Matthew Latimer

It was funny and I was entertained--more by the personal story than by the politic insights. I'm not sure that Latimer was all that fair or insightful because I don't know enough about the individuals he wrote of (from other multiple sources that is), but I liked the self-deprecating humor, particularly the early portions of his book about his family and childhood. What the latter portions of the book lack is a real sense of humility or modesty and perhaps perspective. Almost all of the speech writing portions concern instances where his advice wasn't accepted and things turned out poorly as a result, or conversely his advice was accepted and things turned out great. He's still one smart and interesting dude though.… (mehr)

At the end of his acknowledgments which end his book, Latimer states the book is for anyone who wants their government to be more than egotism and self-interest. That's a difficult line to read after having finished 280 pages of egotistical and self-interested stories. It's certainly interesting how every story Matt tells, he was secretly holding the view that turned out to be correct in hindsight, but just wasn't given the right opportunity to present that view. At one point, he is so sure that a speech is going to be rejected by the white house, that he secretly has his name taken off, throwing the other writer under the bus, and then gloats about how stupid the other writer was for having that idea in the first place. Latimer states that the White House was less like the West Wing and more like The Office. I would say that is an apt comparison for the level of writing of this white house memoir as well.… (mehr)

6/20 I am a liberal democrat with about as much sympathy for Bush as I have for...well, not a lot. HOWEVER, I thought that Matt Latimer's memoires of his time with Bush were hilarious. It's well written - to be expected, since he's a speechwriter - constantly funny, intelligent and insightful. An interesting view on the republican party, the bush years, and the hilarity of politics. Matt Latimer's book is why I'm a poli-sci major - because darn it, politics just seem so darn fun! (even though Latimer is eventually disillusioned, but whatever...)… (mehr)