Capturing future leaders: College textbook lists

Former government officials dominate bestseller lists

Reference: ìWhy Books Are The Hot Medium,î by David Kirkpatrick, New York Times, 25 April, p. WK1.

Clarke, OíNeill channeled by Suskind, Karen Hughes, House of Saud/House of Bush, Woodward, and Kitty Kelleyóall bestsellers or certain to be.

All backward looking. All deciding whoís really to blame (or praiseófor Hughes). Almost nothing worth reading about the future. No answers to anything pressing right now. Just finger-pointing. Who knew what and when did they know it. Gotcha journalism elevated to literary pretensions.

Publishers are loving all these best-sellers, but some in the industry fret that serious non-fiction books are being hurt in the process, claiming these instant histories are just very large magazine stories. Leon Wieseltier, literary editor of the New Republic says all of the books ìlacked thoughtfulness, interpretative insight or literary quality that should distinguish books from newspapers or magazinesî (this is the journalist writing, not an exact quote).

Clearly, I hope my book doesnít get seen as falling into that category. Iím not enough of an insider to tell all, plus I havenít left the government in a snit. I hope people do see some thoughtfulness in the material, otherwise it has been a waste of time. I guess the biggest mistake I have made in the book was my decision to blame generally and praise specifically. When I was on my Premediated Media Tour in DC a month ago, a very famous political talk show host I met asked me pointedly about the book: ìIs it hard on Rummy? Cause if youíve got something specific, weíll have you on.î

Wow. What a concept. Have my entire career reduced to crapping on Rummy on national television. Something to tell my grandkids.

Thatís the game right now. Finger someone and run with it for all its worth. I think Iím going to have to satisfy myself with capturing future leadersóboth inside the military and inside politicsówith the vision Iím pushing. Todayís leaders are simply too caught up in the political games of DC to reach with anything this complex and demanding.

Forget the bestseller list, Iím shooting for the college textbook lists.