What, If Any, Will Woodward's Book Have?

Bob Woodward's latest book officially comes out Monday. I am curious what effect, if any, it will have on the mid-terms and the 2012 election. Thoughts?

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opin...ing-Revelations-From-Woodwards-New-Book-5123/

6 Most Startling Revelations From Woodward's New Book
< Previous article By John Hudson | September 22, 2010 9:55am

A new book by famed Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward is driving the morning news with revelations about the Obama administration's handling of the war in Afghanistan. Woodward tears the lid off the Obama White House, exposing a national security team deeply divided and highly skeptical about the future of Afghanistan. The New York Times and The Washington Post were given advance copies of the book, titled Obama's Wars, which arrives in stores Sept. 27. Here are the book's most talked about revelations:

•Obama Is Deeply Skeptical About the War, notes Blake Hounshell at Foreign Policy:
The most explosive revelations... center around the Obama's decision last year to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan but set a controversial July 2011 timeline for beginning to withdraw -- an awkward compromise that Woodward's sources seem eager to portray as very much the president's own. And Bob's got the goods: Obama, who comes across as deeply skeptical about the war and overwhelmingly concerned with finding an "exit strategy" rather than winning, personally dictated a six-page "terms sheet" outlining the conditions under which he was sending the troops... The memo represented Obama's attempt to keep the military from boxing him in and pushing to escalate the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan... Obama told military leaders, "In 2010, we will not be having a conversation about how to do more. I will not want to hear, 'We're doing fine, Mr. President, but we'd be better if we just do more.'

•Secret CIA Operations "The book also reports that a secret 3,000-man paramilitary army of Afghans, created and controlled by the CIA, is conducting operations against al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban strongholds in Pakistan," notes Tom Kavanagh at Politics Daily. "Obama authorized the elite corps as part of a campaign against safe havens in the Afghan war."

•Lots of In-House Fighting, observe Mike Allen and John Harris at Politico:
The Times article recounts several examples, culled from the Woodward book, of mistrust and malice among the Obama team. For example, Vice President Biden reportedly called Richard Holbrooke, the administration’s special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, 'the most egotistical b*stard I’ve ever met.' Gen. David Petraeus, the Afghanistan commander, is said to believe that White House senior adviser David Axelrod is a 'complete spin doctor.' Defense Secretary Robert Gates allegedly warned that Tom Donilon would be a “complete disaster” if promoted to be national security adviser from his current position as deputy.

•The Constant Threat of Terrorist Attacks "Woodward's book portrays Obama and the White House as barraged by warnings about the threat of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and confronted with the difficulty in preventing them" writes Steve Luxenberg at The Washington Post. "During an interview with Woodward in July, the president said, 'We can absorb a terrorist attack. We'll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever . . . we absorbed it and we are stronger.'"

•Karzai's Manic Depression "The book also reports that the United States has intelligence showing that manic-depression has been diagnosed in President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and that he was on medication, but adds no details," writes Peter Baker at The New York Times. "Mr. Karzai’s mood swings have been a challenge for the Obama administration."

•Deep Internal Division, observes Hounshell: "Axelrod apparently asked Obama, 'How could you trust Hillary?' when Clinton was being considered to be secretary of state... Defense Secretary Bob Gates apparently doesn't like Jones's deputy, Tom Donilon, and thinks he would be a "disaster" as national security advisor. Gates was offended by a remark Donilon made about a general who isn't named in the book. Meanwhile, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright don't trust one other -- Cartwright worked closely with Biden on a proposal for a smaller Afghan surge force than was ultimately chosen."

 

Please learn to read more carefully or learn English. I clearly identified Woodward as "Bob" and the "will" is part of the interrogatory.

 

The politically motivated do read this type of book, and Woodward is an icon in the Democratic press. With the mid-terms so close, I am watching the moves and counter-moves by the major parties and, of course, how the tea parties can benefit. Also, there appears to be a growing rift between the Obama and Clinton camps, which might spur her to run in 2012.

 

Yep. I left out the word "Effect," which would be capitalized, CR, as part of a title. Criticism for leaving out a word is quite valid.

 

The book may well turn out to be a total yawer, as you said. However, it may provide some clues as to why Obama has been so ineffectual (than goodness), especially in light of the huge Democratic majorities.

 

Most of those are minor bills, and some were part of the Health Care bill. Health care legislation is his only accomplishment, and that bill may well prove to be his undoing. The "stimulus" bills were, unfortunately, originated by Bush the Younger.