:
- CEO of SELF, by Herman Cain, 2001
- Joe Biden: A Life of Trial and Redemption, by Jules Witcover, 2010
- Rick Santorum: A Senator Speaks Out on Life, Freedom, and Responsibility, 2005
- Michele Bachmann: Why She Will Win, by Ron Paul Jones, 2011
- A Mormon in the White House? 10 Things Every American Should Know about Mitt Romney, by Hugh Hewitt
- Mitt Romney: The Man, His Values and His Vision, by Lisa Ray Turner and Kimberly Field
- Deliver Us from Evil, by Sean Hannity
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Policy books:
- Confidence Men, by Ron Suskind, 2011
- Core of Conviction, by Rep. Michele Bachmann, 2011
- It Takes a Family, by Sen. Rick Santorum, 2005
- On My Honor, by Gov. Rick Perry, 2008
- End The Fed, by Rep. Ron Paul, Sep 16, 2009
- Gold, Peace, and Prosperity: The Birth of a New Currency, by Ron Paul, 2007
- My Journey to the White House, by Herman Cain, 2011
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Page last edited: Dec 16, 2018
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