The Presidency Light Side Up

Veteran newscaster John Chancellor is the host for this compilation of excerpts taken from panel presentations at the University of California featuring past presidential chiefs of staff, press secretaries, and campaign managers. Chancellor fires a question to each participant who, in turn, offers his or her pet anecdote--which range from mildly amusing to pretty funny. Two of my favorites were from Theodore Sorenson and Susan Estrich: the former recalls that his most effective way to defuse a harebrained scheme of Kennedy's was to tell him "that sounds like something Dick Nixon would have suggested," and Estrich recalls the immortal moment when Michael Dukakis strapped on an Army helmet and looked a mite foolish on the national evening news. Other panelists include Jody Powell, Pierre Salinger, Gary Hart, and the late H.R. Haldeman. While there are a few smiles here, this is too choppy, uneven, and brief to appeal beyond the Poli-Sci crowd. Not a necessary purchase. (R. Pitman)