Renegade: The Making of a President

Richard Wolffe spoke about his book, Renegade: The Making of a President (Crown; June 2, 2009), about President Obama’s presidential election campaign and the strategies the campaign employed. Mr. Wolffe covered the Obama campaign for Newsweek. He reacted to several video clips. He also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Video clips were shown of State Senator Obama delivering the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston on July 24, 2004; Senator Obama’s presidential campaign announcement in Springfield on February 10, 2007; a campaign speech at a Jefferson Jackson Day event in Iowa on November 10, 2007; an exchange between Senators Clinton and Obama during a televised debate in New Hampshire on January 5, 2008; Senator Clinton being interviewed in New Hampshire on January 7, 2008; Senator Obama’s New Hampshire primary concession speech on January 8, 2008; Senator Obama’s speech on race in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008; and Senators McCain and Obama at the Al Smith Dinner in New York City on October 16, 2008. Scenes were shown in the background from Senator Obama’s nomination acceptance in Denver on August 28, 2008; Senator Kennedy’s endorsement on January 28, 2008; and President-Elect Obama’s victor speech in Chicago on November 4, 2008. close