So I've read 'peril' during my holiday. Written by Bob Woodward and Robert Acosta. It's about the last days of Trump's presidency and the first hundred of Biden's. Though it is a long read and is heavily documented, it both documents and (imho) misses details that might've been revealed later. Then again: even as is, it's a rather chilling book.
I have to admit the whole insurrection thing was what sparked my morbid curiosity prior to getting this book from my local library (note: it's the English version). It both fulfilled that curiosity and left me hungry for more. That is: the book takes place while many of us were stuck in their houses. And as such, I followed news outlets a whole lot more than I would've if I was working. Details like how Trump was escorted to the white house instead of the capitol, or that he threw his food against a wall in frustration for not being there simply aren't mentioned. Either because they weren't known, not particularly deemed relevant or both. But at the same time, Woodward and Acosta highlight aspects that were never given the proper limelight given the circumstances. In fact, the book opens with one such event...
Did you know America and China almost went to war with each other?
China hardly ever made public statements about covid, whereas Trump kept insisting China was to blame for everything because the virus originated there. By itself it wasn't much diplomatic dispute, but in the early aftermath of Trump's electoral defeat, China honestly worried Trump sought a distraction that would allow him to remain in power. A distraction like starting a war with China. General Mark Milley, then joint chief of staff in the administration, certainly worried about such a coup and desperately tried to keep the Chinese at ease while also trying to dismantle the famously impulsive president's temper.
But the book is equally so about Joe Biden. About him seeing the events in Charlottesville and decided then and there that he was going to run for president. With all the struggles and issues that came with it. How his allies and himself got him the nomination, how he picked Harris for vice president, his alliance with Sanders to defeat Trump...those things. But also his struggles about his diseased son Beau or his prodigal son Hunter(1).
Of course it also goes into great length about the then-rising pandemic and the difference in stance between the two runners. Trump publicly dismissing and minimizing the effect, Biden urging everyone to stay at home. Trump openly tearing off his mask on full display, Biden cautiously showing him getting vaccinated.
The ironic thing: it is really under Trump's watch that the vaccine was developed at a record level high. It might very well be his best act as president (and I say that as someone reading the book)...but rather than taking credit for the work he royally screwed up with gaffes (remember him suggesting bleach injection?) and politicizing it (can we roll out the vaccine BEFORE the election?).
This highlights a second thing that was pretty unknown to me: the transition period between the two presidents. Or rather: the lack thereof, at least in the vaccination program. Here the book shows great frustration from most likely a lot of interviewees: they did everything to develop a vaccine at an unprecedented speed(2) but there was zero interest in distribution anymore. Biden fought hard and surpassed even his best estimated rollouts, but that newsbit too was drowned in the fact that still many died of covid on a daily basis.
...and of course there's the whole election thing. While the book mentions Trump talking about election fraud long before the election, it isn't harping about that fact. Instead, it cites people that Trump quietly more or less accepted his defeat in the first days after the election(3), but was pretty much talked into the conspiracy by people who told him what he wanted to hear. I personally think this is a feedback loop (he first talked about potential election fraud "in case he didn't win", then others start looking at particular aspects through the expectation to find fraud), but the book doesn't go there.
It does, of course, mentions that it WAS a particular election. Mail-in votes were always added to the count later, and due to the pandemic there were a lot more remote votes than usual.
There ware also a whole lot more people voting than normal. I personally wish I could attribute that to Sanders' strong stance making Biden "lean left" (as republicans cited in the book called it), but given the average American person's mindset that's not very likely(4). The most common speculation is that everyone was tired of Trump's shenanigans. Him picking fights with everyone all the time. He very much had his base (heck: he had more votes than in 2016), but he wasn't an outsider anymore. Anyone that wasn't a fan would pick anyone over four more years of Trump(5).
The chaos following the death of George Floyd was...interesting. The hard line Trump tried to sell wasn't shared by his staff. Jasper Esper only accidentally happened to wear kaki when he was suddenly made to march to Lafayette square, thus accidentally being part of Trump's implication that the army was on his side.
Which, to be clear, wasn't. Milley and the general staff just tried to remain neutral in those rowdy days. Milley also wanted to prevent a war with China despite Trump carelessly putting the blame of the rising death toll in their responsibility.
The book of course goes in detail about the schemes Giuliani and his team tried to pull. Recounts, pressure on the voting overseers, sowing doubt on the results. The fake electors get a small mention, but I presume that's because the trials weren't made public yet.
Pence really gets portrayed as a fall guy in this book. The idea was absurd but simple: he was just to say that the vote count in some states "were too close to be considered in this election", and thereby scrapped from the count. Conveniently, it were seven large states that went to Biden. Without those, Trump would've been the winner.
The play of course presumed that democrats wouldn't agree to it. But that was okay: that dispute would have to be solved by the senate...that was under control of republicans. Win-win for the Trump team, right?
...except it never was a plan. It was controversial and ridiculed by clerks from the start (I unfortunately forgot the names. Just someone named 'Short', one of Pence's team remained stuck in my memory). Vice presidents never had such power and there was no way to just break the law like that. Pence informed himself by another vice president (Dan Quayle, iirc) who told him the same thing. This lead to Pence saying no to the plan Trump was excited about. Perhaps (probably?) the first and only time Pence ever said no to his boss. Who of course didn't like it.
But even so the plan failed for two other reasons. One: those seven states that were planned to be scrapped were never informed about this. Sure, there were some recounts going on, but they all just presumed Biden would still remain the victor in their state.
Reason two is tactically even more dumb. See, 2020 wasn't just election year for the president, but also for the senate. And where republicans gotten their ass handed to them in 2018, they were regaining ground in the 2020 election. A victory seemed likely. In the end it just hinged on 3 states that had to do a second round of voting. But this was in december, and Trump really wasn't into defending anyone but himself. He didn't endorse anyone. Just started blaming voting machines, "deep state" and more.
The book really alledges it is because of that attitude, none of the three states went to republicans. What instead happened was a perfect 50-50 split (meaning: the vice president would break ties).
Of course it's hindsight, but there were genuine suspicious activities being found by intelligence leading up to january 6th. They were mostly ignored. In part because Lafayette square had portrayed USA as a grim police state. Members of the administration admit they never anticipated things getting out of control as much as they did.
Trump's apathy on those events is almost legendary. His own staff, even his own daughter, had to beg him to intervene. The most chilling part to me is when McConnell called Trump urging him to make a public statement to back off the attackers. His response was a shrug and a "I guess they care more about the election result than you did"(6).
While the insurection's obviously the high point of the book...it's only about halfway through the book itself. Once Biden's sworn in, it's almost as if reading an entirely different book rather than a next chapter. Biden's all about getting the vaccines to people, restoring foreign relationships and settling in.
...which, for Biden, also the retreat from Afghanistan. For the army, it wasn't exactly a winning position. Biden describes the US army as a sort of evergrowing beast. Send troops out and they're in danger? Send more troops. Still danger? More troops. And so on. He had warned Obama that the generals would try to "box him in"(7), which is why there were still troops out back then. Besides: Trump had promised the Taliban a full retreat by May 2021, an offer that promptly caused them to not provoke anyone.
It now provided a stranglehold deadline on the fresh Biden administration that wanted to get everyone out.
Well..."everyone" depends on whom you ask. Biden and his allies (Clayborn, iirc) wanted exactly everyone, the military staff wanted a reserve unit. The book ends before that is completely sorted out. It also ends before it becomes clear that the Taliban flat out take over the region, thus eliminating all the work of the last 18 years.
Another aspect (and struggle) of Biden's presidency is the care package. With the pandemic causing everyone indoors, Biden wants to step in and help the common Americans. The initial rounds of negotiations with republicans are a failure (Biden wants 1.9 trillion, republicans less than a third). Unfortunately, the 50-50 split makes things near impossible. Most notably: Joe Manchin.
Manchin's an interesting figure in politics. He's described as joyful, playing ball and a team player...but he puts his state (West Virginia, iirc) first. And he can't sell to his public that staying at home nets you more money than going to work.
It is eventually settled, but it shows some pretty thorough politically wheeling and dealing.
...which is a huge difference from Donald Trump, who barely gets mentioned of things. He's looking up. His ban from twitter left him kind of happy, really. He's playing golf. Meeting some friends he made along the way. And when Kevin McCarthey and others tell him he can lead the republicans to victory later he's listening. Not when they're saying he should let go of his loss, but he's listening...
...and that's roughly the end of the book. It's clearly published before it became clear he took lots of secret documents. It's before the war in Ukraine (though it mentions a meeting between Biden and Putin...a much colder one than Trump used to do). And before Trump got buried under dozens of law suits.
The book ends by drawing a parallel with 1930's germany, namely the Reichstag fire. Though self-inflicted by the nazis, it gave a then not very known Hitler the means to grasp the reigns of power and put democracy aside. Was the attack on the capitol similar? Is it showing how far people are willing to go when they're told that their voices don't matter? Is this the prelude of a much larger struggle?
The book doesn't answer...
(1): while it's only briefly mentioned: Hunter was apparently dealing with a crack addiction and started affair with the widow of his diseased brother. There is no mention of Hunter otherwise. Not his political dealings, not his laptop, not his influence on decision making.
(2): that is within lawful periods. However, Donald Trump regarded the waiting times as unneeded administration whereas these laws are literally about the safety of people
(3): meaning: defending his 'I won' position when asked, but not acting on it at all. Ignoring news that doesn't suit him was always his coping mechanism
(4): Bernie Sanders is a socialist. And for most Americans, that's literally a bad word
(5): there's also the more sinister aspect at play: vaccine denial was a whole lot more in demand by republicans, which caused the death toll to claim much more (voting) republicans. This part wasn't in the book, though.
(6): for me it's also the best evidence that he's a sociopath: I honestly don't think he can understand the feelings and thoughts of anyone but himself
(7): though it's explained, I can't really define it. It's sort of them giving equally bad options or providing doom scenarios...I think.
I have to admit the whole insurrection thing was what sparked my morbid curiosity prior to getting this book from my local library (note: it's the English version). It both fulfilled that curiosity and left me hungry for more. That is: the book takes place while many of us were stuck in their houses. And as such, I followed news outlets a whole lot more than I would've if I was working. Details like how Trump was escorted to the white house instead of the capitol, or that he threw his food against a wall in frustration for not being there simply aren't mentioned. Either because they weren't known, not particularly deemed relevant or both. But at the same time, Woodward and Acosta highlight aspects that were never given the proper limelight given the circumstances. In fact, the book opens with one such event...
Did you know America and China almost went to war with each other?
China hardly ever made public statements about covid, whereas Trump kept insisting China was to blame for everything because the virus originated there. By itself it wasn't much diplomatic dispute, but in the early aftermath of Trump's electoral defeat, China honestly worried Trump sought a distraction that would allow him to remain in power. A distraction like starting a war with China. General Mark Milley, then joint chief of staff in the administration, certainly worried about such a coup and desperately tried to keep the Chinese at ease while also trying to dismantle the famously impulsive president's temper.
But the book is equally so about Joe Biden. About him seeing the events in Charlottesville and decided then and there that he was going to run for president. With all the struggles and issues that came with it. How his allies and himself got him the nomination, how he picked Harris for vice president, his alliance with Sanders to defeat Trump...those things. But also his struggles about his diseased son Beau or his prodigal son Hunter(1).
Of course it also goes into great length about the then-rising pandemic and the difference in stance between the two runners. Trump publicly dismissing and minimizing the effect, Biden urging everyone to stay at home. Trump openly tearing off his mask on full display, Biden cautiously showing him getting vaccinated.
The ironic thing: it is really under Trump's watch that the vaccine was developed at a record level high. It might very well be his best act as president (and I say that as someone reading the book)...but rather than taking credit for the work he royally screwed up with gaffes (remember him suggesting bleach injection?) and politicizing it (can we roll out the vaccine BEFORE the election?).
This highlights a second thing that was pretty unknown to me: the transition period between the two presidents. Or rather: the lack thereof, at least in the vaccination program. Here the book shows great frustration from most likely a lot of interviewees: they did everything to develop a vaccine at an unprecedented speed(2) but there was zero interest in distribution anymore. Biden fought hard and surpassed even his best estimated rollouts, but that newsbit too was drowned in the fact that still many died of covid on a daily basis.
...and of course there's the whole election thing. While the book mentions Trump talking about election fraud long before the election, it isn't harping about that fact. Instead, it cites people that Trump quietly more or less accepted his defeat in the first days after the election(3), but was pretty much talked into the conspiracy by people who told him what he wanted to hear. I personally think this is a feedback loop (he first talked about potential election fraud "in case he didn't win", then others start looking at particular aspects through the expectation to find fraud), but the book doesn't go there.
It does, of course, mentions that it WAS a particular election. Mail-in votes were always added to the count later, and due to the pandemic there were a lot more remote votes than usual.
There ware also a whole lot more people voting than normal. I personally wish I could attribute that to Sanders' strong stance making Biden "lean left" (as republicans cited in the book called it), but given the average American person's mindset that's not very likely(4). The most common speculation is that everyone was tired of Trump's shenanigans. Him picking fights with everyone all the time. He very much had his base (heck: he had more votes than in 2016), but he wasn't an outsider anymore. Anyone that wasn't a fan would pick anyone over four more years of Trump(5).
The chaos following the death of George Floyd was...interesting. The hard line Trump tried to sell wasn't shared by his staff. Jasper Esper only accidentally happened to wear kaki when he was suddenly made to march to Lafayette square, thus accidentally being part of Trump's implication that the army was on his side.
Which, to be clear, wasn't. Milley and the general staff just tried to remain neutral in those rowdy days. Milley also wanted to prevent a war with China despite Trump carelessly putting the blame of the rising death toll in their responsibility.
The book of course goes in detail about the schemes Giuliani and his team tried to pull. Recounts, pressure on the voting overseers, sowing doubt on the results. The fake electors get a small mention, but I presume that's because the trials weren't made public yet.
Pence really gets portrayed as a fall guy in this book. The idea was absurd but simple: he was just to say that the vote count in some states "were too close to be considered in this election", and thereby scrapped from the count. Conveniently, it were seven large states that went to Biden. Without those, Trump would've been the winner.
The play of course presumed that democrats wouldn't agree to it. But that was okay: that dispute would have to be solved by the senate...that was under control of republicans. Win-win for the Trump team, right?
...except it never was a plan. It was controversial and ridiculed by clerks from the start (I unfortunately forgot the names. Just someone named 'Short', one of Pence's team remained stuck in my memory). Vice presidents never had such power and there was no way to just break the law like that. Pence informed himself by another vice president (Dan Quayle, iirc) who told him the same thing. This lead to Pence saying no to the plan Trump was excited about. Perhaps (probably?) the first and only time Pence ever said no to his boss. Who of course didn't like it.
But even so the plan failed for two other reasons. One: those seven states that were planned to be scrapped were never informed about this. Sure, there were some recounts going on, but they all just presumed Biden would still remain the victor in their state.
Reason two is tactically even more dumb. See, 2020 wasn't just election year for the president, but also for the senate. And where republicans gotten their ass handed to them in 2018, they were regaining ground in the 2020 election. A victory seemed likely. In the end it just hinged on 3 states that had to do a second round of voting. But this was in december, and Trump really wasn't into defending anyone but himself. He didn't endorse anyone. Just started blaming voting machines, "deep state" and more.
The book really alledges it is because of that attitude, none of the three states went to republicans. What instead happened was a perfect 50-50 split (meaning: the vice president would break ties).
Of course it's hindsight, but there were genuine suspicious activities being found by intelligence leading up to january 6th. They were mostly ignored. In part because Lafayette square had portrayed USA as a grim police state. Members of the administration admit they never anticipated things getting out of control as much as they did.
Trump's apathy on those events is almost legendary. His own staff, even his own daughter, had to beg him to intervene. The most chilling part to me is when McConnell called Trump urging him to make a public statement to back off the attackers. His response was a shrug and a "I guess they care more about the election result than you did"(6).
While the insurection's obviously the high point of the book...it's only about halfway through the book itself. Once Biden's sworn in, it's almost as if reading an entirely different book rather than a next chapter. Biden's all about getting the vaccines to people, restoring foreign relationships and settling in.
...which, for Biden, also the retreat from Afghanistan. For the army, it wasn't exactly a winning position. Biden describes the US army as a sort of evergrowing beast. Send troops out and they're in danger? Send more troops. Still danger? More troops. And so on. He had warned Obama that the generals would try to "box him in"(7), which is why there were still troops out back then. Besides: Trump had promised the Taliban a full retreat by May 2021, an offer that promptly caused them to not provoke anyone.
It now provided a stranglehold deadline on the fresh Biden administration that wanted to get everyone out.
Well..."everyone" depends on whom you ask. Biden and his allies (Clayborn, iirc) wanted exactly everyone, the military staff wanted a reserve unit. The book ends before that is completely sorted out. It also ends before it becomes clear that the Taliban flat out take over the region, thus eliminating all the work of the last 18 years.
Another aspect (and struggle) of Biden's presidency is the care package. With the pandemic causing everyone indoors, Biden wants to step in and help the common Americans. The initial rounds of negotiations with republicans are a failure (Biden wants 1.9 trillion, republicans less than a third). Unfortunately, the 50-50 split makes things near impossible. Most notably: Joe Manchin.
Manchin's an interesting figure in politics. He's described as joyful, playing ball and a team player...but he puts his state (West Virginia, iirc) first. And he can't sell to his public that staying at home nets you more money than going to work.
It is eventually settled, but it shows some pretty thorough politically wheeling and dealing.
...which is a huge difference from Donald Trump, who barely gets mentioned of things. He's looking up. His ban from twitter left him kind of happy, really. He's playing golf. Meeting some friends he made along the way. And when Kevin McCarthey and others tell him he can lead the republicans to victory later he's listening. Not when they're saying he should let go of his loss, but he's listening...
...and that's roughly the end of the book. It's clearly published before it became clear he took lots of secret documents. It's before the war in Ukraine (though it mentions a meeting between Biden and Putin...a much colder one than Trump used to do). And before Trump got buried under dozens of law suits.
The book ends by drawing a parallel with 1930's germany, namely the Reichstag fire. Though self-inflicted by the nazis, it gave a then not very known Hitler the means to grasp the reigns of power and put democracy aside. Was the attack on the capitol similar? Is it showing how far people are willing to go when they're told that their voices don't matter? Is this the prelude of a much larger struggle?
The book doesn't answer...
(1): while it's only briefly mentioned: Hunter was apparently dealing with a crack addiction and started affair with the widow of his diseased brother. There is no mention of Hunter otherwise. Not his political dealings, not his laptop, not his influence on decision making.
(2): that is within lawful periods. However, Donald Trump regarded the waiting times as unneeded administration whereas these laws are literally about the safety of people
(3): meaning: defending his 'I won' position when asked, but not acting on it at all. Ignoring news that doesn't suit him was always his coping mechanism
(4): Bernie Sanders is a socialist. And for most Americans, that's literally a bad word
(5): there's also the more sinister aspect at play: vaccine denial was a whole lot more in demand by republicans, which caused the death toll to claim much more (voting) republicans. This part wasn't in the book, though.
(6): for me it's also the best evidence that he's a sociopath: I honestly don't think he can understand the feelings and thoughts of anyone but himself
(7): though it's explained, I can't really define it. It's sort of them giving equally bad options or providing doom scenarios...I think.
