An insider’s view

WINNING RIGHT: CAMPAIGN POLITICS AND CONSERVATIVE POLICIES

By Ed Gillespie, Threshold Editions, $26, 287 pages

Ed Gillespie and I have a lot more in common than most people know. We both come from big, Irish Catholic families. We were both close to our dads, each named Jack, each a veteran of some of the fiercest battles of World War II. And both of us named our sons Jack in honor of their granddads.

Like me, Ed thought that George W. Bush looked wobbly and off his game in his first debate with John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign. As Ed tells us in his new book, “Winning Right,” Bush adviser Dan Bartlett visited the president in his waiting room just before that debate and came out shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “I took it to mean we were in for a long night,” Ed explains, deadpan, in the same easy-going, straightforward tone that makes this book such a fun read.

What comes through on almost every page is that Ed is a very likeable guy with a great sense of humor. It comes through in the book that he pinches himself every day that a kid from New Jersey could work his way up to chairman of the Republican National Committee. He also presents a convincing case that the vast majority of people in politics are working out of conviction and principles. The book is a staunch defense of President Bush and his administration, but there are moments a Democrat like me can appreciate.

Ed came up through the ranks of the Republican Party, starting as a parking-lot attendant and his first time in the RNC building was down in the basement making money calls. He sprinkles the book freely with useful political insights, like “Knockouts usually come from a counterpunch” and “If you can name something, you can control it.” The book jumps around a little, moving from theme to theme rather than progressing chronologically, but it’s such a good read, I’m sure that won’t slow anyone in Washington down.

Having worked on so many campaigns, Ed makes sure to include some behind-the-scenes stories, especially from Elizabeth Dole’s 2002 Senate race against Erskine Bowles. He describes an upbeat ad spot put together late in the campaign, featuring Bob Dole’s familiar deep voice in the background, describing his wife’s “wonderful qualities.”

Then at the end of the spot, the voiceover said, “Take it from me, someone who’s lived with her for years,” and the camera cut to Leader, the Dole family dog, “whose lips were made to move through computer graphics as if he were the one saying the words.”

Sounds like a great ad. Ed thought it was hilarious, but held off on putting the ad on the air in case the campaign opted to run a tougher ad against Erskine.

“Elizabeth,” Ed told the candidate. “We can’t be talking about talking dogs anymore.”

As much as I enjoyed the human glimpses of Ed’s years in politics, learning at the knee of my friend Haley Barbour, as a Democrat I had to shake my head here and there. I especially got a kick out of the way Ed complains repeatedly in his book about the so-called liberal bias of the mainstream media. I guess he must not read The Washington Times. Or listen to Rush Limbaugh. Or watch Fox News.

He talks about the fight over the 2000 recount in Florida and tries to make it sound like the Democrats out-lawyered the Republicans, who were like choir boys. Now we all know that Tom DeLay sent his thugs down to Florida and had them banging on doors and windows and closing down recount places.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is the section on judicial appointments, where Ed gives behind-the-scenes glimpses of his work as White House coordinator on the Supreme Court nominations of John Roberts, Harriet Miers and Samuel Alito. He gives his honest opinions on the nominees and even includes an honest opinion from his wife.

Both Ed and his wife liked and respected Ms. Miers and knew her well, but Ed’s wife gave him a strong warning one night in bed shortly before Ms. Miers’ doomed Supreme Court nomination was announced.

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