Yes We (Still) Can
Growing up, my dad used to tell me that pointing a finger at someone else means you’re pointing three fingers at yourself. I don’t know what he would’ve said if my finger of choice had been my middle one, but this book reminded me how unhelpful and unproductive finger-pointing can be.
This book felt like reading a nostalgic middle finger. If you can imagine someone wistfully drinking coffee while resting their chin in their hand, middle finger fully extended in front of their nose, then you’re halfway through this book.
I wanted to open this book and have a conversation with someone involved in a successful White House. And in some ways, I did. This book is full of gems about what Obama did right, both on the campaign trail and in office. He comes across as a genuine person, someone who is/was easy to follow and easy to vote for. The more I read about Obama, the more I find to admire.
In addition to telling us what Obama was like, Pfeiffer also has some fantastic insights on social media’s effect on politics (is it weird that I can barely remember a time before Twitter?). His comparison to political reporting turning into an ESPN-style “SportsCenter” Top 10 is spot on. He also shares a handful of great inside-the-White-House stories, which are always fun.
But as the book went on, the rhetoric grew tough to read through. For example, these are some words used to describe Republicans/Fox News:
“blowhards,” “clowns,” “con men,” “racists,” “as popular as the Ebola virus.”
On the other hand, here are the words used to describe Democrats/Obama:
“truly decent,” “empathetic,” “genuine,” “likeable.”
Even if Pfeiffer is right, I was too busy getting my nose rubbed in his point of view that I couldn’t get a chance to understand it, let alone agree with it. A book should be a conversation. This felt like a lecture.
In the end, I felt like I had stepped into an echo chamber where I didn’t belong and wasn’t welcome.
Favorite Quote:
“Here’s the advice I give everyone about marriage—is she someone you find interesting?” I was initially confused by the question, but I figured he must have a point. “You will spend more time with this person than anyone else for the rest of your life, and there is nothing more important than always wanting to hear what she has to say about things,” Obama continued. “Does she make you laugh? And I don’t know if you want kids, but if you do, do you think she will be a good mom? Life is long. These are the things that really matter over the long term.”