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Front Row at the Trump Show
An account like no other from the White House reporter who has known President Trump for more than 25 years.
We have never seen a president like this...norm-breaking, rule-busting, dangerously reckless to some and an overdue force for change to others. One thing is clear: We are witnessing the reshaping of the presidency.
Jonathan Karl brings us into the White House in a powerful book unlike any other on the Trump administration. He's known and covered Donald Trump longer than any other White House reporter. With extraordinary access to Trump during the campaign and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Karl delivers essential new reporting and surprising insights.
These are the behind-the-scenes moments that define Trump's presidency--an extraordinary look at the president, the person, and those closest to him. This is the real story of Trump's unlikely rise; of the struggles and battles of those who work in the administration and those who report on it; of the plots and schemes of a senior staff enduring stunning and unprecedented unpredictability.
Karl takes us from a TV set turned campaign office to the strange quiet of Trump's White House on Inauguration Day to a high-powered reelection campaign set to change the country's course. He shows us an administration rewriting the role of the president on the fly and a press corps that has never been more vital. Above all, this book is only possible because of the surprisingly open relationship Donald Trump has had with Jonathan Karl, a reporter he has praised, fought, and branded an enemy of the people.
This is Front Row at the Trump Show.
We have never seen a president like this...norm-breaking, rule-busting, dangerously reckless to some and an overdue force for change to others. One thing is clear: We are witnessing the reshaping of the presidency.
Jonathan Karl brings us into the White House in a powerful book unlike any other on the Trump administration. He's known and covered Donald Trump longer than any other White House reporter. With extraordinary access to Trump during the campaign and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Karl delivers essential new reporting and surprising insights.
These are the behind-the-scenes moments that define Trump's presidency--an extraordinary look at the president, the person, and those closest to him. This is the real story of Trump's unlikely rise; of the struggles and battles of those who work in the administration and those who report on it; of the plots and schemes of a senior staff enduring stunning and unprecedented unpredictability.
Karl takes us from a TV set turned campaign office to the strange quiet of Trump's White House on Inauguration Day to a high-powered reelection campaign set to change the country's course. He shows us an administration rewriting the role of the president on the fly and a press corps that has never been more vital. Above all, this book is only possible because of the surprisingly open relationship Donald Trump has had with Jonathan Karl, a reporter he has praised, fought, and branded an enemy of the people.
This is Front Row at the Trump Show.
544 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 541 reviews
April 6, 2020
This is how you write a Trump book.
Jonathan Karl avoids the common pitfalls of covering Trump: personalization, sensationalism, faux outrage and overstated self-regard. President Donald Trump is a tough subject for journalists because of the game he's playing, which creates a trap for the press into which they frequently dive headfirst.
Not Karl. He gets it. With a solid mixture of serious-minded factuality and good-humored prose, Karl provides an accessible understanding of the strangest White House in U.S. history. He also explains, calmly and rationally, the dangers presented when our leaders disregard truth or challenge democratic norms for personal gain.
There are so, so many Trump books. The Trump book publishing cottage industry is on-track to far outpace the Clinton book publishing cottage industry.
Karl's work stands out and rises to the top tier.
Jonathan Karl avoids the common pitfalls of covering Trump: personalization, sensationalism, faux outrage and overstated self-regard. President Donald Trump is a tough subject for journalists because of the game he's playing, which creates a trap for the press into which they frequently dive headfirst.
Not Karl. He gets it. With a solid mixture of serious-minded factuality and good-humored prose, Karl provides an accessible understanding of the strangest White House in U.S. history. He also explains, calmly and rationally, the dangers presented when our leaders disregard truth or challenge democratic norms for personal gain.
There are so, so many Trump books. The Trump book publishing cottage industry is on-track to far outpace the Clinton book publishing cottage industry.
Karl's work stands out and rises to the top tier.
August 9, 2024
I don’t read the newspaper. I have three very specific reasons for this:
1) I don’t have the time or money, which I know sounds like a cop-out, but when you exist in a comfortable yet careful middle-income bracket where you limit yourself on “luxury” items like going to the movies, eating at restaurants, or buying books and music (thank you, local library!), you have to make sacrifices somewhere, and not subscribing to a daily paper was one that my wife and I decided early on, mainly because
2) Newspapers aren’t what they used to be. I remember when the daily paper—-even a Wednesday paper—-was thick with sections like sports, arts, business, recipes, and comics. Nowadays, papers are, like, six pages, with three or four stories in them. Of course, there is also the fact that
3) Reading the news—-world and local—-depresses the shit out of me. I already have anxiety issues with my job and child-rearing, I don’t need more in my life.
Notice that none of my reasons includes “fake news”. Mainly, because I think the whole “fake news” thing is bullshit.
I have a great respect for journalists. Anybody who devotes their lives to uncovering the hidden truths about any given subject is deserving of respect. Do I think there are bad journalists? Of course, there are journalists who are lazy, some who are blatantly biased, and a few who claim to be journalists who aren’t journalists (Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson) but are, rather, propagandists in journalist’s clothing. But these, I believe, are the exceptions to the rule.
Jonathan Karl is the White House correspondent for ABC News. He’s one of those people who sit in that little press pool room at the White House and ask questions of the people at the podium, people like Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
I truly believe that journalists are the real heroes in this country, and they are, especially now, deserving of our respect. Their job, as it has been for decades and as it hopefully continues to be for the next decades ahead, is a bulwark against the forces of anti-intellectualism and fascism.
Karl’s 2020 book “Front Row at the Trump Show” joins the legions of books about Trump that seem to be pouring out on the bookshelves at bookstores and libraries (and for which I seem to have an addiction).
Karl’s book is different in that it looks at the Trump White House from the very specific viewpoint of the press. It is a thorough look, through a journalist’s eyes, into one of the most hostile presidencies to the free press in recent years, if ever.
Trump, so thin-skinned and narcissistic that any article that made him look bad or that he simply didn’t agree with, shouted “fake news!” to the heavens. Rational-minded people saw through this bullshit.
As Karl writes, “[T]here’s nothing more fake in the Trump era than Donald Trump’s attack on “fake news.” Donald Trump rails against the “failing New York Times,” for example. Don’t believe it. He doesn’t. Spend time with the president and you won’t have to wait long to hear him marvel at how often he dominates the front page. He loves seeing his name on the front page—-whether the stories are negative (as they usually are) or positive (a rarity). Occasionally he admits he still loves The New York Times. He often lies about the paper losing money, but sometimes he acknowledges it is actually thriving, not failing (circulation is up, and so are profits, since he was elected president), and he takes full credit for its success. (p.xxi)”
The problem is that Trump is not railing against “fake news” for the majority of the general public who know bluster and BS when they see it but rather focusing his fake tirades at the deepest of his followers, many of whom are not rational-minded and accept his word as gospel. They are the people who lap up his lies unquestioningly and blindly. They are the dupes who were incited by Trump to believe that the 2020 election was stolen and that they needed to “take back” the country by storming the U.S. Capitol illegally.
Trump, according to Karl, is not stupid, despite all evidence to the contrary. He’s calculating in all his lies and “alternative facts” and deliberate denial of Reality. Karl, who has followed Trump for 25 years, back when Trump was just a real estate developer in New York City, is well aware of this calculating side of Trump. It is precisely what made him the self-promoting playboy billionaire he has always played—-and still plays—-on TV.
1) I don’t have the time or money, which I know sounds like a cop-out, but when you exist in a comfortable yet careful middle-income bracket where you limit yourself on “luxury” items like going to the movies, eating at restaurants, or buying books and music (thank you, local library!), you have to make sacrifices somewhere, and not subscribing to a daily paper was one that my wife and I decided early on, mainly because
2) Newspapers aren’t what they used to be. I remember when the daily paper—-even a Wednesday paper—-was thick with sections like sports, arts, business, recipes, and comics. Nowadays, papers are, like, six pages, with three or four stories in them. Of course, there is also the fact that
3) Reading the news—-world and local—-depresses the shit out of me. I already have anxiety issues with my job and child-rearing, I don’t need more in my life.
Notice that none of my reasons includes “fake news”. Mainly, because I think the whole “fake news” thing is bullshit.
I have a great respect for journalists. Anybody who devotes their lives to uncovering the hidden truths about any given subject is deserving of respect. Do I think there are bad journalists? Of course, there are journalists who are lazy, some who are blatantly biased, and a few who claim to be journalists who aren’t journalists (Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson) but are, rather, propagandists in journalist’s clothing. But these, I believe, are the exceptions to the rule.
Jonathan Karl is the White House correspondent for ABC News. He’s one of those people who sit in that little press pool room at the White House and ask questions of the people at the podium, people like Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
I truly believe that journalists are the real heroes in this country, and they are, especially now, deserving of our respect. Their job, as it has been for decades and as it hopefully continues to be for the next decades ahead, is a bulwark against the forces of anti-intellectualism and fascism.
Karl’s 2020 book “Front Row at the Trump Show” joins the legions of books about Trump that seem to be pouring out on the bookshelves at bookstores and libraries (and for which I seem to have an addiction).
Karl’s book is different in that it looks at the Trump White House from the very specific viewpoint of the press. It is a thorough look, through a journalist’s eyes, into one of the most hostile presidencies to the free press in recent years, if ever.
Trump, so thin-skinned and narcissistic that any article that made him look bad or that he simply didn’t agree with, shouted “fake news!” to the heavens. Rational-minded people saw through this bullshit.
As Karl writes, “[T]here’s nothing more fake in the Trump era than Donald Trump’s attack on “fake news.” Donald Trump rails against the “failing New York Times,” for example. Don’t believe it. He doesn’t. Spend time with the president and you won’t have to wait long to hear him marvel at how often he dominates the front page. He loves seeing his name on the front page—-whether the stories are negative (as they usually are) or positive (a rarity). Occasionally he admits he still loves The New York Times. He often lies about the paper losing money, but sometimes he acknowledges it is actually thriving, not failing (circulation is up, and so are profits, since he was elected president), and he takes full credit for its success. (p.xxi)”
The problem is that Trump is not railing against “fake news” for the majority of the general public who know bluster and BS when they see it but rather focusing his fake tirades at the deepest of his followers, many of whom are not rational-minded and accept his word as gospel. They are the people who lap up his lies unquestioningly and blindly. They are the dupes who were incited by Trump to believe that the 2020 election was stolen and that they needed to “take back” the country by storming the U.S. Capitol illegally.
Trump, according to Karl, is not stupid, despite all evidence to the contrary. He’s calculating in all his lies and “alternative facts” and deliberate denial of Reality. Karl, who has followed Trump for 25 years, back when Trump was just a real estate developer in New York City, is well aware of this calculating side of Trump. It is precisely what made him the self-promoting playboy billionaire he has always played—-and still plays—-on TV.
May 5, 2020
As hard as times are right now reading this brought me great insight on how hard it is to be a reporter and get the news for people like us. I know I can never do it. This book gives us inside on Trump before and after becoming President of the United States. I found it very informative and intriguing on the day in and day out of being president and from the eyes of somebody who has known him for years.
July 14, 2020
Set the record straight: fake news vs. real news.
Front Row at the Trump Show by Jonathan Karl is magnificently written in an easy to read style. The author takes the reader on a journey of Donald Trump, the entrepreneur to Donald Trump, Mr. President. It personifies the actual grit reporters’ need when covering the news during Trump’s reign. The book elicits many emotions, sadness, anger, and fear; it’s even bone-chilling at times with little humor. Five stars!
Front Row at the Trump Show by Jonathan Karl is magnificently written in an easy to read style. The author takes the reader on a journey of Donald Trump, the entrepreneur to Donald Trump, Mr. President. It personifies the actual grit reporters’ need when covering the news during Trump’s reign. The book elicits many emotions, sadness, anger, and fear; it’s even bone-chilling at times with little humor. Five stars!
May 1, 2023
This book was written by a reporter who worked with Presadent Trump through his entire presadency. He speaks of his manner and his arogance but also of his kind side.
November 30, 2021
ME TOO!
Yes - one more Trump book.
Unfortunately I found nothing new here, albeit the 2016 campaign/election, the (then) new administration’s machinations and even Trump himself - i.e. he lies, loves attention and takes any and all negative press personally.
What is covered in this book is done superficially so, with very little if any analysis/context provided - for instance concerning the “surprising” results of election night 2016 the author provides this insight - “ABC News …polls didn’t tell us a damn thing about who would be elected president. We were measuring the wrong thing.”. A colossal statement of the obvious and by no means was ABC alone in missing the proverbial boat, but that’s as far and deep as the topic - or any other topic - is explored here.
The author also spends a lot of words describing/complimenting his peers and himself “at work” which understandably was not all fun and games with Trump constantly targeting the “fake news” organizations. On the other hand most if not all of these organizations fed the beast - author included - without taking stock - let alone responsibility for their “ratings decisions”.
Bottom line - with the author having known Trump since the 1990s - there is a picture to prove it - and the title of the book describing his front row vantage point, I was expecting a lot more than just the vanilla rehash of the several years of Trump “covered” here. The same could have been done from Bob Uecker’s seats.
Pass on this one.
Yes - one more Trump book.
Unfortunately I found nothing new here, albeit the 2016 campaign/election, the (then) new administration’s machinations and even Trump himself - i.e. he lies, loves attention and takes any and all negative press personally.
What is covered in this book is done superficially so, with very little if any analysis/context provided - for instance concerning the “surprising” results of election night 2016 the author provides this insight - “ABC News …polls didn’t tell us a damn thing about who would be elected president. We were measuring the wrong thing.”. A colossal statement of the obvious and by no means was ABC alone in missing the proverbial boat, but that’s as far and deep as the topic - or any other topic - is explored here.
The author also spends a lot of words describing/complimenting his peers and himself “at work” which understandably was not all fun and games with Trump constantly targeting the “fake news” organizations. On the other hand most if not all of these organizations fed the beast - author included - without taking stock - let alone responsibility for their “ratings decisions”.
Bottom line - with the author having known Trump since the 1990s - there is a picture to prove it - and the title of the book describing his front row vantage point, I was expecting a lot more than just the vanilla rehash of the several years of Trump “covered” here. The same could have been done from Bob Uecker’s seats.
Pass on this one.
April 29, 2022
Jonathan Karl was in print media, then with CNN, and
now with ABC News. JK has written several non-fiction
books. Gave this 4 stars.
JK was/ is ABC News' Chief White House correspondent
(broadcast news) covering 3 US Presidents, including the
current one Donald J. Trump (DJT). WH Press Secretary
Sean Spicer came across as petulant and uncooperative,
per JK.
JK defined some terms related to the media such as
"White House media pool" (26% mark) which included
ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN & Fox news which rotated 1 TV
correspondent w/ 2 camera crews to cover a White House
event, especially in the too-small Oval Office. Also
"protective pool," "press charters." And shed some light
on the meaning of quoting "a Senior White House official"
(respectively at 28%, 37% & 55% marks).
JK spent a fair amount of time discussing the truth, why
DJT accuses the media of "fake news" + calls them "the
enemy of the people." JK said to DJT backstage at a rally
"You made a promise. You said 'I will never lie to you'."
Trump replied "Well I try....I do try & I always want to tell
the truth. When I can, I tell the truth." (58%). Huh??
JK noted "adults in the W.H.," John Kelly, James Mattis, &
Rex Tillerson had to 'rein in' Pres. Trump from his impulsive
and potentially harmful decisions/ actions.
now with ABC News. JK has written several non-fiction
books. Gave this 4 stars.
JK was/ is ABC News' Chief White House correspondent
(broadcast news) covering 3 US Presidents, including the
current one Donald J. Trump (DJT). WH Press Secretary
Sean Spicer came across as petulant and uncooperative,
per JK.
JK defined some terms related to the media such as
"White House media pool" (26% mark) which included
ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN & Fox news which rotated 1 TV
correspondent w/ 2 camera crews to cover a White House
event, especially in the too-small Oval Office. Also
"protective pool," "press charters." And shed some light
on the meaning of quoting "a Senior White House official"
(respectively at 28%, 37% & 55% marks).
JK spent a fair amount of time discussing the truth, why
DJT accuses the media of "fake news" + calls them "the
enemy of the people." JK said to DJT backstage at a rally
"You made a promise. You said 'I will never lie to you'."
Trump replied "Well I try....I do try & I always want to tell
the truth. When I can, I tell the truth." (58%). Huh??
JK noted "adults in the W.H.," John Kelly, James Mattis, &
Rex Tillerson had to 'rein in' Pres. Trump from his impulsive
and potentially harmful decisions/ actions.
June 14, 2020
Trump-versus-the-media books all cover similar territory: Donald Trump’s disregard for truth, his shallow understanding of important issues, and the successful manipulation of his political base to regard professional truth-tellers as “fake news.” Having said that, Jonathan Karl’s Front Row at the Trump Show may be the best book in this growing genre.
Although the stories and characters are familiar, Karl brings a nuanced approach to his book-length reportage. Karl’s first interview with Trump was more than 25 years ago when as a cub reporter Karl requested an interview with an irresistible hook: Why did Trump think Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley chose Trump Tower in Manhattan for their honeymoon? Trump took the bait, and Karl got his interview. At that time, no one could have predicted that one of these men would live in the White House and the other would be chief White House correspondent for a national news network.
Karl is also more philosophical than most of his colleagues about journalistic ethics. For example, Karl says that a source can stipulate that an interview is off the record, but if that source lies during the interview, the interview is no longer off the record. Karl’s reasoning is that the source broke trust with the reporter by lying, so the reporter is not bound by the agreement. (Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders found out about Karl’s rule the hard way.) This is problematic for some in Donald Trump’s world because his frequent dishonesty misinforms associates who then unknowingly lie to journalists.
Karl’s high regard for journalistic ethics brings fairness to his perspectives on the events he recounts. When Trump is wronged by the press, Karl admits and explains it. When members of the press misbehave, Karl calls them out on it, especially CNN’s Jim Acosta. Those instances are rare, however, and Karl delivers many more revealing instances where Donald Trump’s self-serving, impulsive dishonesty endangers American security and democracy. If you’re only going to read one book about how Donald Trump engages with journalists, Jonathan Karl’s Front Row at the Trump Show is my recommendation.
Although the stories and characters are familiar, Karl brings a nuanced approach to his book-length reportage. Karl’s first interview with Trump was more than 25 years ago when as a cub reporter Karl requested an interview with an irresistible hook: Why did Trump think Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley chose Trump Tower in Manhattan for their honeymoon? Trump took the bait, and Karl got his interview. At that time, no one could have predicted that one of these men would live in the White House and the other would be chief White House correspondent for a national news network.
Karl is also more philosophical than most of his colleagues about journalistic ethics. For example, Karl says that a source can stipulate that an interview is off the record, but if that source lies during the interview, the interview is no longer off the record. Karl’s reasoning is that the source broke trust with the reporter by lying, so the reporter is not bound by the agreement. (Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders found out about Karl’s rule the hard way.) This is problematic for some in Donald Trump’s world because his frequent dishonesty misinforms associates who then unknowingly lie to journalists.
Karl’s high regard for journalistic ethics brings fairness to his perspectives on the events he recounts. When Trump is wronged by the press, Karl admits and explains it. When members of the press misbehave, Karl calls them out on it, especially CNN’s Jim Acosta. Those instances are rare, however, and Karl delivers many more revealing instances where Donald Trump’s self-serving, impulsive dishonesty endangers American security and democracy. If you’re only going to read one book about how Donald Trump engages with journalists, Jonathan Karl’s Front Row at the Trump Show is my recommendation.
April 5, 2020
Aptly titled!
If one word can be used to describe the Trump Administration 'Show' is probably it. And Jonathan puts us in the front row to observe the chaos and dishonesty that are the hallmarks of this White House. Not the page-turner I was hoping for, but maybe I've just read too many books that confirm my worst fears for our country under the 'rule' of Donald J. Trump. If the Covid 19 pandemic doesn't destroy this nation, another term for him definitely will.
If one word can be used to describe the Trump Administration 'Show' is probably it. And Jonathan puts us in the front row to observe the chaos and dishonesty that are the hallmarks of this White House. Not the page-turner I was hoping for, but maybe I've just read too many books that confirm my worst fears for our country under the 'rule' of Donald J. Trump. If the Covid 19 pandemic doesn't destroy this nation, another term for him definitely will.
June 28, 2020
Very interesting, lots of hits that don't make the regular news. That saisw, be afaid, he very afraid. Vote!
April 12, 2020
Veteran TV journalist Jonathan Karl produces a concise, mostly fascinating, and frequently insightful portrait of POTUS 45. It is also more than a little infuriating and unsettling, so you may need to periodically put it down and do something more constructive and benign with your day (much like monitoring the Trump White House).
The president who emerges from Karl’s pages is a chronic liar. He is also a boor and a narcissist of the first order. But, in fairness to this deplorable character, he is also the target of a media that frequently forgets that its job is to report and not conduct opposition activities against a president they despise. Karl specifically calls to account Jim Acosta of CNN on this score.
There is an unparalleled meanness and mendacity to this president and this White House that comes through with depressing clarity in Karl’s expert account. It’s a good read. It’s an essential read. It’s just more often than not a bummer of a read.
The president who emerges from Karl’s pages is a chronic liar. He is also a boor and a narcissist of the first order. But, in fairness to this deplorable character, he is also the target of a media that frequently forgets that its job is to report and not conduct opposition activities against a president they despise. Karl specifically calls to account Jim Acosta of CNN on this score.
There is an unparalleled meanness and mendacity to this president and this White House that comes through with depressing clarity in Karl’s expert account. It’s a good read. It’s an essential read. It’s just more often than not a bummer of a read.
April 20, 2020
A new book from ABC White House correspondent Jonathan Karl about his up-close relationship and observations of Donald Trump, and his experiences covering him over the years. I have always respected Karl for his longevity and his dedication to his craft, so I was very interested to see what he had to say in this book.
Karl states early on that the most lasting damage done by Trump is the all-out assault on truth. He continues to hammer this theme throughout the book. I agree this is a tragic consequence of Trump's election, but equally as important to me are the tearing down of our norms and institutions, the destruction of our standing in the world, and the death of decency in our public discourse.
Still, as he highlights some of the experiences he has had covering this administration, some interesting tidbits come out in this book that I hadn't read before. A few are details behind the Trump/Kim Jong Un summits, the White House press office involvement in Jeff Sessions recusal in the Russia investigation, and the behind the scenes machinations of the Charlottesville incident.
A few things that bothered me:
In some places, Karl seems as if he is trying to normalize Trump, or at least bend over backwards to be fair to him. I think that turned me off. There is no defending anything about this dumpster fire. But in other sections he trashes him and his lackeys. He does have some sympathetic words at times about a few of the administration characters, like Hope Hicks, Sarah Sanders (WTF!), and Kirstjen Nielsen.
There is a chapter dedicated to the lack of truthfulness in the administration. But he refuses to say 'lies', opting instead for words like 'untruths', 'falsehoods', or 'mischaracterizations’. Makes the liars sound like they are mischievous, not the leaders of our government blatantly lying about matters large and small. A minor point I guess, but it still bugs me.
He seems to have a burr up his ass about one of his White House correspondent colleagues, mentioning him multiple times in the book with disapproval. Maybe unfair, but for some reason this struck me as a petty rivalry thing.
Not that it bothers me too much, but he really goes hard after the original press secretary Sean Spicer (interesting).
So this is a mixed bag for me. But I will say I learned some new anecdotes about our crazy times and this administration.
Karl states early on that the most lasting damage done by Trump is the all-out assault on truth. He continues to hammer this theme throughout the book. I agree this is a tragic consequence of Trump's election, but equally as important to me are the tearing down of our norms and institutions, the destruction of our standing in the world, and the death of decency in our public discourse.
Still, as he highlights some of the experiences he has had covering this administration, some interesting tidbits come out in this book that I hadn't read before. A few are details behind the Trump/Kim Jong Un summits, the White House press office involvement in Jeff Sessions recusal in the Russia investigation, and the behind the scenes machinations of the Charlottesville incident.
A few things that bothered me:
In some places, Karl seems as if he is trying to normalize Trump, or at least bend over backwards to be fair to him. I think that turned me off. There is no defending anything about this dumpster fire. But in other sections he trashes him and his lackeys. He does have some sympathetic words at times about a few of the administration characters, like Hope Hicks, Sarah Sanders (WTF!), and Kirstjen Nielsen.
There is a chapter dedicated to the lack of truthfulness in the administration. But he refuses to say 'lies', opting instead for words like 'untruths', 'falsehoods', or 'mischaracterizations’. Makes the liars sound like they are mischievous, not the leaders of our government blatantly lying about matters large and small. A minor point I guess, but it still bugs me.
He seems to have a burr up his ass about one of his White House correspondent colleagues, mentioning him multiple times in the book with disapproval. Maybe unfair, but for some reason this struck me as a petty rivalry thing.
Not that it bothers me too much, but he really goes hard after the original press secretary Sean Spicer (interesting).
So this is a mixed bag for me. But I will say I learned some new anecdotes about our crazy times and this administration.
July 1, 2020
Author Jonathan Karl is ABC's White House correspondent, and this cleverly titled book follows nearly 25 years in the relationship between Karl and the flashy Manhattan real-estate developer turned Commander-In-Chief, focusing on the period between 2016 (when Trump announced his candidacy) and the fall of 2019 (when his impeachment became inevitable). Karl sat in various White House briefing rooms, took notes in the Rose Garden, even flew to Southeast Asia with the presidential press corps.
The Trump White House that emerges in Karl's account is patterned almost entirely on a metaphor of show business, particularly TV reality shows. For many of Trump's subordinates as well as the Chief himself, truth is a relative thing and "facts" -- particularly the "alternative" kind -- are to be walked back if they turn out to be embarrassing. Karl would probably deny that he is in any way an advocacy journalist like, say, Rachel Maddow, but at times he finds Trump's behavior so annoying if not downright mystifying that he has to strain to say nice things about the President -- not always an easy thing to do under the circumstances:
From the book:
After signing the order in front of the cameras, President Trump said nothing about what the order actually entailed. Back at the White House, reporters clamored for more information, but the President's own press secretary [Sean Spicer] could not explain the order because he had not seen it.
. . . By that evening, everyone knew what the executive order was. The so-called travel ban had gone into effect . . . [p. 130]
In the epilogue to this book, Karl writes:
The Trump Show will eventually become a distant memory. The question is whether America will ever be the same again, whether we have become a nation of people who define truth in relative terms, accepting as true only what we want to believe, yelling "fake news" at everything else . . . [pp. 315-16].
FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW is a highly worthwhile book. It is not a perfect book -- it should have been a little longer -- but it is well worth reading.
The Trump White House that emerges in Karl's account is patterned almost entirely on a metaphor of show business, particularly TV reality shows. For many of Trump's subordinates as well as the Chief himself, truth is a relative thing and "facts" -- particularly the "alternative" kind -- are to be walked back if they turn out to be embarrassing. Karl would probably deny that he is in any way an advocacy journalist like, say, Rachel Maddow, but at times he finds Trump's behavior so annoying if not downright mystifying that he has to strain to say nice things about the President -- not always an easy thing to do under the circumstances:
From the book:
After signing the order in front of the cameras, President Trump said nothing about what the order actually entailed. Back at the White House, reporters clamored for more information, but the President's own press secretary [Sean Spicer] could not explain the order because he had not seen it.
. . . By that evening, everyone knew what the executive order was. The so-called travel ban had gone into effect . . . [p. 130]
In the epilogue to this book, Karl writes:
The Trump Show will eventually become a distant memory. The question is whether America will ever be the same again, whether we have become a nation of people who define truth in relative terms, accepting as true only what we want to believe, yelling "fake news" at everything else . . . [pp. 315-16].
FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW is a highly worthwhile book. It is not a perfect book -- it should have been a little longer -- but it is well worth reading.
April 3, 2020
Very interesting and enlightening view from the inside, from a long standing member of the press including his years in the press corps inside the White House and his 20 years of following the current president. I am always curious about what happens behind the scenes and how things "tick" - this book satisfied some of my curiosity about the WH press corps in that regard. It also gave me a renewed appreciation for how hard these guys and gals work and the abuse they often endure - more so now than ever. I first realized that when reading Katy Tur's book "Unbelievable". These days that includes bashing from "the right" that they are biased. Given how things have and continue to unfold in the current administration I can see how some could perceive it that way. Sometimes the facts / truth hurts, is my take on that. Keep up the good work Jonathan Karl and to your colleagues. We need you now more than ever!!
April 4, 2020
Jonathan Karl is the White House correspondent for ABC News and can be found seated in the front row at press briefings. He strikes me as one of the most well-informed of the correspondents, probably due to his long history with Donald Trump. His book is fairly well-balanced, avoiding criticism of policy decisions, and focusing more on President Trump’s rocky relationship with the Press. Regrettably the book was written before the impeachment folly played itself out, and the pandemic kicked off - it would be interesting to get his take on the current environment.
April 4, 2020
Outstanding work by one of the best White House correspondents of our time. It's easily as compelling as "All the President's Men," and it reads like a thriller. There are no slow spots anywhere in the narrative. Jonathan Karl has the advantage of having covered Donald Trump close up long before he became president, combined with the experience of covering Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama before Trump was elected president. Karl's observations are fair, informed and well researched. He has been meticulous in gathering inside information about specific events from multiple participants. He also is methodical in laying out his case to support the president's reliance on evasion, imagined facts, contradictions and blatant misrepresentations. He deals with President Trump's tirades and attacks on opponents with equal care for thoroughly sourcing each outburst and event and placing them in context. All that said, I can't honestly say that dedicated Trump supporters would find much to enjoy in the book.
April 20, 2020
This was a readable haunting feast. I devoured it in a couple of hours. It is a up front look at our President and this White House seen through the eyes of a reporter well known for asking tough questions and writing prize winning pieces. He shows a man that is impulsive, nacisstiic, and says whatever works for him at the moment. It is frightening to think this is our President. Jon has known Trump since the 1990's. He has been treated well by him and then thrown in a lion's den at a rally. There he was surrounded by supporters of Trump, who was taunting them to "attack" the "fake news". It is a quick read where you are constantly saying, "I don't believe this!" I am sure that Trump has been told about the book yet he continues to call on Jon with a smile on his face. If you think this is a biased read, it is not. Jon gives a fair and balanced view of Donald Trump who can be very friendly and accomadating and then change quickly. It is truly a non-fiction account of one fair reporter's look at our President in his glory and defeat. Jon doesn't give the media a pass either.
June 19, 2020
Originally published on my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
Jonathan Karl offers new insights into the current White House in his book, Front Row at the Trump Show. And of course, that means insights on two other important subjects: the President himself, and the concept of the free press. Karl is a long-time journalist, who’s covered the White House through several administrations for a couple of news organizations.
And with all of the political reading I’ve done since 2016, this book still felt like a fresh perspective. That’s not easy to do. It’s considerably more journalistic than Fire and Fury. And not focused on the 2016 election season like What Happened. Karl has a broader lens than James Comey or Andrew McCabe. And he isn’t prone to moralizing like Dan Rather or Van Jones.
What Karl does do is consistently make the case for ongoing freedoms of the press. He illustrates why it’s dangerous to have the President constantly calling out “fake news,” or “enemy of the people.”
Every one of Karl’s stories seems to lead to the reasons why reporters should be given access to political figures. He’s not afraid to ask the hard questions. For example, when his persistence got Acting Press Secretary Mick Mulvaney to admit there was indeed quid pro quo in the Ukraine phone call.
My conclusions
This was a compulsively readable book. I flew through it, despite the fact it covers ground I’ve read before. And that’s because Karl tells his personal experiences with clarity and shrewdness. He knows how to make a strong defense of his thesis—that the free press is a vital part of our democracy.
Karl covers a lot of ground, beginning with a story about first meeting Trump in the 1990s. Yet, he never overwhelms the book with minutiae. Instead, he picks stories that illustrate key points and offer plenty of behind-the-scenes knowledge. Karl also discusses his relationship with Sean Spicer, Sarah Sanders, and Mulvaney. The way this White House “handles” the press is unique and worth examining for its merits and challenges.
At the same time, Karl isn’t afraid to share the real drudgery of a journalist’s life. He includes plenty about early mornings, late nights, last-minute plane rides, and hours of waiting for 30 seconds of opportunity. And it’s always on a deadline.
All in all, this Front Row made me wonder what the next few months and years hold for journalists and our system of free press. It shines valuable light on one aspect of life in Washington, D.C. that we need to understand. Political junkies and news mavens alike will enjoy this memoir.
Pair with the noted books above, or with Lawrence O’Donnell’s powerful book about the 1969 election, Playing with Fire.
Jonathan Karl offers new insights into the current White House in his book, Front Row at the Trump Show. And of course, that means insights on two other important subjects: the President himself, and the concept of the free press. Karl is a long-time journalist, who’s covered the White House through several administrations for a couple of news organizations.
And with all of the political reading I’ve done since 2016, this book still felt like a fresh perspective. That’s not easy to do. It’s considerably more journalistic than Fire and Fury. And not focused on the 2016 election season like What Happened. Karl has a broader lens than James Comey or Andrew McCabe. And he isn’t prone to moralizing like Dan Rather or Van Jones.
What Karl does do is consistently make the case for ongoing freedoms of the press. He illustrates why it’s dangerous to have the President constantly calling out “fake news,” or “enemy of the people.”
Every one of Karl’s stories seems to lead to the reasons why reporters should be given access to political figures. He’s not afraid to ask the hard questions. For example, when his persistence got Acting Press Secretary Mick Mulvaney to admit there was indeed quid pro quo in the Ukraine phone call.
My conclusions
This was a compulsively readable book. I flew through it, despite the fact it covers ground I’ve read before. And that’s because Karl tells his personal experiences with clarity and shrewdness. He knows how to make a strong defense of his thesis—that the free press is a vital part of our democracy.
Karl covers a lot of ground, beginning with a story about first meeting Trump in the 1990s. Yet, he never overwhelms the book with minutiae. Instead, he picks stories that illustrate key points and offer plenty of behind-the-scenes knowledge. Karl also discusses his relationship with Sean Spicer, Sarah Sanders, and Mulvaney. The way this White House “handles” the press is unique and worth examining for its merits and challenges.
At the same time, Karl isn’t afraid to share the real drudgery of a journalist’s life. He includes plenty about early mornings, late nights, last-minute plane rides, and hours of waiting for 30 seconds of opportunity. And it’s always on a deadline.
All in all, this Front Row made me wonder what the next few months and years hold for journalists and our system of free press. It shines valuable light on one aspect of life in Washington, D.C. that we need to understand. Political junkies and news mavens alike will enjoy this memoir.
Pair with the noted books above, or with Lawrence O’Donnell’s powerful book about the 1969 election, Playing with Fire.
June 19, 2022
This book should be a jaw-dropping blockbuster but instead it's just more of the same. There are only so many ways to say Trump is a compulsive liar, unethical, erratic (add your own pejorative adjectives to the long list). A later chapter does delve into the prospect that Trump has a mental illness, or maybe several, but that's hardly revealing.
In isolation the book is very good but the larger stories aren't new or different. Karl offers insights into how certain news items came about and they're interesting to learn but everything boils down to Trump and, frankly, the man-baby himself is dull & repetitive.
I wouldn't try to discourage anyone from reading this book but I'd instead recommend reading The Steal by Mark Bowden & Matthew Teague. It's more impactful and focuses on The Big Lie rather than the big liar.
In isolation the book is very good but the larger stories aren't new or different. Karl offers insights into how certain news items came about and they're interesting to learn but everything boils down to Trump and, frankly, the man-baby himself is dull & repetitive.
I wouldn't try to discourage anyone from reading this book but I'd instead recommend reading The Steal by Mark Bowden & Matthew Teague. It's more impactful and focuses on The Big Lie rather than the big liar.
April 27, 2020
I have always been a big fan of Jonathan Karl and after reading his book I am even more so. Mr. Karl has written a book that is impartial and, I think, honest about what his observations have been during his years of following Donald Trump. He doesn’t try to dramatize or speculate; he just presents the facts. Terrifying facts, but the facts. Unequivocally a five star read for me.
April 15, 2020
So looking forward to a sequel! This was fascinating.
July 16, 2020
An interesting read!! Insightful, rational, balanced reporting as Jonathan Karl does every day!
If you are fascinated by this White House, you will enjoy this book
If you are fascinated by this White House, you will enjoy this book
October 13, 2020
Jonathon Karl is a great reporter and I knew I wanted to read his books as I have witnessed President Trump insult him time and time again. This book covers the time of Trumps presidency and even back into the 80’s while he was a real estate tycoon and then the host of his tv show. So many shocking things have happened during his presidency and it was interesting to hear about things that happened behind closed doors. Intriguing, horrifying, and insane!
April 28, 2020
Overall, a good book. I have respect for the author Jonathan Karl, a well-known Chief White House correspondent for many years and with many accolades. The book covered many of the incidents and craziness that Americans have been forced to witness since 2016, not only by the head-of-state but also by some of his staff. Karl also revealed other behind-the-scenes explosive situations and impulsive decisions made by the man elected to run our country. While Karl was fair (maybe sometimes too fair) in giving the president credit for various things throughout the book, Karl didn’t hold back in his epilogue.
June 26, 2020
Another book which confirms that we must vote the egomaniac, Trump , out of office. This book was extremely enjoyable as it wasn’t loaded down with heavy citation but was more the author, as a journalist, experience covering Trump before and after he became President. Once again, it’s confirmed that all Trump apparently cares about and understands is crowd size and ratings. This book also captures the important work journalists and importance of freedom of press.
October 1, 2020
I listened to the audiobook version, read by the author. I was intrigued by the title, which prompted me to select this book. I do not feel there was any disparagement of the various White House inhabitants/workers, just a reporting of what happens in the world of reporting during this current presidency.
April 21, 2020
I think I was overly optimistic thinking I was in a good place to read about the White House's interactions with the press while we're in the middle of a pandemic that seems to constantly pit those two entities against each other. It was definitely an interesting read and not overly political--I appreciate how hard Jonathan Karl tried to frame the situation specifically from the perspective of the press rather than for/against the President on a personal or political level. Still, it was a painful review of the many dramas and scandals we've all been through over the last four years (and that's doesn't even take into account everything that's happened in 2020!). Plenty to think about in terms of what we want the role of journalism to be in our country and what standards we expect politicians to uphold.
December 1, 2020
Yet another Trump Book in the multi-volume legend of Donald Trump's forever adventures delivering more information for all of the media outlets about the individual who has no interest in being truthful, and major interest in being unable to speak the truth.
Very interesting book to read.
Very interesting book to read.
April 10, 2020
Jon Karl is one of many highly trusted journalists.
Many of Jon's writings in his book were well known already but he brought clarity to much more that weren't highly publicized. It truly amazes me that so many people believe the lies spewed by a president. It's almost like he has some sort of spell on them. It is so clear to me how blatant they are. I shake my head every day how ridiculous this period of history marches on. Thank you Jonathan Karl for such an eye opening book. I'm assuming you have another cooking in your head about the corona virus mishandling. I look forward to reading it too.
Many of Jon's writings in his book were well known already but he brought clarity to much more that weren't highly publicized. It truly amazes me that so many people believe the lies spewed by a president. It's almost like he has some sort of spell on them. It is so clear to me how blatant they are. I shake my head every day how ridiculous this period of history marches on. Thank you Jonathan Karl for such an eye opening book. I'm assuming you have another cooking in your head about the corona virus mishandling. I look forward to reading it too.
April 19, 2020
Exactly what you would expect from “lightweight reporter” Jon Karl. By that, I mean this is a great book that delivers a lot of insight into the chaos of the administration and the struggles journalists have covering it. Highly recommend
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