The Promise: President Obama, Year One Book

As a political scientist by training, I have become disgusted with the uninformed rhetoric clogging the airwaves, the internet and the minds of an increasingly more unthinking public. It disturbs me the way writers who should know better, as well as many more who should not and do not care that they do not, misuse terms like "liberal," "conservative," "[un:]constitutional," "progressive," and "moderate." It disturbs me to an even greater extent that the public blindly and uncritically absorbs information that has no basis whatsoever in anything at all resembling fact.

Amongst all this abuse, misuse and downright knowingly purposeful ignorance of the truth, it was refreshing to come across an author who took it upon himself to investigate and evaluate in an objective manner the first year of President Obama. While Alter clearly favors the President and his agenda, his report of the first year is unafraid to point out where the White House has let down the public and itself in its mission. He handles political miscues, incompetency and unkept promises as they should be handled - on a scale balancing the good and the bad, and giving a very fair assessment of a unique situation.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in current politics. It should be a mandatory read (with the requirement of passing a test on its contents) for anyone who is going to broadcast or publish commentary on the current presidential administration or either house of Congress.