A Nation of Wusses

April 23, 2012
Former Pennsylvania governor Rendell promises big critiques and robust prescriptions in this scattered leadership manifesto and political memoir, but fails to deliver. As Rendell argues, “f we circle the wagons and seek to just protect what we have, then we will lose the spirit that has made America the greatest country in the world.” In addition, over-regulation and an absence of bold governing is making us “a nation of wusses.” Though these claims are sound, overall, his thinking and writing veer toward the reductive. He cites John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage and its portrayals of decisive political leadership, but the situations where he decries its absence smack of score settling, such as his defense of Hillary Clinton’s treatment of her campaign staff in the 2008 contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. His attacks on Republican legislative obstructionism follow the centrist Democratic Party line, but are undone by sloppiness. Later in the book, Rendell reasonably claims that “there is no greater example of the wussification of America than the growing neglect of our nation’s infrastructure,” but this scattershot collection of anecdotes, political autobiography, and fealty to the Clinton administration isn’t the best way to make a case for improving the government’s track record. Agent: Mel Berger, WME.

September 15, 2012
Veteran Democratic politico Rendell prescribes a potent tonic for today's anemic leadership, simultaneously looking back on his spirited 30-plus years in elected office. Whether as district attorney, mayor, governor or head of the Democratic National Committee, the author has always been a reliable source of unscripted, straight-from-the-gut observations. Despite the provocative title, however, he doesn't seem particularly interested in skewering political rivals. Rather than dwelling on the negatives, this famously loose cannon is earnestly preoccupied with finding workable solutions to the many problems he sees in the United States. Not surprisingly, the author's remedies trace back to policies he enacted as an elected official. But this is no ideological rant. In fact, the sheer joy with which Rendell recollects past victories and the raw enthusiasm he reserves for solving current problems are likely to win admirers of every political stripe. Where others may have viewed balancing budgets, cleaning up after snow storms and contending with critics as endless annoyances, Rendell appears to have genuinely enjoyed these challenges. While he supports Obama, he freely shows where the president has failed. He is most steadfast in his support for Hillary Clinton and writes that he is looking forward to putting a woman in the White House in 2016. A surprisingly jubilant treatise on American politics.

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