Politics & Government
![Michael C. Bender - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B092412S6Q.jpg)
Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
Michael C. Bender, senior White House reporter for the Wall Street Journal, presents a deeply reported account of the 2020 presidential campaign that details how Donald J. Trump became the first incumbent in three decades to lose reelection-and the only one whose defeat culminated in a violent insurrection.
Beginning with President Trump's first impeachment and ending with his second, FRANKLY, WE DID WIN THIS ELECTION chronicles the inside-the-room deliberations between Trump and his campaign team as they opened 2020 with a sleek political operation built to harness a surge of momentum from a bullish economy, a unified Republican Party, and a string of domestic and foreign policy successes-only to watch everything unravel when fortunes suddenly turned.
With first-rate sourcing cultivated from five years of covering Trump in the White House and both of his campaigns, Bender brings readers inside the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and into the front row of the movement's signature mega-rallies for the story of an epic election-year convergence of COVID, economic collapse, and civil rights upheaval-and an unorthodox president's attempt to battle it all.
Fresh interviews with Trump, key campaign advisers, and senior administration officials are paired with an exclusive collection of internal campaign memos, emails, and text messages for scores of never-before-reported details about the campaign.
FRANKLY, WE DID WIN THIS ELECTION is the inside story of how Trump lost, and the definitive account of his final year in office that draws a straight line from the president's repeated insistence that he would never lose to the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol that imperiled one of his most loyal lieutenants-his own vice president.
Michael C. Bender, senior White House reporter for the Wall Street Journal, presents a deeply reported account of the 2020 presidential campaign that details how Donald J. Trump became the first incumbent in three decades to lose reelection-and the only one whose defeat culminated in a violent insurrection.
Beginning with President Trump's first impeachment and ending with his second, FRANKLY, WE DID WIN THIS ELECTION chronicles the inside-the-room deliberations between Trump and his campaign team as they opened 2020 with a sleek political operation built to harness a surge of momentum from a bullish economy, a unified Republican Party, and a string of domestic and foreign policy successes-only to watch everything unravel when fortunes suddenly turned.
With first-rate sourcing cultivated from five years of covering Trump in the White House and both of his campaigns, Bender brings readers inside the Oval Office, aboard Air Force One, and into the front row of the movement's signature mega-rallies for the story of an epic election-year convergence of COVID, economic collapse, and civil rights upheaval-and an unorthodox president's attempt to battle it all.
Fresh interviews with Trump, key campaign advisers, and senior administration officials are paired with an exclusive collection of internal campaign memos, emails, and text messages for scores of never-before-reported details about the campaign.
FRANKLY, WE DID WIN THIS ELECTION is the inside story of how Trump lost, and the definitive account of his final year in office that draws a straight line from the president's repeated insistence that he would never lose to the deadly storming of the U.S. Capitol that imperiled one of his most loyal lieutenants-his own vice president.
Editorial Reviews
"Bombshell of a book."―Jake Tapper, CNN
"Belongs with the best of a rising group of Washington reporters." ―Bob Woodward, The Washington Post
"Great new book."―Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC
"Well-written and well-informed. [Bender] captures both the infighting in Trump's world and the surrounding social tectonics."―Lloyd Green, The Guardian
"A blockbuster book."―Kasie Hunt, MSNBC
"Highly anticipated book."―Hallie Jackson, MSNBC
"The reporting is extraordinary."―Adam Goldman, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting
"Endless revelations."―George Conway III, Washington Post contributing columnist
"A well-respected journalist."―Anderson Cooper, CNN
"A very reputable journalist."―Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard founder
"He's set the highest standards for the rest of us to follow."―Peter Baker, co-author of THE MAN WHO RAN WASHINGTON
"This book came out and pointed out…things that were more ugly than we thought."―Mia Love (R-UT), former congresswoman
"I've never seen or heard anything like it…This is really shocking." ―Paul Begala, former White House counselor to President Clinton
"He's one of the tough ones, but such beautiful hair."―Donald J. Trump, 45th president of the United States
"Bender debuts with an immersive, blow-by-blow rundown...he paints a credible portrait...he enriches the narrative with a sharp sense of humor...Political junkies will gobble this one up."―Publishers Weekly
"A thoroughly revealing account of a spectacularly inept presidential campaign that politics junkies will eat up."―Kirkus (starred review)
"Bender's deep dive will make a splash."―Booklist
"Deep reporting and solid sources who spoke with really extraordinary candor. The book...struck me so hard with its wonderful narrative thread on Trump's supporters. I loved this book."―Peggy Noonan, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, and columnist for The Wall Street Journal
"Incredibly engrossing-one of many reasons to buy this book. It's an important book for history, but it's also a big bowl of candy."―John Heilemann, co-author of GAME CHANGE, producer/co-star of Showtime's The Circus, host of Hell & High Water podcast
"Interesting to see how there was such back-biting and competition behind the scenes with the people closest to Trump...It was very competitive and very nasty."―Ga...
"Belongs with the best of a rising group of Washington reporters." ―Bob Woodward, The Washington Post
"Great new book."―Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC
"Well-written and well-informed. [Bender] captures both the infighting in Trump's world and the surrounding social tectonics."―Lloyd Green, The Guardian
"A blockbuster book."―Kasie Hunt, MSNBC
"Highly anticipated book."―Hallie Jackson, MSNBC
"The reporting is extraordinary."―Adam Goldman, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting
"Endless revelations."―George Conway III, Washington Post contributing columnist
"A well-respected journalist."―Anderson Cooper, CNN
"A very reputable journalist."―Bill Kristol, The Weekly Standard founder
"He's set the highest standards for the rest of us to follow."―Peter Baker, co-author of THE MAN WHO RAN WASHINGTON
"This book came out and pointed out…things that were more ugly than we thought."―Mia Love (R-UT), former congresswoman
"I've never seen or heard anything like it…This is really shocking." ―Paul Begala, former White House counselor to President Clinton
"He's one of the tough ones, but such beautiful hair."―Donald J. Trump, 45th president of the United States
"Bender debuts with an immersive, blow-by-blow rundown...he paints a credible portrait...he enriches the narrative with a sharp sense of humor...Political junkies will gobble this one up."―Publishers Weekly
"A thoroughly revealing account of a spectacularly inept presidential campaign that politics junkies will eat up."―Kirkus (starred review)
"Bender's deep dive will make a splash."―Booklist
"Deep reporting and solid sources who spoke with really extraordinary candor. The book...struck me so hard with its wonderful narrative thread on Trump's supporters. I loved this book."―Peggy Noonan, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, and columnist for The Wall Street Journal
"Incredibly engrossing-one of many reasons to buy this book. It's an important book for history, but it's also a big bowl of candy."―John Heilemann, co-author of GAME CHANGE, producer/co-star of Showtime's The Circus, host of Hell & High Water podcast
"Interesting to see how there was such back-biting and competition behind the scenes with the people closest to Trump...It was very competitive and very nasty."―Ga...
Readers Top Reviews
S RiazLoLotheprofKev
Having finished this book, I feel that it has positives and negatives, but the author - in attempting to remain 'fair,' or 'neutral,' does not seem to take a firm stance on events which it is seemingly impossible to see as anything but inexcusable. Although the author says this takes Trump from his first to second impeachment, it actually begins with his standing for President. His bragging, his open lies, his endless conspiracy theories, his brashness, his endless tweets, his shamelessness, his desire for applause and self-gratification. No sooner elected, but campaigning again to feed his ego. This campaigning was, of course, interrupted by the pandemic, just as Trump felt emboldened and confidently stating he would get a second term as President. As everyone saw, Trump was unable to take the situation seriously; playing it down, deflecting blame, lacking empathy, failing to take control. He gave no reassurance to anyone outside of his obsessive supporters - the 'Front Row Joes,' as they are, apparently, called. The author is fairly kindly towards this group, without really addressing their dangerous beliefs and bizarre conspiracy theories. The book takes us through the events of that last year of Trump's Presidency. The rising death toll, rising unemployment, Biden's nomination, racial tension, rally's in a pandemic, infighting, power struggles, bizarre photo calls, Trump's inability to debate with Biden without constantly interrupting him, his support, 'falling off a cliff,' and the refusal of anyone to take him to task, keep him on message and save the situation. Although, I suppose, the world should be grateful they couldn't, or didn't.... Of course, we all saw where this was going and I watched Trump, his son, Giuliani and others, give the call to arms which resulted in the attack on the Capitol. Even now, Trump refuses to take responsibility for what happened; still bemoaning the press being against him, his removal from social media, his part in the insurrection, his willingness to peddle lies, his self serving behaviour and his delusions. At times, you feel the author is too kindly towards him and his supporters and the dangerous behaviour that undermined democracy and those who are still keen to excuse the events which unfolded after the election. Still, this is a good record of what happened and is so bizarre that the events really speak for themselves.
Gazzarian
This headline is not meant as a criticism, but simply to point out to potential readers that this book is a narrative rather than an analysis. Mostly 'this happened, then she said that, then he did such and such'. And this has great value. There is no doubt that the author was very close to events, which I imagine is possibly because the WSJ was not as anti Trump as other mainstream media. To the extent that the book is judgemental, the negativity is focused on incompetence rather than morals, but the writer has the wisdom to let facts speak for themselves. If you think that the mishandling of race issues and the pandemic are what cost him the re-election, the book sets out in detail - almost day by day in parts - how Trump went about destroying his own candidacy. It is for that value that I felt it worth 5 stars. If you want a broader social or politico-historical analysis, on the other hand, you'd have to look elsewhere.
RTMstrawberriMasriki
Journalist Michael Bender gives the reader a behind the scenes look at Trump's chaotic last year as President, with a primary focus on his failed attempt to win reelection. On the plus side, Bender has done his homework, interviewing numerous White House aides and others, which results in many interesting, sometime shocking revelations. For example, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff confronts Trump, refusing his order to deploy active duty troops to attack protesters. However, I soon grew tired of reading the same basic storyline: dutiful (but often incompetent) White House aides try unsuccessfully to talk Trump out of some outrageous act, tweet, or speech. In addition, other more experienced advisors and appointees try and fail to get Trump to take seriously COVID, the Black Lives Matter movement, and other important national issues. The major problem with this book is that it simply reports, but does not evaluate, Trump's deep moral corruption, as well as his active attempts to undermine democracy, which still continue. Trump's actions demonstrated how fragile our democracy really is, and this deserves a serious analysis.
Zachary Long
The moment the author starts referring to anonymous staff told me, or anonymous resource I know told me, you start questioning the authenticity of the book, it is method of authors who seeks speedy recognition regardless of how accurate the story is.
linda galella
Michael C. Bender has done a commendable job presenting his insider look on how DJT came to lose the 2020 election. He spends a good portion of the book discussing Trump’s motivation from before he ran in 2016 as well as that first campaign. Without expressing his personal opinions, Bender makes his POV very clear with this carefully laid pathway. Just about every person you’ve ever heard of associated with Trump makes an appearance in this volume. What’s surprised me is how few of his opponents were given voice, Pelosi especially. Then again, that’s what raised my option of this book as DJT & NP barely interacted for the last 2 years of his presidency. There were others that did and are silent in this book. Basically, I found this volume to be free from media drama and hype but also missing a sharp reporter’s edge. Bender is a great writer and this book is easy to read and engaging for casual readers. For those who are looking for unique insights that his special access should have provided, I’m afraid it’s just not here?
