{"product_id":"dont-tell-the-president-the-best-worst-and-mostly-untold-stories-from-presidential-advance","title":"Don't Tell the President: The Best, Worst, and Mostly Untold Stories from Presidential Advance","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDukakis is in the tank! The Queen looks like a talking purple hat! We didn't leave Chelsea Clinton in Moscow, right?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe most harrowing and hilarious stories behind presidential events over the past sixty years--from the Rose Garden to Air Force One, foreign trips to the campaign trail--detailing the art of preparation that goes into these delicate, high stress operations and revealing how they have often been one step away from disaster.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eFeaturing a foreword by Jon Meacham\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDon't Tell the President\u003c\/i\u003e is a collection of the greatest tales of triumph and near-crisis in presidential advance. Behind every seamless campaign appearance and presidential affair lies the meticulous work of event planners and advance teams--the little-known professionals who transform political logistics into carefully choreographed performances.\u003cbr\u003eHere are illuminating first-hand accounts from dedicated employees who worked for every modern-day president from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama, a few First Ladies, a few vice presidents, and a few wannabes.\u003cbr\u003eExperience some of the most searing events from behind the scenes, including: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMemorable moments from the campaign trail, including Lyndon Johnson's 1960 trip to Boston as John Kennedy's newly minted running mate and Barack Obama's first rally appearance with Oprah.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRiveting accounts from the advance team with President Reagan on the day he was shot to the terrible hours on 9\/11 from someone who was on Air Force One with President Bush.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThose hectic and often historic foreign trips including Vice President George Bush's cloak-and-dagger trip in Communist Poland; President Reagan's \"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall\" speech in Berlin; and President George W. Bush's secret trip to Iraq on Thanksgiving Day.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd a few stories when the foreign dignitaries came to visit us, including Queen Elizabeth's famous \"talking purple hat\" speech on the South Lawn of the White House.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd an all-star team of advance contributors - many who went on to be political figures themselves including former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; radio host and CNN contributor Michael Smerconish; and former Senator Rob Portman. Also, a first-hand account from former Secret Service agent Barbara Riggs who had to deal with inappropriate advances of Manuel Noreiga.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnd yes, the regrettable and now infamous gaffes, when Bob Dole's campaign event turned into a photo op with Woody Woodpecker, Frankenstein, Charlie Chaplin, and Mae West; and when a pig relieved himself on Vice President George Bush on a farm in Iowa.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAllowing us to witness presidential history and politics from a new angle, \u003ci\u003eDon't Tell the President\u003c\/i\u003e brings together the hilarious chaos of \u003ci\u003eVeep\u003c\/i\u003e and the grandeur of \u003ci\u003eThe West Wing\u003c\/i\u003e. It is a memorable and at times laugh-out loud funny look at how many presidential events happen--and how many almost went awry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"display:none\"\u003eISBN-10: 0063446774\u003cbr\u003eISBN-13: 9780063446779\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: Becker, Jean, Collamore, Tom\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Harper\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"HardCover (Feb 2026)","offer_id":45937577001157,"sku":"9780063446779","price":30.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6414\/2533\/files\/9780063446779_3f3856f5-c55f-4e36-88d3-2a076ca665ba.jpg?v=1772881079","url":"https:\/\/www.inveni.store\/products\/dont-tell-the-president-the-best-worst-and-mostly-untold-stories-from-presidential-advance","provider":"Inveni","version":"1.0","type":"link"}