Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Battled the GOP to Set Up the 2012 Election

The veteran political journalist and New York Times bestselling author goes behind the scenes at the White House to recount the dramatic tale of the pivotal period of the Obama presidency, from the game-changing 2010 midterm elections to the beginning of the critical 2012 campaign season-a tumultuous time that tested the president as never before and set the stage for a titanic clash over the future of the nation.

David Corn—Washington Bureau Chief for Mother Jones magazine and New York Times bestselling author of Hubris (with Michael Isikoff) and The Lies of George W. Bush—now brings us  Showdown, the dramatic inside story of Barack Obama’s fight to save his presidency. With Bob Woodward-esque insight and narrative flair, Corn takes readers into the White House and behind the political scenes during the beleaguered president’s pivotal third year, and explores the most earth-shaking events of the Obama presidency—from the game changing 2010 elections to the Arab Spring, the debt ceiling battle with Congressional Republicans, the killing of Osama bin Laden and beyond.

Heading into the 2012 campaign, Barack Obama was coming off of a period of bitter battles with an emboldened Republican opposition dedicated to impeding his presidency. These crises and fierce debates transformed Obama and profoundly shaped the terrain for what would be his last election.

Drawing on interviews with high-ranking White House officials, Obama's inner circle, members of Congress, and others, David Corn takes the reader into the Oval Office and the back rooms on Capitol Hill for a fast-paced and gripping account of the major clashes and events that defined Obama's presidency, including the controversial tax-cut deal with Congress, the repeal of Don't Ask/Don't Tell, the near shutdown of the government, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the intense, high-wire debt-ceiling face-off.

A vivid and powerful account of White House decision making, Showdown offers a unique and enlightening look at the turbulent American political scene during one of the most consequential moments of the nation's history, and explains the fascinating and complicated leader at the heart of this vortex.

“Showdown chronicles the administration over the past two years.” - USA Today

“Insta-history of Obama... good.” - David Weigel, Slate.com

“Fine book about how the Obama administration maneuvered to it’s advantage in the face of the catastrophic loses of the 2010 midterm elections.” - Charles P. Pierce, Esquire

“A great book - the real inside story. If you want to understand the Obama White House and how Washington works, you have to read it.” - Chris Matthews

“Best account yet of how Obama strategizes.” - Jefferson Morley, Salon.com

“Veteran Washington journalist Corn highlights the Obama presidency’s most important and dramatic events ... the book brings a different perspective just as Obama fights for re-election.” - Publishers Weekly

“Why did Obama and Democrats pivot so hard towards deficit reductions, and away from job creation after the 2010 elections? We now have a book that sheds some fresh light on what drove this pivot. ... Corn reports on a number of behind the scene discussions...illuminating.” - Greg Sargent, the Washington Post

“ Showdown focuses on key moments of Obama’s presidency.” - Mackenzie Weinger, Politico.com

“A dramatic behind-the-scenes account of the decision making that occured within the Obama White House following the disastrous-for-Democrats 2010 midterm election... shows how Obama got his groove back in time for the 2012 campaign.” - Huffington Post

“Through the lens of policy battles, you get a remarkably vivid pen portrait of Obama himself and how he thinks.” - Kevin Drum, Mother Jones