SOURCE: Janos, Leo. “A Speech Writer's Revenge.” New Leader 69, no. 4 (24 February 1986): 16-17.

In the following review, Janos praises Buckley's insider knowledge and comic perceptions in The White House Mess.

In the dark years of the late 1960s, when Vietnam, civil rights protests and a rebellious youth were tearing the nation asunder, I worked in a small bare office on the first floor of the Executive Office Building with a splendid view of the White House front lawn. I used a Royal standard to tap out drafts of speeches, letters, proposals, and statements on behalf of a certain tall Texan with large ears.

Twelve of us were spread around that building; Lyndon called us “damnwriters” (as in, “Get one of those damnwriters to fix this up”). Oh, he loved us. Once he placed a conference call to his dozen faithful scribes at 6:30 A.M., rousing us from fitful sleep...