Inside the White House

By: Ronald Kessler

Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach

"If the general public knew what was going on inside the White House, they would scream." So states one Secret Service agent, just a small link in the chain of security that has guarded the public image of the presidency and the men who define it - until now.

With unprecedented access to Secret Service agents, domestic servants, Air Force One stewards, and military aides, journalist Ronald Kessler has gone behind the scenes to uncover the inside story of the White House.

From the hidden lives of the last seven presidents and first families to the intricate inner workings of this all-powerful institution, Kessler peels away the White House facade to reveal the fascinating and often scandalous reality behind the stately illusion. Exposing presidential misconduct, blunders, and cover-ups, this fascinating examination ensures that Americans will never view their chief executives the same way again.

©1995 Ronald Kessler (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

The truth is often not pretty

An excellent discourse on the flaws in our system. Would love to see this extended to cover the Obama, Trump, and Biden White House. How is it possible that we put such flawed individuals in our nations highest office?

“America needs a president that acts presidential.”

In 2020 that statement sounds century’s old. I do love this book. It’s a revisit to the days of common sense, norms,. Plain normality.

should have been titled "inside a white house"

the author focused most of the book on Clinton. I wish he would have focused a little more on the other presidents as well.

great start but then not so good finish

Felt it started out strong put finished by planting the power of the president over its staff

Too much Clinton Bashing

I enjoyed the first half of the book that talked about multiple presidents in the White House. The second half of the book is all Clinton bashing which makes you question the writer’s agenda and detracts from the first half of the book.

Out-dated and biased

Partially my fault for not looking deeper into the published date - the audio version is from 2017 and I thought the book was as well. The first half has some interesting anecdotes. Then it becomes a weird rage analysis against Clinton.

Politically slanted, but interesting.

The author definitely has some conservative tendencies. He really had it out and had a lot of negative things to say especially about Carter and Clinton. I was thinking this book was a little bit more recent; I didn’t realize it ended mid-Clinton presidency. I would be very interested to hear the author’s thoughts on presidents since Clinton.

All that said, the behind the scenes stories are interesting for all the presents included in this book. (Although I am willing to bet that some are exaggerated.)

Interesting subject matter & stories.

I found this book really interesting and felt the author clearly pointed out, without disregard to individuals, party, etc., how President’s, their wife, staff, government leaders, etc., are just like the rest of us. Without rehashing examples, it’s basically “the same circus, different clowns.”

Fantastic

This book is so entertaining and well researched! The Bush chapter is a little weak, but otherwise, this book is masterful. It is both informative and a blast to listen to!

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This was a great behind the scenes look at the good and bad habits of the Presidents and their families as written by the staff who worked for them. Covered POTUS Nixon through Clinton. Thesis is that the White House environment is toxic and even the most sane man goes nuts in there! And, he's governing the country. Author spent about a third of the book rehashing Clinton's defugalties. I mostly enjoyed the reveals and the read.