Welcome to Litsy!

Really good. Fascinating glimpse into the relationship between presidents and the person one step behind as well as the mechanics of the institution. Really worth a look.

Can confirm, Pence walked through the Rotunda when I visited Capitol Hill, but he didn‘t want a photo with me. I wonder why not? Why wouldn‘t a woman on her own with short hair and dungarees get picked for a photo op with the VP? 😂🤣

Author: the Vice Presidents don‘t want to talk to me about Pence because it would get him in trouble with Trump and the President is unstable.
One paragraph later: extensive quote from Joe Biden about Pence calling him for advice and how he (Biden) tells worried foreign leaders who talk to him to call Pence because Trump has no experience in foreign policy.

This isn‘t your typical “political #nonfiction” of today‘s America. It is more a multi-person biography/memoir of the men who have been a heartbeat away from the presidency.

The book stretches back to Truman‘s relationship with FDR, but the most attention is paid to Cheney, Biden, and Pence. The author spoke to each of the living VPs, and the writing is simply fascinating! Narration is OK to good.

#summersendreadathon 2/10
#24b4monday
#audiobook

Still enjoying the same three books I was at 7 AM...just further along!

I‘m enjoying the tagged books so much, I‘m considering picking up her book on First Ladies.

I‘m (happily) surprised to be enjoying the Groff, despite the fact I haven‘t enjoyed any of her novels!

I‘m hoping to finish at least one before bed.

#summersendreadathon
#24b4monday

Early on in the administration, Obama had a lunch with the emir of Kuwait that was stilted and uncomfortable. Then the emir met with Biden, who talked about his grandkids, and at the end the emir was beaming. Biden likes the human give-and-take, while Obama, West Wing staffers say, is probably the least needy person and as a result he does not really understand that most other human beings are essentially needy.

Gore sprinkled so many facts into his remarks and in debate prep that Clinton adviser James Carville offered some unsolicited advice: "One fact! One message! One theme! Say it three times!"

I'm surprised it wasn't more than that.

(Continued)...McCain."

Dan Quayle. Notice how it's always Republicans who have such a tough time answering this question.

Once they were seated, Axelrod delivered some blunt criticism. "Obviously, Senator Obama is really interested in you. The one big concern is that we have to work in concert, and frankly the whole loquaciousness thing can be an issue." Biden nodded and proceeded to launch into "a two-hour oration," Axelrod said with a laugh.

This seems fair, considering that under a normal presidency, the VP doesn't have nearly as many responsibilities. I say "under a normal presidency" because Trump doesn't appear to have any responsibilities other than tweet and play golf.

First of all, it's insane that the person who is a heartbeat away from the presidency isn't subjected to a background check. And it all makes sense now as to why the National Embarrassment was floating Michael Flynn as a potential VP pick; he didn‘t want the FBI to investigate him and discover his ties to Russia!

This was a fun pop history book about the role of the vice president. The first half focuses on different aspects of the vice presidency, and then the second consists of a chapter on the relationship between each president and VP (from Eisenhower/Nixon to present day). There was some repetition because of this format, but it is very readable with several interesting tidbits that were new to me. #nonfiction2018

I'm really enjoying this pop history book about vice presidents in modern U.S. history. Most of them had a kind of miserable time (not Joe Biden!) because they had no real power and just had to wait around to possibly be needed.

A funny tidbit was that Nancy Reagan didn't like Barbara Bush. When an unflattering biography of Nancy Reagan came out, Barbara rushed to read it, but she hid the book in a different dust jacket so no one would know.

I love receiving the shiny new library books! Freshly processed and placed into my hands today.