Chapters 8-10, Clark Kent, Ground Zero, Valerie v. Rahm Summary and Analysis

Chapter 8 opens with a contrast between Reagan and Obama, both of whom inherited troubles in finance. But Reagan had the sense to focus on the economy, whereas Obama turned to healthcare. And Obama's organization of his own political meetings further illustrates that he is primarily interested in policy issues as reflected by his progressive ideology. But he could not bring those aims to fruition, as prior to the presidency he had not run anything at all. Many liberals thought Obama would be able to make up his executive deficiencies with rhetoric, but in office Obama proved to be a poor communicator.

Now Klein admits that other presidents have come to the presidency as amateurs, such as JFK, as illustrated by the Bay of Pigs. But...