Jackson Free Press

You think life is a freeze in Jackson? Trudge 2 hours north to Oxford. It's so cold here- the students can't even open their mouths to sing, "The South Will Rise Again."

It's so cold here- condominium construction has slowed down .002%

It's so cold here- the city aldermen are afraid the beer sold may not be warm enough for their tastes.

It's so cold here- the co-eds' mink coats are even wearing mink coats.

But seriously, what is a man to do when it's too cold to frolic around town and chase mink coats? First, purchase a knock-off Snuggie. Second, purchase a book. (From your local bookstore) And not just any book. Purchase a juicy political thriller set in the late 2000s that revolves around manipulative egomaniacs who cast off petty morals-because after all, morality is for commoners- and instead engage in conduct far more egregious than anything seen in a Harmony Korine film. By the way, it must be non-fiction. Need a hint?

GAME CHANGE.
Holy cowabunga, dude, have I been anticipating this hot tamale. Written by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin of New York Magazine and Time magazine, respectively, "Game Change" goes behind the scenes of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign to provide the reader with tantalizing new information about the political American idols who vacuum up expendable income from good, hard-working Americans.

Yes, even your own political crush may stagger away from this book, bloody and limping. If your hero is Harry Reid, expect a muzzle. Still think Sarah Palin is smarter than she lets on? Read this book. Think John Edwards is not that bad of a guy? Read this book. Trust me, he is just a plastic Ken doll.

Yet, nothing compares to the 'ole tales of the Clinton family, my favorite Democratic clan.
But what about the Obamas, Fearless Jackson, why aren't they your favorite Democratic family? Eh, too boring. The Daleys? Too corrupt. The Tennessee Fords? Way too corrupt. The Kennedys? Too destructive. The Clintons? A perfect mixture of all of the above.

In "Game Change," the Clinton's political maneuverings and mess-ups are the highlights of the tabloid-esque book.
Examples:
-The late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy eventually chose to endorse Barack Obama as president after the former "first black president," Bill Clinton, made some racially insensitive remarks during a private conversation.
- Hilary Clinton was elated when one of her campaign chairman said Obama's teenage drug use could potentially be a punching bag for Republican opponents. Unfortunately, she was the only one who felt that way. Without missing a beat, her trusted advisers convinced her that his comments were not beneficial to her own campaign, though it did not come without a fight. She saw nothing wrong with his comments and thought that candidate's past drug use had been relevant in campaigns prior to this one. The campaign official, Billy Shaheen, eventually resigned.
-Hilary initially rejected the Secretary of State job, but not because she didn't want it. Instead, she was afraid she'd be defending Mr. Clinton's gaffes on a weekly basis. Also, his infamous libido was a source of worry throughout her campaign. No shocker there.

Sure, some party-poopers may throw rocks at this book and criticize it for being too gossipy, trashy, sassy, etc., but that doesn't bother me. The methods employed by Heilemann and Halperin to gain facts and information for this book were the same used by Woodward and Bernstein when they wrote, "All the President's Men." And now look at them. They get a pass on anything they write, no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

Happy readings, Jackson readers!