Speech-less: Tales of a White House Survivor

By Matthew Latimer

Book Overview

From a top speechwriter to President George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, this may be the most deliciously candid memoir ever written about official Washington-a laugh-out-loud cri de coeur that shows what can happen to idealism in a town driven by self-interest. Despite being raised by reliably liberal parents, Matt Latimer is, from an early age, lured by the upbeat themes of the Reagan Revolution and, in the tradition of Mary Tyler Moore, sets off from the Midwest for the big city, determined to "make it after all." In Matt's glory-filled daydreams, he will champion smaller government and greater self-sufficiency, lower taxes and stronger defense-and, by the force of his youthful passion, eradicate do-nothing boondoggleism and lead America to new heights of greatness. But first he has to find a job. Like an inside-the-Beltway Dante, Matt chronicles his descent into Washington, D.C., hell, as he snares a series of increasingly lofty-but unsatisfying-jobs with powerful figures on Capitol Hill. One boss can't remember basic facts. Another appears to hide from his own staff, barricading himself in his office. When Fate offers Matt a job as chief speechwriter for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Matt finds he actually admires the man (causing his liberal friends to shake their heads in dismay), his youthful passion is renewed. But Rummy soon becomes a pi?ata for the press, and the Department of Defense is revealed as alarmingly dysfunctional. Eventually, Matt lands at the White House, his heart aflutter with the hope that, here at last, he can fulfill his dream of penning words that will become part of history-and maybe pick up some cool souvenirs. But reality intrudes once again. More likeThe Office than The West Wing, the nation's most storied office building is a place where the staffers who run the country are in way over their heads, and almost everything the public has been told about the major players-Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Rove-is wrong. Both a rare behind-the-scenes account that boldly names the fools and scoundrels, and a poignant lament for the principled conservatism that disappeared during the Bush presidency, Speech-Less will forever change the public's view of our nation's capital and the people who joust daily for its power.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307463729
• ISBN13: 9780307463722
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Crown
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 2.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.1" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

Excellant Read

I have thoroughly enjoyed Speech-less. It is informative and humorous. Latimer doesn't set out to destoy anyone politically or otherwise. It seems that the facts as stated are as Matt Latimer saw them. It is written so well that with a little effort on the readers part, that they could gain a feeling of actually knowing the subjects without having ever met them. His style of writing reminded me of the tv show, The Wonder Years. Many of the paragraphs ended with a humorous punch line, sort of like Keven Arnold in that tv series as he narriated his life, ending each segment of narration with something humorous. As I said, it was also very informative, in that it explains a lot of what goes on behind the scenes in the House, Senate, and the White house, most of which I never knew or could have imagined. I have a different perspective when one of the politicians steps up to the microphone. Mostly his 'thoughts' are not really his, but something that was written to mostly to make him/her look good. Of course to do that it must be something they think the public wants to hear. I cannot imagine anyone reading this book and not thoroughly enjoying it unless they are reading to dig up the dirt on someone. If that is your goal, skip this book.

Fun Reading For Everyone

Even though I don't read a lot of books about politics, I enjoyed every page of this book. First of all, it's extremely funny. Second, it's a great window into "how the sausages are made" -- how Washington really works (or doesn't work). Third, it's a book that people can enjoy whether they are Republicans or Democrats, because Latimer doesn't take sides. He just describes what he saw -- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Funny, Insightful Read from a DC Insider

Matt Latimer's memoir is a humorous and candid take on life in Washington D.C. and the leaders we send there. His book exposes the other side of the people who we only see during their campaigns when they are nicely scripted and polished, promising the moon when they know they can't deliver it. The author puts a human face on the distant government monolith and he says a lot of things that many people across the country are thinking but that they have had no one to voice. I really appreciated his openness and honesty. Frankly it is heartening to know that there are people in Washington who really do care about principles and are not merely seeking power and prestige.

Finally, a conservative memoir from an actual conservative!

Who said conservatives aren't funny? Matt Latimer's journey to and through America's most powerful city is a very funny and well-told story from a guy that everyone can identify with. Not your average political memoir, it's a must read for anyone interested in politics or thinking about moving to Washington, DC. Latimer doesn't pull punches against pols that deserve criticism, but he also lets the reader know who the good guys are. Unlike so many books about Washington, this one is so entertaining that I can easily see it being turned into a movie or TV show someday. I look forward to reading more from Matt in the years ahead.

What working in Washington is REALLY like

I'd heard about this book through friends of mine and something that leaked about it in the Washington Post this summer, and we couldn't WAIT for it to come out. So many of us come to Washington to "change the world" and so many of continue to plug away at just that, every day. What I wish more of us would do is write about what working in this town is really like. It's funny, it's scary, it's sad, it's quirky, it's frustrating, and it's awe-inspiring... all at the same time. As someone who's lived and worked in DC for the past 20 years (cripes, am I that old?), it's refreshing to read memoirs that take risks and share stories that aren't always the most flattering -- whether it's about a certain subject or the author him/herself. When I read Matt's book, I cringed at some of the things he admitted to saying, doing, and thinking, and other times, I wanted to cheer him on. I found it interesting that he didn't try to shove down our throat his own opinion about how things should work, or how he would've done things differently. Those kinds of books make me nuts. Instead, I felt like I was reading some real reporting about what his life was like -- good and bad -- in working on the Hill and in the White House. The Pentagon chapter was good, too. His writing is strong, and he really has a confident voice in his storytelling. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good, funny book, and who wants to learn what the day-to-day life is like in Washington.