Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power | 
 enlarge | Authors: John Harwood, Gerald F. Seib
Publisher: Random House
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
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Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 17209
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6 x 1.2
ISBN: 1400065542
Dewey Decimal Number: 320.9730922
EAN: 9781400065547
ASIN: 1400065542
Publication Date: May 13, 2008
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Condition: CHARITY SALE!! Brand new, mint condition. 100% of the proceeds benefits the literacy efforts of Books for America.
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Product Description
Prizewinning journalists John Harwood and Gerald F. Seib show how today’s Washington power game really works, through stories of people who are making a difference on Pennsylvania Avenue, America’s power street. These new power brokers, some of whom are rarely seen and are largley unknown, have figured out how to make their voices heard, and how to get things done, amid the complexities of today’s gridlocked Washington. With unprecedented access to Washington insiders, and with deep insight into the unspoken rules of the road in the capital, Harwood and Seib explain why progress is so difficult and illuminate what it takes to succeed in the high stakes game of politics.
Pennsylvania Avenue, the 1.2-mile stretch between the White House and the Capitol, is where the influential and ambitious congregate. Through stories of party strategists, money men, policy-makers, fixers, socialites, lobbyists, spinners, deal-makers, and more, Harwood and Seib explore the great political transformations that have altered in a fundamental way the relationship between Americans and their government. A new class of politician and radically different ways of conducting business now exist in Washington. Harwood and Seib showcase such master players as Ken Duberstein (the Fixer), a onetime aide to President Ronald Reagan turned superlobbyist, whose contacts and insider knowledge help clients sidestep Avenue jam-ups; Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein (the Businessman), a new breed of power broker who pioneered the age of “big money” in Washington; Rahm Emanuel
(the Democratic Strategist), whose aggressive fundraising and crisis-room campaign enabled the Democrats to retake Congress in 2006; Debbie Wasserman Schultz (the Rising Star), a first-term Democratic representative from Florida whose meteoric ascent in the House has earned her influential allies as well as critics; Hilary Rosen (the Advocate), a former entertainment industry lobbyist who skillfully reframed the debate about same-sex marriage; and more.
Inspiring and wonderfully written, Pennsylvania Avenue takes us inside America’s center of influence to show how our government really functions, and the insiders who make things happen.
"Through a series of sharp vignettes and character sketches, the authors of "Pennsylvania Avenue," John Harwood and Gerald F. Seib, take the reader behind some of the more imposing facades along the refurbished road, introducing the famous and not-so-famous, and explaining how business gets done in the new Washington. Though they accept the common view that the old rules have changed, their analysis is fresh and stimulating."
--The New York Times
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Excellent Book August 17, 2008
Adrienne L. Duris (Atlanta, GA)
Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power by John Harwood and Gerald Seib is an excellent book. It gives an overview of what politicans are really like, while including big names( i.e. Rove and Dubinstein) and not so big names( Wasserstein-schultz, although she is becoming popular)and using a bi-partisian approach. Harwood and Seib showed their journalistic skills by providing this overview for the common man and for folks who are non-Washingtonians. But, it also is a good read for History/Political Science buffs who want to have an easy read and want to learn more about the political climate bipartisian style from Washington. This book is highly recommended for all readers who may be interested in Washington Politics. BUt, it also should be on the reading list for college poli sci majors. I think this book also shows what fine writers and Washington Pols John Harwood and Gerald Seib are, and hopefully will get them to recognition they both deserve.
Entertaining August 4, 2008
Jane Austen Fan (Pasadena, California)
PROFILES is in the same vein as BLOOD SPORT and other political commentary and will be of interest to those wanting the specifics of dirt politics or who plan to compete on Jeopardy.
Both interesting and a bit scary, the book won't be a complete surprise to anyone who watches CNN. But while you might know the basic stories and names from Lou Dobbs, a few of the details and money amounts might be a shocker if you don't live in D.C.
Corruption is always interesting, and although not specifically referred to often as the subject matter, that is the main theme here. Enjoy, but take your Prilosec first.
 fair July 3, 2008
Moira E. Mccaffrey
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was looking forward to reading this book but was rather disappointed by the content and found it to be somewhat dull. It covers the likes of Debbie Wasserman Schultz to the founder of the Carlysle Group. It is basically a series of biographical short essays about Washington's power brokers.
Those other Pennsylvania Avenue addresses May 29, 2008
Jon Hunt (Old Greenwich, Ct. USA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
For those of us of a certain age who remember the Everett Dirksens and Mike Mansfields of Washington in years gone by, John Harwood and Gerald Seib have put together a compact and informative work regarding where at least some of the power rests in Washington these days. With an increase of coverage by the networks and cable of the major players, the co-authors have compiled a list of powerbrokers who run more of the show than we know. Our nation's capital is like no place else and Harwood and Seib remind us that history is always being made on that far from lonely stretch of road known as Pennsylvania Avenue.
While the narratives are short, the book succeeds in a comprehensive way. We all know Karl Rove and many more know Charlie Rangel. Indeed, white men are more represented here than others, but people like Hilary Rosen and Lea Berman, not to mention Debbie Wasserman Schultz appear as major players...some in highly competitive political ways and some in more coalition-building endeavors. If one ever had any hopes for Washington, this book might just give you a hint of a glimmer.
It would be great to see Harwood and Seib write a sequel that broadens a look at the next group of insiders to appear, given the nature of a political climate that's bound to see some major changes after November. As for now, this is a good start and I highly recommend "Pennsylvania Avenue" for its introduction to the incumbent powers that be and the rising stars that will surely follow.
Power 101 May 15, 2008
Paul Hosse (Louisville, KY. USA)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
Washington is about power and access to power. We're simultaneously attracted and repulsed by the audacity of those plying their trade in quiet darken anterooms. John Harwood and Gerald Seib, in their book, "Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power", shined a spot light on those who work and play in the shadows of Washington politics.
Through great background research and first hand interviews with key players such as Karl Rove, Ed Rogers, Ken Duberstein, this is an excellent book for those wanting to know how deals are made, and how the wheels of power are greased".
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