- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (24 Sep 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0743224221
- ISBN-13: 978-0743224222
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 13.7 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 107,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Buck Up, Suck Up . . . and Come Back When You Foul Up
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Tom Peters author of "In Search of Excelllence" Carville asked me to blurb this book. He doesn't know me from Adam. He kissed my ass. I read the manuscript. (I planned to skim it -- I ended up inhaling every word and missing a few Sunday NFL games.) I love this book. I'm going to buy fifty copies -- at retail -- and send 'em all to my CEO friends. There's real wisdom here -- 1,000 miles from the usual self-help crap. Does it fit the business world? 100 percent. After all, every world is eventually about getting tough stuff done -- that is, hardball politics. Bravo!
Product Description
The political strategists who directed the
Clinton campaign's War Room
reveal the lessons and secrets from
their hard-fought battles -- and how to
use these highly effective
strategies for success in everyday life.
Clinton campaign's War Room
reveal the lessons and secrets from
their hard-fought battles -- and how to
use these highly effective
strategies for success in everyday life.
James Carville and Paul Begala have waged political war all across America and on three continents. They've won some of the most spectacular political victories of the twentieth century and lost a few campaigns too. Along the way, they've learned a few lessons. Some sound simple, like "Never Quit," some comic, like "Kiss Ass," and some are more complicated and nuanced, like "Strategy Ain't Tactics." But each lesson contains tried-and-true wisdom, illustrated with colorful stories from long political experience -- many never told before:
Find out how Carville's mother, Miz Nippy, used a bass boat to "frame the debate" in selling encyclopedias. Discover what success secret Hillary Rodham Clinton and Tom DeLay share. Learn the War Room tricks for sharpening your message and delivering the perfect sound bite. And much more.
Whether you are a senior executive or a secretary, a political junkie or the president of the United States, the rules to live by can be found in "Buck Up, Suck Up...and Come Back When You Foul Up."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
THE successful politicians we've worked for and the successful leaders we've studied are a varied lot. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE successful politicians we've worked for and the successful leaders we've studied are a varied lot. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Judging from this book I'm sure campaigning is never dull with these guys around. Maybe there's a few too many smarts remarks for my liking, and maybe they don't present you with a gigantic break through in political or media science. But behind all the wise cracks you actually find some good advice if you're planning a high profile career - especially in politics. Allthough based on American experiences the basic rules laid out by Carville and Begala are highly applicable to the European scene - mainly because the two consultants are the key inspiration for European political campaigning.
If you're already a spin doctor - the advice given will not surprise you (well, maybe part of it will). But if you're new to the game this is an easy to read introduction and a must read for all aspiring political leaders!
If you're already a spin doctor - the advice given will not surprise you (well, maybe part of it will). But if you're new to the game this is an easy to read introduction and a must read for all aspiring political leaders!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Politics is a grass roots, slug-it-out fight with a winner and a loser and no prizes for second place. Every step is a battle because so much is at stake. Authors and veteran political consultants James Carville and Paul Begala, who were notably pivotal on the Clinton campaigns, cleverly explain what makes a winning campaign work and what gets a politician elected. They also present the flip side and honestly explain why campaigns, including some of theirs, fail. The account is made richer by their knowledge of memorable historic elections, their references to using campaign concepts in business management and a few good recipes. Conversational, loose, opinionated and frank, this book is entertaining and instructive, with clear explanations of carefully distilled ideas and plenty of insider war stories. The authors may harbor some warmth for the Democrats, but that doesn't tame them as they skewer and critique both parties. We recommend this book to executives and professionals as a fun, extended metaphor on winning that includes some practical rules and sharp storytelling.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Caution: This book features lots of coarse language. If that sort of thing offends you, skip this book.
The two Democratic strategists combine to describe the key elements of how they feel that political candidates (whether Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals) can win elections, and successfully pursue their agendas in office.
The general advice is to take the offense, and stay on it, even when on defense.
Let me paraphrase the key points into a shorter list to make the concepts more understandable:
1. If you keep trying your hardest to get elected, someday you will succeed. Abraham Lincoln is the prime example.
2. Honestly seek out allies when you need them to get elected. John F. Kennedy taking on Lyndon Johnson as his vice presidential candidate is the main example.
3. Attack your strongest candidate in the general election constantly above the belt. Attack first, attack hardest, and counter-attack first. The first Clinton presidential campaign is the main example.
4. Pick the issue where the strongest general election opponent is most vulnerable, and don't let go! "It's the economy, stupid!"
5. Tell your story unceasingly in a brief, emotional, unique, and relevant way. "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
6. Be quick to lead with your mistakes, weaknesses, and flaws by realizing that people want to hear it from you first. They will find out anyway, and you can gain credibility and trust this way.
7. Once you are in office, use your political capital wisely where it will make a difference. Build on success!
I suspect that most of these points are not new to you. Why read the book, then? Actually, it's main appeal is in the self-deprecating humor the authors use in describing how determined people on both side of the political spectrum verbally wrestle for power. If you are a Republican or a conservative, you probably won't enjoy the book because there's lots of positive things said about the Democratic candidates the authors have assisted. The book also refers to Republicans, especially President Reagan, but much less intensively.
As examples of the humor, Mr. Carville tells how his mother used to sell encyclopedias to help support the family by looking for men with lots of kids and a bass boat, the book has chicken salad and French toast recipes, and the authors tell about their own personal awkward moments in campaigns.
Will you read about the political issues surrounding the most famous White House intern? Oh, yes. Perhaps more than you want to.
Why should you want to be in office? I suggest that you have a pretty good reason . . . or you won't want to live like this.
The authors leave it up to you as to whether the book applies to other fields. The section on Rule 7: Know How to Communicate was the only section that I thought provided any insights that you might not know already. But that section is quite well done, with vivid examples.
If you are like me, your biggest take-away from this book is how effective open, self-deprecating humor is.
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