Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: I disagree with the reviewers who are, apparently, too sophisticated to recognize insight, or else dismiss the book as "Beltway blather." We regular folks are much less fussy. I do not have access to inside information so it's fun to read about the details from someone who does. I part company with Gergen only on the matter of the "fine, upstanding men" (Chapin, Krogh, et al) he describes in the Nixon Watergate White House. He makes them out as victims! He asserts that they never would have gotten into trouble if it had not been for the "atmosphere of intimidation" from the top. Sorry, Mr. Gergen. They went to jail not because of their dirty tricks in the White House but because of perjury. Perhaps, indeed, they thought that this is "the way the game is played" when it came to the dirty tricks. But by the time they were testifying in federal court, the games were over. These were well-educated adults. They most certainly knew what perjury was. No victims here; no sympathy either.
Rating:
Summary: Though Shaded Glasses At Times
Review: I found this book to be very well written and thought out. The author, who could have really cashed in on the book by spelling out even warmed over gossip and tall tails did not. He took the high road and tried to dissect the leadership characteristics of the four Presidents he worked for. He also added some interesting insights from his own work and I always wanted more of his experiences. I found that I enjoyed the sections on Nixon and Clinton the most. He was as complimentary as he was negative, depending on the topic. I found his views were very balanced and based on definable facts, not just off the cuff comments. To be fair in this review, the section on Ford was much like the Ford Presidency, everything interesting had to do with Nixon. If I had one issue with the book it was that the author did seem to go easy on Reagan. The author holds Reagan in very high esteem and that comes through on the writing. It is a good thing Reagan never went swimming or this author would have had to detail a walking on the water episode. The reason I was disappointed was that for the other three Presidents, the authors sharp eye cut through the fluff and got right to the mistakes, weaknesses and strengths. I would like the author to come out with a memoir of his time but maybe he is waiting for the next President to call him up for duty before he pens it. Overall the book was good, interesting and easy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Though Shaded Glasses At Times
Review: I found this book to be very well written and thought out. The author, who could have really cashed in on the book by spelling out even warmed over gossip and tall tails did not. He took the high road and tried to dissect the leadership characteristics of the four Presidents he worked for. He also added some interesting insights from his own work and I always wanted more of his experiences. I found that I enjoyed the sections on Nixon and Clinton the most. He was as complimentary as he was negative, depending on the topic. I found his views were very balanced and based on definable facts, not just off the cuff comments. To be fair in this review, the section on Ford was much like the Ford Presidency, everything interesting had to do with Nixon. If I had one issue with the book it was that the author did seem to go easy on Reagan. The author holds Reagan in very high esteem and that comes through on the writing. It is a good thing Reagan never went swimming or this author would have had to detail a walking on the water episode. The reason I was disappointed was that for the other three Presidents, the authors sharp eye cut through the fluff and got right to the mistakes, weaknesses and strengths. I would like the author to come out with a memoir of his time but maybe he is waiting for the next President to call him up for duty before he pens it. Overall the book was good, interesting and easy to read.
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent account the last 30 years in US Presidencies
Review: I found this book very informative for three reasons: a) Mr. Gergen is an insider to American Presidencies for the last 30 years. His writing is skillful (as a former speechwriter it is no surprise) and he is a very good observer putting the day-to-day activities of a White House into a larger perspective. b) Mr. Gergen is exceptionally fair. He tries (from my point of view successfully) to give a fair account of the strengths and weaknesses of the presidents from Nixon to Clinton without going black and white. He is often very critical without ever going negative. c) I think this book is a must for everybody in charge of running larger (profit or nonprofit) organizations. He points out what makes an Organization or a CEO successful - or not.
Rating:
Summary: Tries to Answer the Question of What a Good President Is
Review: I read this book knowing that Gergen had worked (mostly in the communications area) with four presidents -- Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He has always impressed as a intelligent, fair-minded commentator on the political scene who is not overtly partisan, always a good thing in a commentator. This book helped maintained the tradition, in that it gavce what I though were very fair portraits of the presidents Gerger worked with -- sometime admiring, sometimes not. The book has a number of strengths. Part of is political history, part biography. You a get sense from reading the books of what the times were in which each president served and what the public expected and got from them. He is quite frank in discussing what the strengths and weaknesses of the presidents were (with some side reflections on Carter and Bush) and tries to sort out why some presidents are successful and others not. I found most of his appraisals (one at a time and then in summary) both well-articualted and generally convincing. I know one reviewer here says Gergen namedrops -- I don't think he does. He is mostly telling an "I was there" story and then giving his sense of what it all meant. He is in no way aggrandizing or trying to clain an unreasoable role for himself. For me, the best part of the books was discussion of what makes a president effective (admittedly something that changes with time). It seems to a mix of character, ability to connect with people, and in terms of leadership, the ability to focus on a few issues (esepcially early in a term) and to build consensus in the country. These are good lessons (told well) that I hope our next president understands. My one hope on this book is that Gergen revisits it or at least fills us in some forum us on how the new president is doing. The book is a nice mix of history and an interpretation of presidential leadership.
Rating:
Summary: A Superb Examination Of The Modern Presidency
Review: I read this book quite quickly and with ease. Despite the serious issues, which Gergen sets out to examine, It is done with great style and with an eye to the less politically attuned. The first thing you grasp is the sheer length of time he has spent at the highest levels of the American Government and during the most difficult times like Watergate and the attempted assassination of President Reagan. He examines in detail many of the characteristics, which determined the success or failure of all the Presidents since Nixon. He looks at their personality their intelligence, their management of the White House as well as their relationship to the congress in terms of achieving policy positions adopted during their terms. He looks at the issue of integrity versus intelligence particularly in his examination of the Clinton years at the White House. Once you read the book you will clearly see that his favorite presidents are men who possess the integrity which give the office its prestige and stature. This is not to say that he is judgmental about Presidents who have fallen short of the mark he gives the reader the assessment and allows you to draw a different conclusion as to the reasons and circumstances surrounding a poor judgement call by a chief executive. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to people both in politics and citizens who want a greater quality in terms of national leadership both in the United States and around the world.
Rating:
Summary: Keen insight from a White House insider to 4 Presidents
Review: I was fascinated to read about the day-to-day working behavior of Clinton, Ford, Reagan and Nixon from a true insider. Without being a "kiss and tell" author, Gergen gave me keen insight into the personal behavior of four fascinating Presidents and their use of power. Gergen also draws 7 relevant guidelines for evaluating future Presidents -- a timely roadmap for November 2000 !
Rating:
Summary: A quick and engaging read
Review: If you want to stay away, or need a break from, the (sometimes) fun but predictable polemics about the state of our state, Gergen is your man. I have often enjoyed his comments on television and his editorials. He always speaks with authority, respect, and perspective; and thus, he stands out. You'll see no "gotcha" moments in this book, and his prose is simple and engaging.
This is not really a history book, nor does it have much discussion of policy, but Gergen states this from the get-go. Rather, he sets out to look at 4 presidents at various moments when they are at their best in their leadership role, and when they fall short in this role. I found the chapters on Nixon and Clinton the most interesting. I suppose this could be due to the fact that they had the more complicated times in office, and they are seemingly more complex individuals than Reagan or Ford. Ironically, the chapter on President Reagan, from whom Gergen learned "the most about about about leadership", was the least interesting. His discussion about Reagan's communication ability wasn't as lively or fresh as other parts of the book.
I think the most interesting thing about thing about this book was the way in which various aspects of one administration affect other, seemingly unconnected, aspects. How one's initial organization, one's staff, one's personal relationships and maturity, and even the simple need for sleep can effect political effectiveness and policy itself. This is essetially the purpose and content of the book.
Further, he can cast a brief, but interesting light on the cast surrounding the Presisdent. In discussing Al Haig and his misstep after Reagan, Gergen reminds readers of Haig's admirable role after watergate yet he refrains from letting Haig of the hook for his mistake, a wonderful example of Gergen's persective.
Gergen also treats the Lewinsky scandal gracefully. He refuses to dip into tabloid journalism or fake outrage, but he convincingly showes how the incident effected Clinton's Presidency, and how it was more than merely a silly sex act.
I hope Gergen writes more, and recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Good, "Objective" View of Politics By Someone Who Knows
Review: If you're sick of partisan slag and want a good panorama of what it takes to be a leader in this country, as well as a truly honest analysis of several in the past few decades - from a man who's worked with them (and across both parties) - get this book. Give it to your kids. Assign it in school. Give it to the disgusting partisan blowhards that constantly give you heartburn.
Rating: 
Summary: "Leading" versus "governing" in the era of mass media
Review: In reviewing David Gergen's book, "Eyewitness to Power", it is instructive to look at its subtitle: "The Essence of Leadership from Nixon to Clinton". Gergen distinguishes between "governing" and "leading" - and with this useful distinction, one can understand clearly why Jimmy Carter, certainly one of the more intellectually gifted of recent presidents, failed so completely to articulate a clear vision of his administration and its goals; and why Ronald Reagan, who succeeded Carter following the 1980 Republican landslide, became, in Gergen's opinion, "the best leader in the White House since Franklin Roosevelt" - although Reagan was usually considered anything but intellectual. One could, however, flip Gergen's distinction on its head, and reasonably argue that, while Reagan may have been a great leader, he failed at governance - defaulting on his responsibilities for overseeing the actions of individuals in his administration, a default leading to the Iran-Contra scandal, the nature, scope and occurrence of which would have been well-neigh unimaginable in the Carter White House. Gergen's premise seems to be that "good government" presidents - what he calls "goo-gooers" for short - cannot survive by mere administrative competence alone. Without the ability to sell the public on policy initiatives through exceptional persuasive and inspirational abilities, the performance of a "goo-gooer" president at best may be a good administration, but a poor show. In our media-saturated era, that bodes ill for potential presidents who may possess all the gifts and abilities to serve the Republic well, save stage presence and telegenic good looks. As the Professor in the movie "Back to the Future" said about Ronald Reagan: "No wonder your President has to be an actor!" Gergen fails to contemplate this consequence of his definition of effective leadership upon effective governance, and what in turn may be the effect upon our pool of potential leaders and how we select them for office. It is doubtful that Thomas Jefferson, were he alive today, with his unassuming manners, poor speaking voice, and reticent personality, would satisfy Gergen's criteria for great leadership.
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