Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter's Story by Michael Isikoff: Book Review

Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter's Story was published in 1999. Michael Isikoff, the author of the critically acclaimed book chronicles his own reporting of the Lewinsky story. President Clinton's affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky received as much attention as the Watergate scandal. And, like Watergate, it was a reporter who broke the story. A critic for The Washington Post-Los Angeles Times news service hailed it as "the absolutely essential narrative of the scandal with revelations that no one would have thought possible." The bookwas also a New York Times bestseller and was named Best Non-Fiction Book of 1999 by the Book of the Month Club.

A quarter of a century ago Woodward and Bernstein's All the President's Men shocked the nation by exposing Nixon's presidency that was in turmoil. Newsweek reporter Michael Isikoff's Uncovering Clinton is equally shocking. The behind-the-scenes account of the scandals that shook the Clinton presidency was also equally explosive. Michael Isikoff by revealing the stories of Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Monica Lewinsky brought into public view Bill Clinton's personal and political life. This shocked the world. Isikoff in this book has chronicled Clinton's conduct throughout his presidency from Little Rock, Arkansas, to the Oval Office.

In Uncovering Clinton, Isikoff describes all the behind-the-scenes machinations at the White House, at the Kenneth Starr Office, and at Newsweek during the entire affair. He talks about his dealings with Paula Jones and Katherine Willey and most importantly his contact with Linda Tripp who turned out to be the prime mover behind the expose.

Uncovering Clinton is a gripping narrative with some entertaining and rather peculiar characters. He has managed to give a thoroughly fair account of the major events as also of the major characters that were a part of the Clinton scandals. On all accounts it is the most authoritative account of the biggest political scandal since Watergate. Being a reporter for the Washington Post and Newsweek, Michael Isikoff could astutely observe the Clinton presidency. He was one of the first reporters to question the president's behavior.

The book makes for some interesting reading as the author book provides us with not only his investigation of scandals such as Bill Clinton's personal misdemeanors, financial dealings connected to the Whitewater real estate development as well as the motivation that was behind the attempt to reorganize the White House travel office but also his experiences and difficulties he faced to obtain the approval of editors to publish his stories that were critical of the President. He also gives an account of the frustrating experiences he faced on his journalistic trail, the problems he faced while trying to get information from the White House Staff, the various occasions he fell victim to the machinations of Matt Grudge, an online gossip columnist, and Linda Tripp and her agent Lucianne Goldberg, as they tried to get the president into a compromising situation. He also reveals how as he began investigations into the allegations he himself was pulled in as a player in the drama. In spite of all this he succeeded in uncovering Clinton.

In the book, Uncovering Clinton, Isikoff gives a behind-the-scenes account of the investigative role he plays to bring to light the scandals that rocked President Clinton's second term and the defining moment of his presidency when there was a historic vote for his impeachment. The book deals with the psychologically troubling behavior of a president, an Administration that allowed Clinton to do what he did, a miscellaneous group of Clinton-haters who could do anything to topple the president. He also exposes the media that keeps changing rapidly. The book has never-before-told information and some intriguing stories about the Clinton scandals. One of the publishers of this book (Crown Publishers) has listed them as:

1. Reasons behind why some Washington Post reporters and editors believed Paula Jones's story and why Isikoff's story was later killed before it ran.
2. How George Stephanopoulos covered for Clinton as Isikoff pursued the Paula Jones story.
How Lucianne Goldberg' was actually scheming to bring down Clinton and betray Monica Lewinsky and how she wanted to write a book about it
3. The truth behind Hillary Clinton's "vast right-wing conspiracy" where a coterie of right-wing lawyers secretly wrote the Jones legal briefs and organized to bring the Lewinsky story to the public
4. How Linda Tripp manipulated Ken Starr's prosecutors into launching a criminal investigation into the Lewinsky matter while withholding critical information, including her repeated contacts with Isikoff.

There is a special genre of books where the journalists place themselves at the center of their investigations and give the reader a view of their reporting techniques, the ethical decisions they take in the course of their writing and the thought processes that go into the writing of the book. Uncovering Clinton written in a chronological manner belongs to this special genre where reporters hold centre stage. All the President's Men by Woodward and Bernstein is another book belonging to this genre. Both the books are investigative projects. All The President's Men made its two writers heroes and inspired, among others, Michael Isikoff'. The subject of his book is similar, instead of the President's men, it is the women! Like Woodward and Bernstein, who accepted their ethical lapses while writing it, Isikoff too confesses that while trying to get into ''treacherous and uncharted territory'' he has resorted to some improper reporting. Here he talks about his role in tracking down the story. He comes to know that the President knew he was working on it much before it was ready to be published. Isikoff reflections in the book like ''what in God's name was I in the middle of?'', 'for the first time really, to feel strange myself about what was going on -- and what I was doing'' and ''that should have been apparent much earlier: I was in the middle of a plot to get the President'' describe his bewilderment and apprehension. There are many instances in the book where he expresses concern for his sources and his tactics to get information and access. For instance in justifying his tactics to gain access to the tapes that have conversations between Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky, Isikoff says, "It is the way reporters operate: We threaten, we cajole, we feign sympathy."

Uncovering Clinton is a very useful book and can be used as a reference point to understand why Bill Clinton was impeached. One can learn a lot from the book if read with an unbiased view and an objective view. You get an explanation as to why Bill Clinton deserved to be impeached and also why Linda Tripp deserves to be jailed. This book establishes many points and gives a deep insight into the happenings during Clinton's tenure. According to one critic (Ref.2) of the book some of the points it establishes are:

1. The book vindicates Paula Jones and makes the reader sympathize with her

2. It establishes that Kathleen Willey was almost assaulted by the President.

3. Clinton abused his power and used private detectives to intimidate the women with whom he had illicit relationships

4. It was Linda Tripp who set up the president and Monica Lewinsky

The aim of the book is not only to expose the President's extra-marital affairs but also to disclose, as Isikoff says in an interview "a pattern of reckless behavior that stretched back many years ... and continued well into well into his office. A pattern of behavior that was guaranteed to get him into political trouble and there's a lot of untold stories that are in this book for the first time ... to try to explain that. He was able to show how different Clinton was from the earlier presidents like George Washington who said "I can not tell a lie" and Harry Truman who said "The buck stops here." These presidents were so morally correct. This President lies to his citizens without any hesitation or accountability. Isikoff details these lies and in the process does an excellent job.

Isikoff makes it clear that he has not written the book for sensationalizing the scandal. He carefully documents his justification for his tracking down the President's lapses. He says that he began to investigate the President's doings not only because he had committed adultery but because the President's behavior was ''a continuing pattern of reckless and even compulsive behavior that, if true, would almost surely affect the course of his Presidency.'' According to him the fact that Clinton hired a high-profile criminal defense lawyer proved the legitimacy of his story. Here he says ''The fact that the President would hire Bob Bennett to represent him against the claims of Paula Jones bestowed official legitimacy on a story that, until then, The Post had been afraid to touch". And he was sure he was justified in publishing the story when the Supreme Court rejected the President's claim of immunity from civil litigation while in office.

One of the strengths of this book is Isikoff's perspective as the key investigative reporter. He was at the very centre of all the action that was taking place and was often drawn into the conflicts. But yet he was able to hold on to his personal and professional integrity. His was an honest pursuit. His stories are factual and give an excellent account of the players in the drama. He was able to keep his integrity in the midst of all the calculating and deceitful people.

This book can be recommended to all who want to understand Clinton and know about the players involved in the scandal. Isikoff's struggle to publish this information gives us an idea of how the senior print editors and TV producers have the power to decide what should be made known to the public and when it should be made. It is of interest to people who are interested in knowing what happens in the back-room of our politicians.

Uncovering Clinton is significant in that it reveals to what extent people in power can scheme to stay in power. All future historians can use it as a primary source when they want to do research on the Clinton scandal. It is by far the best exposition of the Clinton crisis with in depth insights and revelations. The author's conclusion at the end that, 'Presidents ought not to be permitted to deceive the public. Clinton did so repeatedly and brazenly ' is a lesson for all.

References

1. Isikoff Michael (1999), Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter's Story. Crown Publishers, 1^st Edition

2. Review from http://www.amazon.com/Uncovering-Clinton-Reporters-Michael-Isikoff/dp/0609603930. Retrieved on 19/11/08