Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History

Katy Tur reports on her five hundred plus days covering the Trump campaign, from its very beginning. Her book is being released on the same day as Hillary Clintons memoir of her loss, and for my money this is the better read. I much prefer learning about why Trump won than why Hillary didn't. To me it is the more interesting question of the two, and more historically significant as well. When Trumps campaign began, Katy was an inexperienced political reporter but she soon proved more than equal to the task. She has the quick intelligence and sharp wit that served her well in dealing with Trump, who alternated between treating her with disdain and respect. Less respect than disdain, actually, kind of like his statement about Mexicans "and some of them, I'm sure, are good people". Trump was certain to notice her - an attractive young female reporter - and beginning with the very first campaign rally where he called her out by name, she became one of the most significant correspondents to cover Trump as the 2016 campaign progressed. I've seen Katy Tur reporting on television throughout the campaign and since, and have been looking forward to her book. It is as much about her experiences and personal stories over this time period as it is about Trump and his followers. It is an effective and enjoyable story as she takes the reader back to the beginning of Trumps campaign, showing how the crowds were strong and enthusiastic from the very start. She was the first reporter assigned to cover Trump full time, was with the Trump campaign until election day, and she discusses not only the Trump that everyone saw on television but also provides enough insights from her behind the scenes experiences to give a more complete story of the man and the campaign. Of course, some will (and have) criticize her for pointing out Trumps casual relationship with the truth. Her prominence in reporting on Trump was raised to a new level when she conducted a lengthy interview with him one-on-one early in the campaign. She angered Trump by being tougher than he expected, more assertive in her questions and rebuttals to him than he seems to have anticipated. How he reacted to her and treated her then and afterwards gives insight into Trump that is not surprising given everything that has been seen and heard over the past two years. It does reinforce the stories of Trumps behavior, his bullying and intimidation tactics with real examples that are documented and undeniable. With respect to the support the Trump received from very early in his campaign, she makes it clear in her prologue to the book that she understands the frustrations that led to Trumps victory (and she gives many examples of them along the way). And yet, even more than other reporters covering Trump, the particular attention she received from him meant that she required security protections at many points as the campaign progressed and the level of vitriol increased. I believe that this book will be one of the primary sources for those wanting to understand the 2016 election, an on-the-ground recounting of this reporters experience and observations. Others will offer more scholarly analyses of how the Trump and Clinton campaign strategies differed. This book focuses on the Trump campaign alone, Trump and his supporters and why they were so passionate about his candidacy. Earlier than just about any one else she predicted the strong possibility of Trumps win, after spending so many weeks and months attending his rallies and observing the enthusiasm of his crowds. The signs had been there from the beginning, they were simply too unexpected for most campaign watchers to fully comprehend.

So little Katy Tur has written a book brimming with salacious gossip about Dear Leader. I'd rate it zero stars if I could just to give this diminutive news pop tart a whack on the noggin with a wet linguine noodle. She obviously had a double-bladed axe to grind as she hunted down the Orange Goblin during her 500-day safari across America. She even went one-on-one with Big D in the gilded halls of his dark tower and survived which is amazing since she is no bigger than a third-place watermelon at the state fair. I did, however, like the book. It's well written and easy to read. The events of four years ago are still fresh in my mind, but Little Katy has buffed them up and added some new details along with a few reminders of the momentous campaign that culminated in the election of Donald J. Trump to high office much to the dismay of Hillary Rodham Clinton and her minions. I finished book on Thursday, November 5, 2020, as the Biden/Trump presidential election remained undecided while votes were tallied in battleground states... a fresh dose of democracy, jeez, it's invigorating! Although the book is centered around Trump's campaign, we are given a ride-along with Little Katy as an embedded reporter. I found that aspect of the book in and of itself to be interesting, the way news gets done in real time. I also enjoyed the details of Little Katy's personal life and little Little Katy's family life (when she was a young Little Katy with her mom and dad). It provided the same kind of author/story angles as found in Pure Land by Annette McGivney and the personal vignettes Jon Krakauer sprinkles in his writing. Small tidbits like the hairdresser offering to help out in a dingy public restroom were such a welcome relief. Surprising how these little flickers of kindness give me hope in this increasingly crowded and cranky world. So then, Little Katy, bedraggled reporter succumbing to the narcotic effects of honey peanut butter in another nondescript hotel room... Thanks for the memories.

I couldn't stop reading Tur's gripping account of her experiences covering the Trump election campaign. Especially her direct interactions with Trump, I find, reveal even more about the insanity of Donald Trump and his kidnapping of the presidency. Sometimes her narrative becomes too personal - most of us buy the book, I assume, primarily because we want more dirt on Trump, not because we are interested in Tur's personal life - but her own story is a compelling one and sheds some useful light on the life of a TV journalist. I like her writing style, it's punchy and to the point, not cerebral or overstated.

This book is not about Donald Trump. This book is about a journalist journey. The ups and downs and the side effects of giving up your life to dedicate your entire life to your career. The professional relationship between Donald Trump and K. Tur while 2016 election campaign is merely the behind the scenes of it all. Is this book essential on your library? of course not. Worth's the time? Yes, it does.

現トランプ大統領が泡沫候補の時からのＮＢＣ番記者、トランプからlittle Katyと呼ばれたKaty Turの２年間にわたる選挙報道記。トランプ独特の優秀性（ダントツに優れた直観力、人の話を良く聞き内容を覚えている等）を列挙しつつも、彼の横暴、尊大、その他の欠点も正確に記している。報道活動を生き生きと描写し、ごく普通のありふれた米国白人のトランプ氏によせる「異常な愛情」にある種の恐怖を感じてしまう。別のトランプ本、Devil's bargainと合わせて読むと興味が倍増。私はヒラリー氏を応援していたのだが、彼女の本を手に取る気がしないのは理性ばかりで感情を感じさせない彼女のカリスマ性の欠如だろう。余談ですが、Katyが両親を説明した章も面白いし、orka in bikini, wedgie等の表現もいいね！

I was uneasy when I started reading this book as I worried how Katy Tur would frame what must have been a very ugly experience in covering a very ugly candidate for the presidency. To my delight she gave a sense of her experiences and with a light touch constructed a narrative that was both engaging and moving. I was left with a real sense of the kind of work that the team of reporters covering the candidates were asked to do, its personal cost and what we can learn about gender and misogyny in the 2016 election.

El estilo de la escritora no me gustó. El relato de la campaña de Trump es fascinante. Vale la pena.