Shadows of hope

The American political system has lost its magic. The vast majority of Americans no longer trust their government and feel helpless before forces which they can neither understand nor control. It is in this context that Sam Smith analyzes Bill Clinton's origins, performance, and frequently confusing and indecisive behavior. Smith sees Clinton as a product of our culture and a symptom of our illness. Everyone who cares about our country should read this iconoclastic and penetrating book. Chapters 1 and 2 deal with the campaign (especially the myths the Clintonites created about themselves and the failings of the press) and Clinton's first year in office (including the failed nominations, communication crises, and the budget debate). A comprehensive third chapter gives the first usable outline of Clintonism, describing the ideology that lies behind the president's contradictory statements, broken promises, mutating policies, and claims to rise above ideology. Chapters 4 and 5 first dissect the Washington system and its immutability and then, with numerous examples, show how the American political culture frequently opposes its own interests. A final chapter offers a new vision of how to bring American politics home, based on community, participatory politics, and a Congress which will more accurately reflect the country's demography and ethnic diversity.