And so I decided to read another 1995 novel about politics by a television journalist. First up, Jim Lehrer. Now, I'm onto Jeff Greenfield. What can I say? I'm on something of a politics kick -- mainly because of a writing project I'm doing. Let's just hope Sam Donaldson didn't write a novel in 1995, or I'll have to read that too. Jim Lehrer may be the better novelist -- Lehrer's written over a dozen of them compared to one for Greenfield -- but this may be the more interesting story. It's about what happens when the President dies two days after being elected, and the country is stuck with a Vice-President-Elect clearly modeled on Dan Quayle. Not surprisingly, complete chaos emerges, as everyone realizes exactly how shaky the Electoral College is. In short, if this were to happen, there's no real way of knowing who would be President. Thanks, Founders!
I actually read this back when it came out, which is why in the 2000 election I listened to everything Jeff Greenfield said about the Bush-Gore race. The man clearly knows the Electoral College after doing the research for this book. I decided I wanted to reread it shortly after last year's election, though I figured it would be bad luck to read it before Obama was inaugurated.
Like Lehrer's book, this is more of a thought experiment than a novel. At times, it reads like a news report, but that's just fine. Many of the characters seem based on real people, which makes it especially fun. They're likely just composites, but, for example, it's tough to read about the network's "Distinguished Commentator" throwing fits about his lack of airtime and not wonder if he's supposed to be David Brinkley, who was working with Greenfield at the time.
As with Lehrer's book, there are a few times when floppy disks are mentioned, and I always enjoy reading about technology in older books. Because this was written in 1995, there are no bloggers mentioned, although we do get a wonderful moment when Greenfield describes the people who call in to complain to the network: "They are young men finding sanctuary in their parents' finished basements."
It's nice to know that the Mom's basement meme predated blogging, though before blogging the young men apparently took the trouble to change out of their pajamas.
