The Gatekeepers

January 30, 2017
Whipple, a documentary filmmaker and first-time author, surveys recent U.S. presidential history by profiling chiefs of staff from Nixon to Obama. He doesn’t quite justify his subtitle or even try particularly hard to prove its far-reaching claim, but he does recount a vibrant narrative of the real-world West Wing and give insight into the oft-mentioned but little-explained role of White House Chief of Staff. Repurposing original interviews conducted for a documentary film that Whipple cowrote, The President’s Gatekeepers, the book is peppered with stories and insights from many of the chiefs of staff and other key players including presidents Carter and George H.W. Bush. Whipple also draws from other histories and political memoirs, giving the book an insiders’ feel as it recounts historical episodes such as the Watergate break-in, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, the 9/11 attacks, and the unsuccessful rollout of healthcare.gov. The confident and fast-paced narrative is enhanced by having actual historical players contribute well-rounded (and sometimes surprising) characterizations of presidents and other Washington luminaries. In this page-turner of a history, readers will discover new facets of historical events that they felt they already knew. Agent: Lisa Queen, Queen Literary Agency.

February 1, 2017
Peabody and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Whipple chronicles the roles as well as the successes and failures of White House chiefs of staff from the Richard Nixon to Barack Obama administrations.The modern White House chief of staff, the gatekeeper to the president and manager of White House operations, emerged during the Nixon administration. While presidents Kennedy and Johnson preferred a more decentralized system with multiple advisers, Nixon's chief, H.R. Haldeman, created a strong, focused organization that has endured for nearly a half-century. The author discusses subsequent administrations and their chiefs in chronological order. James A. Baker III, Ronald Reagan's first chief of staff, is seen as the gold standard. Also successful were Gerald Ford's two chiefs, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Among those whose performance fell short were Hamilton Jordan for Jimmy Carter, Donald Regan for Reagan, and Mack McLarty for Bill Clinton. Throughout the book, Whipple identifies several variables that affect performance: presidential access and support; management style; and whether the chief serves as an honest broker, allowing all arguments on issues to be presented, or as a strict advocate. Also pivotal is whether he--all the chiefs have been men--views himself as a principal, essentially a peer of the president, or as a staff member; invariably, the former is a recipe for failure. An unusual element was added when George W. Bush's vice president, Cheney, experienced from White House politics during the Ford administration, was able to thwart the efforts of Bush's chief, Andrew Card. Whipple also reviews the high and low points of the past eight administrations, and he greatly enhances the narrative with his many interviews, some of which were used for a documentary he did on the subject in 2013. A well-researched, well-written review of a unique government position--informative for the general public and an insightful blueprint for the new administration.

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March 1, 2017

Journalist and documentarian Whipple has written a detailed account of the White House chief of staff's development. The current role started with the Nixon administration and H.R. Haldeman. Whipple demonstrates that the position can be a major factor in the success or failure of presidencies. Men have failed as chief of staff because they thought the power of presidency filtered through them, leading to inflated egos. Successful figures were those willing to see alternatives and check infighting within administrations. This is a worthwhile read that compares well with Bradley H. Patterson Jr.'s The White House Staff and Kate Andersen Brower's The Residence. Through firsthand accounts of the presidency, it gives valuable understanding of the position and would be a great tool for Reince Priebus as President Donald Trump's chief of staff. VERDICT Highly recommended for those seeking a history of the modern presidency or political insight. [See Prepub Alert, 10/17/16.]--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

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