Cliff Sims

“Bannon thought he was an action figure who had been stuck in a hermetically sealed package for decades until Trump finally freed him and brought him to life. I couldn’t help but appreciate anyone who had the stones to be that grandiose.”
― Cliff Sims, Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House

It wasn’t bad but there are so many books out on Trump and I’m sure there are a lot that will be out in the upcoming months and years. This was moderately interesting because the writer actually worked in the administration but I think I’m a little burned out on politics for now as I’ve read a lot of similar books in the last year or two.There is a lot of gossip in this book and some interesting nuggets of information but not a whole lot of new info on Trump. I would say political junkies on this one would be its biggest fans. This was a moderately enjoyable book that didn’t really tell me anything new.… (mehr)

In his book "Team of Vipers", Cliff Sims describes his 500 days working in the White House as a communications aide to the President. Some of his stories are of minor importance on a National scale, such as his being barred from the Alabama football team's White House visit, or his relationship with other staffers, or his dealings with Chief of Staff Kelly. Others give insights into what working in the Trump White House is like.

There's been high turnover in the White House, and like many others, he ultimately was forced out before long. But his book doesn't become a critique of the President, to whom he remains loyal. Instead, he is critical of many others on the White House staff (the Vipers). He describes himself as a hard worker and valued employee while he was there, but suspects that others, possibly because of jealousy over his closeness to the President while only being a junior aide, often criticized him to superiors. Toward the end of the book, just before he was fired, he mentions that then Chief of Staff Kelly said that in his 40 years as a leader, he'd never heard more complaints about any individual than he did about Mr. Sims.

Nonetheless, throughout the book, Mr. Sims remains loyal and supportive of the President. The revelations in the book, if any, are his apparent disdain of any staffers who didn't share his belief that it was their job to support the President's agenda, whether right or wrong, or were otherwise not up to the task. Individuals such as these included his initial boss, Sean Spicer, Trump's initial Chief-of-Staff Reince Priebus, Special Adviser Steve Bannon, and replacement Chief-of-Staff General Kelly. These individuals, according to the author, were not completely and universally supportive of the President's agenda. Rather, they felt that the good of the Republican Party, the American people, or their own agenda were equally or more important. Loyalty to principle or ideology are important, but per Cliff Sims, personal loyalty to the President is primary.

I thought it was somewhat surprising that Mr. Sims' occasional descriptions of the President were not radically different from those in several books critical of Trump. One such book is "Unhinged", by former Trump loyalist Omarosa Manigault Newman. Other books, by independent and well known journalists with no ax to grind, include "Fear" by Bob Woodward, "Unbelievable", by journalist Katy Tur, and "Trump Revealed", by Michael Kranish. And then there was long-time Trump critic David Cay Johnston, who wrote "It's Even Worse Than You Think" and "The Making of Donald Trump". Whether these authors were pro-Trump, anti-Trump, or simply fact gatherers, all seem to portray Trump as someone who craves media attention, who brags about himself, does whatever is necessary to protect his image, embellishes the truth through lies or hyperbole, never admits errors or mistakes, and who fights and criticizes anyone or anything who criticizes him. He's filed lawsuits at the drop of a hat to protect his status and to intimidate opponents, punishes anyone who gets in his way, and seemingly trusts no one's advice other than his own. Supporters consider these characteristics as acceptable for someone who's tough and will fight to get things done. Opponents condemn these traits, and paint a near identical picture of Trump as being obsessed with his image, obsessed with wealth, egotistical, vindictive, a phony, a flagrant liar, and a bully.

Trump is always tough, a fighter, and as taught by his father years ago, someone who never gives in, will never apologize, and will try to crush any opponent. What is most memorable about Team of Vipers is the joylessness of working for this president and the acrid aftertaste it leaves.
… (mehr)