There have been a lot of scandals among politicians lately and a lot of books with the “inside scoop”. Most of them have been sexual scandals (the stuff that sells) but they do give one some insight about election campaigns and the type of person who runs for office and how it changes them to run or govern. Reading a few of them has made me realize that election reform is a must!
The latest one is: The Politician : an Insider’s Account of John Edwards’s Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal that brought him Down by Andrew Young, who was a staffer for several Edwards’ campaigns. The wives of the politicians also have rushed to tell their stories such as Elizabeth Edwards’ Resilience and Jenny Sanford Staying True. Sanford is the wife of the governor of South Carolina and before you are put off by the title, she is referring to staying true to her own values during a life changing crisis. James McGreevey, the former governor of New Jersey wrote The Confession and his former wife also about his short unhappy term. He stressed that he learned how to run for office but had no idea how to govern once he got the job. You can make up your own mind as to whether he was really as naive as he alleges.
Whatever are we going to do to stop New York from being the most corrupt and inept state in the nation?
Phyllis Rogan, Reference Librarian
Steele Memorial Library