A Memoir of the Obama White House - The World as It Is

I really like seeing the inside complexities of leading our country. And I appreciate the noble efforts to do the right thing in the face of adversity. This was a very historic time and reading this writers perspective is haunting.

Wonderful book and wonderful writing. Makes you feel as though you were right there inside the Obama administration. The author is humble and brings you in as though he is just like you, an average citizen in this elevated experience. I loved it!

This book is utterly amazing. Depending upon your political leanings, this book is either hilarious or serious. Ben Rhodes has written a book that will appeal to everyone and should be read by everyone, not an easy feat to do. It is the literary equivalent of President Obama's official portrait - the first transfornative President...
or a dude taking a dump in a marijuana patch.
I strongly rec this book!!

While all about you are losing theirs ...

As we watched the currant president “lose it” over every real or perceived insult or threat, Ben Rhodes describes a man who steadfastedly steered his behaviour by the highest moral guidelines . Obama’s sacrifices in pursuit of the long term outcomes needs to be remembered as we stand appalled at today's captain of this ship of state loses sight of any good except those that gratify his insatiable need for attention. Ben Rhodes writes the story of his years with Obama with enough detail that even a non American can understand the intricacies of American politics.

An extraordinary slice of history, a unique inside look at a time when the world was a better place because -- even through the opposition and hatred--we could glimpse the world that might be. This is an extraordinary book, beautifully written and timeless, and should be on the desk of anyone who aspires to public office in this country and wishes for democracy not to vanish into obsolescence.

Nothing new, never an error, no empathy, always right - must be nice to be perfect.l was really looking forward to this book, I (perhaps my failing) didn’t see any reflection, rather self verification

I really appreciate the lucid prose. Rhodes writes beautifully and his stories about his time in the Obama camp are fascinating. I have not finished it yet because there is so much detail I want to be sure to grasp it all.

Great read! Thanks for a view into the journey of the author, the administration, American foreign policy and for reminding us of the huge amount of work the team put into doing the best job that they could while addressing the world as it is with an eye on on how it ought to be.

I think Mr Rhodes’s book is phenomenally written. It’s clear that he has a unique and powerful way of storytelling. While the book does give one an insight into Mr Obama’s Presidency, I can’t help but feel there are glaring holes missing in the stories. Whether these omissions are meant to portray the President in a better light or are there so as not to reveal classified information, I do not know. It’s understandable that Mr Rhodes would have a favorable view of Obama and, therefore, a negative opinion of Republicans. However, the majority of this book seems hellbent on blaming all of the former President’s mistakes on Republicans. While it is true the Congressional Republican leaders were unwilling to work with the President on just about anything, this book insinuates that Obama was a comic book superhero, complete with the cheesy moments (“When they parted for the final time, Ms. Merkel had a single tear in her eye. ‘She’s all alone,’ Mr. Obama noted.”).

In all, the book was well-written and a fun, if visually skewed, read.

Ben Rhodes, by all accounts, including his own, is a good guy. A true patriot who had the opportunity to spend eight years on Obama’s staff as both a speechwriter and a foreign policy advisor and operative. So I began this memoir with high expectations that I would obtain some new insights into Obama, including why he failed to trumpet his successes until it was too late for the American people to have time to process. But my hopes were dashed. The book is boring. Rhodes is so busy being a good guy that his ability to share what he learned is blunted.

Disappointing. Now, if your main purpose in reading this book is to get a taste of what life was like inside the Obama (BHO) Bubble -- working in a low-ceiling windowless office in the West Wing basement, getting a cup of coffee from the White House Mess, riding in the jump seat of The Beast, watching BHO endlessly play games of spades while flying on Air Force One, standing behind the curtain while BHO is on stage at a press conference with another head-of-state -- then you probably won't be too disappointed. But I was hoping for more than that.

The author makes it appear that he was with BHO every step of the way pertaining to national security, and yet he fails to give details of what led to BHO's decision to not try to rescue the victims at the terrorist attack on the Benghazi consulate, or why pallets of millions of dollars in unmarked greenbacks were delivered to the Iran government in an unmarked aircraft. Those instances are just a few of the several national security decisions which are mentioned but not explained in any depth. Such as, The Trans-Pacific Partnership, expanding relations with Cuba, the Paris Climate Agreement, Iran. It leads me to suspect that he was not really very much involved in their formulations but only their presentations, except of course for Cuba.

The book is loaded with very lengthy direct quotes of dialogue he has with BHO and others. How did he store those quotes? Did he memorize them? Did he audio record them? Did he paraphrase them but with quotation marks around them? Did he make them up? Such things as this make them suspect. From watching "The Final Year", in which the author co-stars, it would appear that he was constanty aware of the camera following him around, from his overly theatrical demeanor (e.g., the "I can't even ..." stuttering on 2016 election night). Perhaps he applied a similar theatrical approach to this book.

Since most of the national security decisions he discusses have been reversed by the current POTUS, he should have titled the book "The World As It Briefly Was".

I doubt I have ever read a sadder book. Children, let me tell you a story.....

There was a time in The United States, not so long ago, when a fundamentally decent man and his family occupied The White House. This man was, for lack of a better word, smart. He understood complex issues (because he took the time to understand them), the limits of power, and was driven by a desire to make the world a better place. As importantly, he surrounded himself with like people, who were driven by a higher purpose and were also good people. People like the author of this book.

But sadly, The United States went a little crazy. As Jonathon Swift supposedly said "When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him." Dunces like Fox News for example.

Those days seem like a thousand years ago and I weep for my children that will need to grow up in a world shaped by those currently in power. God help all of us.

In spite of its too often self-referential thrust, Ben Rhodes’ The World As It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House is a fairly engaging read, short on revelations but with with some interesting tidbits.

Maureen Dowd can’t be happy with this passage about her, from a campaign event: “I was seated next to Maureen Dowd, a columnist from The New York Times whom I’d read for years. I was excited, a little nervous. ‘Who are you?’ she asked. ‘The speechwriter,’ I said. She gave me a level stare and then complained that she wasn’t seated next to someone more important.” Watch yourself, Dowd. At your level of importance, what you say or do at any given moment may end up in somebody’s book. Gotcha.

After a state dinner at Buckingham Palace in 2011, Obama asked Rhodes, with reference to the queen’s jewelry: “Did you see the bling on the queen?”

On that same trip, Obama addressed the House of Commons. In introducing him, the Speaker said: “It is my honor, Mr. President, to welcome you as our friend and as a statesman …. It has fallen to you to tackle economic turbulence at home, to protect the health of those without wealth, and to seek that precious balance between security which is too often threatened, and human rights which are too often denied.” Rhodes follows that with this: “It was striking to hear the story of the Obama presidency articulated by a conservative British politician in words that a Republican politician would never dare to use at home.” It is also striking to consider the discomfort any British politician, or probably anyone anywhere, would face today in having to introduce Donald Trump.

The book does suffer from some glaring omissions and gaps. It’s as if Rhodes doesn’t want to bother with anything unless it can call attention to him. Every time he feels slighted, every time he gets noticed or praised, we hear about it. Some of the photographs he has chosen for the book are embarrassingly like something in an adolescent scrapbook.

Rhodes does enjoyably vent some contempt in describing being interrogated by a congressional select committee over the 2012 attacks at a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya: “The chief antagonist on the Republican side was the committee chairman, Trey Gowdy, a former assistant U.S. attorney whose small, beady eyes opened wide when he feigned incredulity, and whose stiff shock of gray hair looked like a Tyrolean hat.”

Suggestion: Wouldn’t it be helpful to readers if any book dealing with a historical period chronologically would have page headings letting us know the date at any given time? I tired of searching backwards for the most recent indication of a time frame. And while I’m making suggestions, let me repeat that it would be nice if the store.com reader reviews would allow us to use italics.

The book is very well written and includes so many great insider stories. However, it is disappointing to see that Rhodes refers to the men in the story by their last names and yet repeatedly refers to women by their first names. I accepted this with “Hillary” at first because I figured it was to distinguish her from “Bill,” but when he referred to Susan Rice the same way, I knew it was systemic. I’d have thought a person of Rhodes’s background and experience would have afforded these women the respect they deserved.

In the summer of 2018 Americans disgusted by the antics of Donald Trump and his minions in Washington DC need constant reminders that "it wasn't always like this." As recently as eighteen months ago the United States had a President of whom we could be proud. Ben Rhodes, a speechwriter and foreign policy analyst for President Obama, provides such a reminder in this engrossing memoir.

By his own admission Ben Rhodes was a somewhat aimless young man of undoubted talents (BAs from Rice and MFAs from New York University don't come easily) but less focus. He more or less lucked into a position in the campaign of an Illinois senator who had the temerity to think he could become the first African-American President of the United States, crafted some of that Senator's most famous speeches, and then found himself with an office directly under the Oval Office itself. For the next eight years Rhodes was one of President Obama's closest aides, entrusted with momentous tasks in developing US foreign policy. In the process Rhodes became a target for the President's opponents at home and abroad. He married and fathered two daughters in between taking phone calls from the President at all hours of the day and night and traveling around the world on Air Force One.

This was a highly enjoyable read, not only for the inside look into what the life of a senior Presidential advisor is like but also for the depictions of the President himself: cerebral, honorable, and just, often perplexed by the machinations of lesser men and women but always confident of the ultimate success of his country. Although the book necessarily ends on a down note in January 2017, it is nevertheless an uplifting read and a necessary reminder of our country's potential. In this moment of darkness in the American psyche it is to be hoped that someday Ben Rhodes will work in the White House again in the service of another President who exemplifies American greatness.

Gentle reader, this is a memoir, and despite the hype, it's nothing more.

Ben Rhodes, a former speech writer and foreign policy adviser, leaves out much that might otherwise make this book as great as the sales jacket predicts. He writes reasonably well, and though he gives us more than 420 pages, much remains unsaid. This is a selective, behind-the-scenes take. It's a lint-in-the-pocket look at his life, usually focused on his job and usually related to foreign events. The book keeps a head-down, respectful approach and delivers a sometimes transcription-like relay of events.

Fortunately, Mr. Rhodes does revisit Obama's speech in Charleston, and in so doing he reminds us that the president is a moral leader who has the ability to promote peace, inclusivity and healing - something seemingly forgotten since President Obama left office.

If Mr. Rhodes fails, he fails as a booster for his great leader and friend. He should have written more in tribute. It's allowed. This is, after all, a memoir.

Ben Rhodes joined Barack Obama's campaign not long after witnessing the latter's now iconic "there are no red states there are no blue states" speech at the 2004 DNC. A young man who went to work in Washington after witnessing the 9/11 attacks in New York, Rhodes quickly took to foreign policy and eventually joined Obama as one of his principal speech writers and a deputy national security advisor. Under Obama's direction, Rhodes helped facilitate the Iran nuclear deal, the US visits to Burma, and the establishment of contact with the government of Cuba (a personal project of Rhodes'). Often described by friends and coworkers as having a mind meld with Obama that helped him anticipate his whims and craft personal speeches for him, Rhodes provides an intimate portrayal of Obama's time in White House and his reactions to some of the numerous crises that erupted throughout his tenure. From the Arab Spring that began with an air of hope for democracy in the Middle East, to the violent regime changes in Libya, to the dark turn of the protests that culminated with the human rights atrocities in Syria, to the tragedy in Benghazi, to mounting tensions with Russia that saw Putin's return to power and the annexation of Crimea, Rhodes walks through the numerous foreign policy mine fields that the Obama administration had to navigate while providing both a reflection on how the White House responded to these events and a defense of Obama and his team's reactions to many of these issues. As a friend and advisor to Obama, Rhodes isn't afraid to wade into the muck of the Washington politics that defined this era from Republican obstructionism, to numerous criticisms of Obama's reactions (be they seen as too aggressive or too passive) to certain threats like Assad's regime, to criticisms of Rhodes and Obama's Iranian nuclear deal from Netanyahu and other staunch opponents of Iran. In many ways, Rhodes' memoir does feel like a defense of the Obama years in the wake of Trump's victory and his administration's attempts to roll back or undo many of Obama's policies and legacies. Throughout the book Rhodes' frustrations with American politics boils over, especially when he relates his own personal history of becoming a target of right wing media or when favored policies of his were denounced for political reasons. That said, certain elements of the book do feel a bit like Rhodes toed the administration's line when he refers to major sources of controversy such as Benghazi or the Obama administration's controversial use of drone warfare. All in all this is a fascinating read and a both uplifting, though melancholy view of the Obama years as it both celebrates their historic moments while mourning the divisive years that we find ourselves in now.

Recently, I've read the newest books by Madeline Albright, Jonah Goldberg, and John McCain. I read them in the order listed, and I topped it all off w/ this book by Ben Rhodes. I'm a liberal, so there were things in the Goldberg and McCain books that I didn't agree with, but I think that all four books were really good (in different ways). I felt that Rhode's writing was by far the clearest and most polished, and that, together with my personal affinity for his points of view, made this the most engaging of the four.

One thing that was special about this book was the timeframe involved. Rhodes worked for Obama during the 2008 election, and he stayed all they way through January 20th, 2017. So this book presented a fairly comprehensive portrayal of the Obama presidency as viewed from the inside. Yes, Rhodes is a partisan, and that means that conservatives are likely to disagree with some of his points. That said, I think that anyone who gives this book an honest read will acknowledge Rhodes' sincerity. He felt strongly about the projects he worked on and was excited and uplifted when they succeeded. He was also devastated when projects didn't work out.

One other detail that I found interesting: Roades' book doesn't *at all* come across as gossipy or as a "tell all" kind of thing. He doesn't aim snark at his colleagues in the Obama administration. It's clear that he poured his heart into his work and cared deeply about the well-being of his colleagues. And it was also clear that, in Rhodes' view at least, this attitude was the norm for the group of people, many of them quite young and idealistic, who worked in the White House during this period. It was a team.

So why did I give this a four star rating? Two reasons: 1. I read a lot, in a wide range of topics, and 2. I'm picky & critical. I think the book could have been a little stronger in acknowledging areas where the administration was outmaneuvered by the opposition. He came across, *occasionally*, as if he thought that the administration had been victimized. While I agree that polarization, hyper-partisanship, and other factors are damaging our country, the people in the administration were truly the best and brightest. Yes, they lost some battles. Yes, they were undermined, sometimes both unfairly and viciously. But they also made mistakes. In the end, in the "final score," they accomplished some very good things. And they gave us a glimpse of an optimistic future. They were good, decent, honest people who fought for what they believed in. Sometimes they won; other times they didn't.

Of course I acknowledge that these guys were only human, and that they were worn down by eight years of pernicious obstruction and personal attack. Still, it's been that way since at least 1990. That was the ride they signed up for. So I think there could have been more celebration and less regret.... but that's easy for me to say, right?

This review is of the Kindle version, which I checked out from my local library.

Since the presidency after Obama feels as if jumping from clear water into stinking muck, it was refreshing to read how this writer felt working for President Obama. Ben Rhodes takes us back for a few hours into a world where striving for the American ideals guided us through years of financial hardship, and also where the fracturing loyalties, with which we have to live now, emerge on the horizon. He shows how far his president was removed from fascism, how for his president the individual American mattered and not the frothing, battle-hungry crowd.
We may dread that our world as it is now will persist; but in "THE WORLD AS IT IS," Ben Rhodes reminds us that true Americans have deeper ideals that compel us forward in keeping our country strong and good.

An absorbing inside account of the Obama White House and the foreign policy challenges they faced. Like other readers have mentioned, you will be struck by Mr. Rhodes' account of the weighty decisions, long hours, grueling travel and countless speech rewrites (many done by Obama himself).... and the book doesn't even go into all the domestic policy issues that were unfolding at the same time! My main takeaways were that it requires a truly extraordinary person to ably fulfill the role of President, and how it is utterly impossible that the current occupant of the White House is anywhere close to functioning in that role. It is frightening, enlightening, and a very important read.

Sure, Ben Rhodes worked for Obama and clearly admires him, but this is not simply a partisan book. It's an insider look into the inner workings of government and a presidency that encountered some incredible challenges. Rhodes is not only an expert on foreign policy, but also a fantastic writer that can make even the most mundane and routine things pop right off the page. The book provides a glimpse into the meticulous and arduous work ethic of Obama and his staff, which actually made me sad because it's a stark contrast to the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants M.O. we are currently witnessing.

Really wish I just read the book instead of listened to the Audible version. It always feels really inauthentic and pretentious when some random person is reading the story of someone else (who is still alive and should have no excuse for not recording it themselves). Like, what else were you doing that was more important then recording your own audio book? I like the content, and the narrator did okay (except he called Dan Pfiefer “Don” Pfiefer), but I couldn’t stop asking myself why Mr. Rhodes didn’t tell his own story. I hear his voice on Crooked Media podcasts and enjoy his contributions, which led me to buy the book, but it was weird not hearing the voice I was used to. So the stories are fine, but hopefully a recording comes out with Ben doing the narration so it isn’t so jarring.

Powerfully written account of the political and personal coming of age for a man who worked closely with Obama on foreign affairs and speeches and communications, becoming a friend as well as staff member. Beautifully written and an insider's account of the major issues that Obama faced, how he handled them, the obstacles he faced, and the values that he retained.

Well written book by one of Obama's speechwriters. It was illuminating how much thought and discussion went into policy making and decisions. It was not done by the Tweet of the day. Confirms the overall decency of the Obama Adm. regardless of what you thought of their policies and ideology.

Well written book about how the Obama Administration operated and was confronted with during their tenure. Even though some may consider it written from a partisan viewpoint, it simplfy presents the facts from someone who was there all the time, even highlighting the ups and downs of what Ben Rhodes went through himself. Also nice to read a perspective from members of a White House staff that enjoyed being part of that staff inspite of the tolls it takes on your life.

Not only did I learn about the background for the Obama White House foreign policy decisions, I learned how a functional White House is supposed to work. This was also a an intimate story of how Ben Rhodes grew into his position and how it changed his life. It was a very absorbing read and I found myself sobbing at certain poignant descriptions of how racism affected our last administration.
I hope a time comes when we have a functional White House again.