The Battle for America 2008: The Story of an Extraordinary Election

A definitive and fresh account of this landmark election, told in real time as the events unfold—not hindsight retelling.

The election of 2008 shattered political barriers, illuminated undercurrents of race, gender, and class, and ignited an extraordinary battle among some of the most formidable political rivals ever to seek the presidency in Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain. It was an election that played out against a backdrop of wars, a shattered economy, and deep pessimism about the future.

Dan Balz (lead political reporter for The Washington Post) and Haynes Johnson (a Pulitzer Prize writer), two of the most well-known and respected journalists working today, followed the 2008 election from the candidates’ first forays into Iowa and New Hampshire to the historic night of Obama’s victory celebration.

Since both men were embedded in the campaigns and observed the elections from the front lines, Battle for America (published by Viking) is told in real time. It reads like a fast-paced mystery--even though you know how the story ends, you still can't put the book down trying to find out exactly how it all happened. This is the full story (including all the major campaigns as well as visits with focus groups) like it's never been told before.

They take readers on a gripping journey through the epic battle for Iowa, Clinton’s dramatic comeback in New Hampshire, the racially tinged primary in South Carolina, the stunning endorsement of Obama by Senator Edward M. Kennedy over the Clintons’ objections. They reveal the strategic mistakes of the Clinton campaign and the story behind Obama’s breakthrough organization. They cover McCain’s struggle for survival in the Republican primaries, McCain’s disappointment over not running with Joe Lieberman, the vetting of Sarah Palin, and the economic meltdown that ensured Obama’s victory.

THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA 2008 is a riveting account of how this election not only marked a new era in American politics but also offered a test of historic proportions at a watershed moment for our nation.
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