Barack Obama's "improbable quest" has become a fact of American life and a benchmark in American history. Striving now toward "a more perfect union," Obama and the nation confront obstacles unforeseen at the outset of the 2008 electoral campaign. John K. Wilson tracks the sweep of this progress from the beginning of Obama's political career through his move into the White House. With his critical journalistic eye and his sympathetic "native son" perspective, Wilson shows us a side of Obama we haven't seen as well as a view of the media we need to understand-even more now as the Obama administration begins to govern. The paperback edition of this popular book includes a new introduction, updates throughout, and two new chapters on the electoral victory and the transition from campaigning into governing. New photos and new insights include a focus on the continued importance of race in American politics.
Biography
John K. Wilson is the author o f Patriotic Correctness: Academic Freedom and Its Enemies (Paradigm Publishers 2008); N ew t Gingrich: Capitol Crimes and Misdemeanors (Common Courage Press 1996); and The Myth of Political Correctness: The Conservative Attack on Higher Education (Duke University Press 1995), among several other titles. A former student of Barack Obama at the University of Chicago, Wilson is an Illinois native who currently lives in Chicago and has watched Obama rise from state senator to U.S. senator to president of the United States. Wilson has discussed his work in major media forums including CSPAN, the O'Reilly Factory and the Huffington Post. Visit his website and blog at www.obamapolitics.com.
“To all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright—
tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not
from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring
power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America—that America can change.
Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved
gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”
—Barack Obama
Celebrating his presidential victory in Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois, November 4, 2008
“Essential reading for anyone wishing to try to make more sense of contemporary
American presidential politics and social policy. Highly recommended.”
—Stephen K. Shaw in Library Journal
“A thoughtful look at what Obama’s candidacy means.”
—Booklist
