Obama: From Promise to Power
Encyclopedia
Obama: From Promise to Power is a 2007
political
biography
book
by David Mendell
about the life of Barack Obama
from his childhood to the announcement of his candidacy
for president of the United States
. The book focuses on Obama's fast rise from obscurity to the national stage, but portrays it not as an unplanned phenomenon, but rather as the result of a carefully crafted and calculated plan by an ambitious man. Mendell, a Chicago Tribune
reporter, had covered Obama since the beginning of his campaign
for the U.S. Senate
in Illinois
. The book utilizes both the first-hand research from Mendell's original reporting, as well as a wide range of interviews which Obama's aides, mentors, political adversaries and family.
Obama: From Promise to Power was one of the first biography books from the 2008 presidential campaign season
, but upon its initial release did not receive the same attention as books about Hillary Clinton, who was initially considered a stronger contender in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries
. As a result, Obama: From Promise To Power did not receive the same large-scale book tours and press attention as such Clinton biographies as A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Carl Bernstein
and Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Jeff Gerth
and Don Van Natta, Jr.
The National Review
called Obama: From Promise to Power "the single best source of background information on our new president". Although the publication said the book was generally sympathetic toward Obama, it also praised Mendell for taking note of his faults and his "considerable ego", citing in particular the opening of the book, in which Obama confidentially states, "I'm LeBron
, baby", before speaking at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
. Tim Russert
, host of NBC
's Meet the Press
, was particularly impressed with Mendell's frank assessments of Obama's flaws and ambition, such as the statement, "What the public has yet to see clearly is his hidden side, his imperious, mercurial, self-righteous, and sometimes prickly nature, each quality exacerbated by the enormous career pressures that he has inflicted upon himself." A WLS-TV
review of Obama: From Promise to Power said the book "carries with it a certain oral history-style wholeness", due to the variety of people it profiled from Obama's life. The review said Mendell's long history of first-hand news coverage of Obama lended the book "both an insider's perspective and a journalist's shrewd critical eye, and the portrait that he paints of Obama is more comprehensive than any previous treatment of this remarkable man".
In February 2008, Obama: From Promise to Power won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the Biography/Autobiography category.
2007 in literature
The year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
by David Mendell
David Mendell
David Mendell is an American journalist who wrote for the Chicago Tribune until the summer of 2008. Mendell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently lives in Oak Park, Illinois. During his time with the Tribune, Mendell has covered the Columbine High School shootings and riots in Seattle spurred...
about the life of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
from his childhood to the announcement of his candidacy
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
for president of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The book focuses on Obama's fast rise from obscurity to the national stage, but portrays it not as an unplanned phenomenon, but rather as the result of a carefully crafted and calculated plan by an ambitious man. Mendell, a Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reporter, had covered Obama since the beginning of his campaign
United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004
The 2004 United States Senate election in Illinois was held on November 2, 2004. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald decided to retire after one term. The Democratic and Republican primary elections were held in March, which included a total of 15 candidates who combined to spend a...
for the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The book utilizes both the first-hand research from Mendell's original reporting, as well as a wide range of interviews which Obama's aides, mentors, political adversaries and family.
Obama: From Promise to Power was one of the first biography books from the 2008 presidential campaign season
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, but upon its initial release did not receive the same attention as books about Hillary Clinton, who was initially considered a stronger contender in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
. As a result, Obama: From Promise To Power did not receive the same large-scale book tours and press attention as such Clinton biographies as A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein is an American investigative journalist who, at The Washington Post, teamed up with Bob Woodward; the two did the majority of the most important news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations, the indictment of a vast number of...
and Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Jeff Gerth
Jeff Gerth
Jeff Gerth is a former investigative reporter for The New York Times who has written lengthy, probing stories that drew both praise and criticism. He shared a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 for his coverage of how American firms gave the Chinese access to sensitive technology related to satellite launches...
and Don Van Natta, Jr.
Don Van Natta, Jr.
Don Van Natta Jr. is an author and an investigative correspondent at The New York Times, where he was a member of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams.-Life:...
The National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
called Obama: From Promise to Power "the single best source of background information on our new president". Although the publication said the book was generally sympathetic toward Obama, it also praised Mendell for taking note of his faults and his "considerable ego", citing in particular the opening of the book, in which Obama confidentially states, "I'm LeBron
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, baby", before speaking at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
. Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
, host of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
, was particularly impressed with Mendell's frank assessments of Obama's flaws and ambition, such as the statement, "What the public has yet to see clearly is his hidden side, his imperious, mercurial, self-righteous, and sometimes prickly nature, each quality exacerbated by the enormous career pressures that he has inflicted upon himself." A WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
review of Obama: From Promise to Power said the book "carries with it a certain oral history-style wholeness", due to the variety of people it profiled from Obama's life. The review said Mendell's long history of first-hand news coverage of Obama lended the book "both an insider's perspective and a journalist's shrewd critical eye, and the portrait that he paints of Obama is more comprehensive than any previous treatment of this remarkable man".
In February 2008, Obama: From Promise to Power won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in the Biography/Autobiography category.