What It Takes: The Way to the White House

by Richard Ben Cramer
What It Takes: The Way to the White House cover
Good Books rating 3.75
Politics and Current Affairs
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  • ID: 9274
  • Added: 2025-12-23
  • Updated: 2026-01-04
  • ISBN: 9781453219645
  • Publisher: Open Road Media
  • Published: 2011-08-02
  • Reviews: 4

What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist's account of the 1988 US presidential campaign. It provides an up-close, in-depth look at six candidates—George H. W. 'Poppy' Bush, Bob Dole, Joe Biden, Michael Dukakis, Richard Gephardt, and Gary Hart—as they navigate the complexities of primary season. The book explores a unique moment in history, with details on everything from Bush at the Astrodome to Hart’s Donna Rice scandal. Cramer also addresses the question of how ordinary people acquire the mixture of ambition, stamina, and shamelessness required to run for leadership of the free world./n/n Written from thousands of hours of interviews, What It Takes creates powerful portraits of these Republican and Democratic contenders, and the consultants, donors, journalists, handlers, and hangers-on who surround them. With timeless insight, this 'ultimate insider’s book on presidential politics' explores what helps these people survive, what makes them prosper, what drives them, and ultimately, what drives our government—human beings, in all their flawed glory.

Reviews
Lotz in Translation · 2024-08-08
engaging 3.00

The book focuses on the personal foibles of the candidates rather than the campaign machinery. The writing style is engaging and unique.

This review notes that the book feels lighter compared to other political analyses, as it focuses on the personalities and foibles of the candidates rather than the intricate details of the campaign. The reviewer appreciates the engaging writing style, which brings the candidates and their unique speech patterns to life. The book's focus on the human aspect of the candidates is seen as a strength, providing a more personal and relatable perspective on the political process. However, the reviewer notes that the book's focus on personality over process may not appeal to those seeking a more detailed analysis of the campaign.

Quick quotes

    Cramer's book feels light in comparison, focusing as it does on foibles of personality, with the machinery of the campaign in the background.

    I loved the writing style - it felt like I could hear Cramer talking to me, not to mention the unique speech patterns of the candidates and the screaming crowds.

    The book's focus on the human aspect of the candidates is seen as a strength, providing a more personal and relatable perspective on the political process.

Superception · Ben Smith · 2012-01-15
compelling 4.00

The book's unique value lies in its focus on the human beings trying to become President, rather than the campaign process. It is a compelling and vivid account of the 1988 presidential race.

This review highlights the book's focus on the candidates as individuals, rather than as political figures. The reviewer appreciates the vivid and compelling narrative, which brings the candidates and their personal struggles to life. The book's extensive research and detailed reporting are praised, providing a unique and insightful perspective on the 1988 presidential race. The reviewer notes that the book's focus on the human aspect of the candidates makes it a compelling read, even for those not particularly interested in politics. However, the reviewer acknowledges that the book's length and detail may not appeal to all readers.

Quick quotes

    The specific added value of the book is that it focuses on the human beings who are trying to become President and not on the process of the campaign.

    The book is a compelling and vivid account of the 1988 presidential race, filled with vivid detail and without a trace of cynicism.

    The material is presented as a story, and one to savor. It is brilliantly told, full of vivid detail, and without a trace either of cynicism, or of the political process.

ProQuest · DL Robinson · 1995-01-01
brilliant 4.50

The book is brilliantly told, full of vivid detail, and without cynicism. It presents the material as a story to savor, offering a rich and engaging narrative.

DL Robinson's review on ProQuest praises the book for its brilliant storytelling and vivid detail, which make it a captivating read. The reviewer appreciates the lack of cynicism in the narrative, which allows for a more compassionate and humanizing portrayal of the candidates. Robinson finds the book to be a rich and engaging exploration of the presidential campaign process, offering insights that are both detailed and compelling. The reviewer highly recommends it for those interested in political reportage and the personal stories behind the campaigns.

Quick quotes

    The material is presented as a story, and one to savor.

    It is brilliantly told, full of vivid detail, and without a trace either of cynicism, or of the campaign process.

    The book offers a rich and engaging exploration of the presidential campaign process.

Entertainment Weekly · 1992-08-07
intriguing 3.50

The book is a sprawling, repetitive, and hyperbolic saga of ambition, yet it is oddly compassionate. It offers a unique perspective on the 1988 presidential candidates.

This review highlights the book's extensive interviews and detailed reporting, which result in a comprehensive but somewhat repetitive narrative. The reviewer notes the book's hyperbolic and semisatirical tone, yet finds it oddly compassionate in its portrayal of the candidates' ambitions. The book's focus on the human aspect of the candidates, rather than the political process, is particularly praised. The reviewer appreciates the depth of the reporting but acknowledges the book's length and occasional repetition.

Quick quotes

    A thousand or so interviews later, the result is a sprawling, repetitious, hyperbolic, semisatirical, yet oddly compassionate saga of ambition.

    The book is a unique and fascinating look at the 1988 presidential candidates.

    The specific added value of the book is that it focuses on the human beings who are trying to become President and not on the process of the campaign.

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