Category Archives: 2012 election

BOOK REVIEW: “Becoming”

Posted on February 10, 2019 by David B. Smith

People who loathe President Obama and his wife Michelle will resentfully skip right past this soaring bestseller. And I get that; most of us don’t go out of our way to digest tell-all books from the other side. But in … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 election, Barack Obama, Elections, Excellence, George W. Bush, Michelle Obama, President Obama, U.S. History, U.S. Presidents, voting | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Book Review: “Thanks, Obama! My Hopey, Changey White House Years”

Posted on March 25, 2018 by David B. Smith

I don’t normally forgive careless profanity, and this book literally starts off with an X-rated bomb in the first sentence. But the rest of it is a funny, often inspirational look at what it was like for a gifted young … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 election, Newtown Shooting, President Obama, Presidents, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Duty” by Bob Gates, Secretary of Defense

Posted on March 15, 2015 by David B. Smith

As a moderately partisan voter, I found it instructive to read Bob Gates’ book, “Duty,” about his service as secretary of defense to presidents of two different parties. Here are my main takeaways. 1) Both Bush and Obama are decent, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 election, Bob Gates, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Military, Secretary of Defense | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Healthy Dose of Ambition

Posted on November 29, 2014 by David B. Smith

This is a readable autobiography describing Sotomayor’s improbable rise to the highest court in the land. Her descriptions of life as an immigrant child are colorful and revealing; this is a briskly-paced tale, interesting to read with a few lagging … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 election, Barack Obama, Books, Civil Rights Movement, Courtroom Drama, First Amendment, Legal system, Politics, SCOTUS, Supreme Court | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

It’s DRAMA Obama

Posted on December 1, 2013 by David B. Smith

“The Center Holds” packs a lot of insight into one volume. Alter is a seasoned journalist who admits his own passions and biases. This election account is essentially told from the Democratic perspective, but he diligently chides Obama for the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 election, Barack Obama, Books, Mitt Romney, Politics, Race, Tea Party, voting | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment