Citizens of the Green Room: Profiles in Courage and Self-Delusion

by Mark Leibovich

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller This Town: a collection of award-winning and finely detailed profiles of today’s most fascinating political, sports, and pop-culture figures.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Essays

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2014

About the author

Mark Leibovich is The New York Times Magazine chief national correspondent, based in Washington, D.C. In 2011, he received a National Magazine Award for his story on Politico's Mike Allen and the changing media culture of Washington. Prior to coming to The New York Times Magazine, Leibovich was a national political reporter in the Times's D.C. bureau. He has also worked at The Washington Post, The San Jose Mercury News, and The Boston Phoenix. Leibovich lives with his family in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting profiles. Love the DC political scene. Enjoyed the author's earlier book, This Town a wee bit more than Citizens.

[Eric_W · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my major gripes during the last election (an election Trump insists was fraudulent - I agree, let's do it over) was the myopia of the Washington media who spent the entire election cycle talking to each other and refusing to examine the obvious currents of dissatisfaction with Washington and the "elites" who reside there and run the country. (They all read and absorb "Playbook" produced by Mike Allen - read the essays to understand what that is and why it's important.)
 
Leibovich, who writes for the Times, specializes in writing profiles of those in Washington. He's more self-aware than some others about where he fits in the Washington swamp, but his insights into the relationship between the media and Washington insiders and how residing there affects them and their lives are valuable. This book is an older collection of those essays. They remain relevant and interesting. The profile of Glenn Beck is particularly interesting and revealing on how and why Beck is the way he is. His show on Fox was known in the ad world as "empty calories: he draws great ratings but is toxic to ad sales."
 
The mnemonic techniques of Andrew Card, patterned after that of a 16th century monk, are startling to say the least. I have read of other people who create "castles" of the mind where memories are stored for easy retrieval; Card uses a kitchen with some things in the freezer, others on one of the burners, etc.
 
Even though some of the essays are more than a decade old, the comments and profiles are as fresh as if there were written yesterday. His comments on campaigning and the relationship between reporters (badgered by the 24/7 news cycle and bored to tears by the candidates' canned speeches) and the candidates are just as pertinent today as they were 10 years ago. "Politics is not about objective reality, but about virtual reality . . . an infinitely revisable [and risible] docudrama."
 
Some fun quotes: "Chris Matthews is trapped in a tired caricature" "The demise of the cable blow-hard" "Rick Santorum is like Forrest Gump with an attitude." His essay on fakery in Washington and pretending to have read the "Economist" is priceless.

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Mark Leibovich's previous book, This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral, you will be tempted to read this new book by him. This Town was a gossipy and irreverent look at the personalities around the nation's capital, and their convoluted ways of getting things done. Citizens of the Green Room is a collection of stand-alone profiles and articles that Leibovich has written over the years for The New York Times and other publications.

Leibovich's expertise in the workings of Washington is evident, and so is his humor. The articles are informative and fun to read. Even when the profiles are a few years old, they may still prove to be relevant, such as a 2003 piece on Jeb Bush, or articles about Hillary Clinton. On the other hand, I was less interested in reading articles about former White House chief of staff Andrew Card and press secretary Scott McClellan.

Entertaining reading for political junkies.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved This Town. It was a gossipy and fun glimpse into the quirks and neuroses that propel our country's leaders. Here much of that same material is recycled and shaped into profiles of the likes of Chris Matthews, Rick Santorum, Chris Christie, John McCain, and Hillary Clinton. Leibovich explores the lives of these folks-- both the private and the carefully cultivated public image-- and the interplay involved. Although there is good stuff here-- I found the Kerry-Heinz marriage and Jeb Bush family particularly fascinating-- much of it is familiar to This Town readers. In addition, chapters jumped from 2002 to 2013 and back again. Given that politics has a notoriously short memory it seemed a stretch to recall what was going on over 10 years ago. In general, this was another fun read, but it felt like a reboot, trying to capitalize on the success of This Town.

[Larry Hostetler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different perspective on politicians, this book provides vignettes that are more personal and apolitical than is the usual read.

Both Republicans and Democrats seem to be treated with equanimity, and yet you are treated to stories that demonstrate the personal side of familiar names, rather than the persona they so assiduously aim to present.

I found the content interesting, the reading pleasant, and the overall result satisfying. In this age of increasing polarity it is reassuring to read accounts of key players that show their humanity and personality. Not a tell-all or expose, the book is helpful in reminding us that pols are people, too.

Nonetheless, I learned more about Washington and how it works. Not all profiles were of politicians; several media personalities, a few staffers, and even some campaign stories give variety that keeps things from being too "inside the beltway." There was even on chapter on the author and the Economist magazine.

Chapters were short and quick reads. Again the Goodreads rating has too much range to each star. I would give it 7.5 stars out of 10. It's more entertaining than insightful. Not that that's bad. It's nice to read something like this on occasion.

[Liz Nass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leibovich’s collection of profiles is a masterclass in being a cynical, witty observer rather than an everyday reporter of events. The details and the voice that Leibovich offers to the art proves that political reporting can be more than horse races and rallies in the middle of flyover states. I took notes for every chapter and thought I would share some of my favorites:

- mikey allen: i think we can all relate to caring a little bit too much about a political newsletter. great commentary about the pretentious nature of writing for the people “who matter” and starting the news just for the sake of ending it. i think it’s great that everyone who rags on mikey is like, but you can’t help but love him. that’s how i feel about him too. who wouldn’t love a guy that lies about his address and his birthday but brings you your hometown local newspaper?

- john kerry and teresa heinz: i like the leibovich begins this by meeting them in their living room, catching them in their domestic life, being not your fathers political couple. you find yourself asking is heinz using kerry as a political pawn? oh no just an emotional pawn. i have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with teresa heinz, what a crazy ambitious freak. straight laced vet boy x insane poet girl <3

- Hillary Clinton’s college letters: ok but why do hillary clinton and john peavoy lowkey give emily henry rom com vibes ?? fuck she’s so me in she’s “not yet reconciled myself to the fate of not being the star.” I find myself understanding her more as I realize college-aged Hillary Clinton is a global fellow of the same conference I was part of this past year, recognizing the pretentiousness that comes with the Salzburg experience. I think we can all be “mildly patronizing, if not scornful” and want “to stop any approaching introspection and to advise others whenever possible.”

- andrew card: Wait, why am I about try mental kitchening? NEED A HOUSE TOUR OF THIS MANS KITCHEN! I am fascinated but then am also conflicted because does he find himself TOO interesting? Does he just like to hear himself be smart? this one was uniquely way too short, i wanted to know way more about andrew card and his weird brain!

- loathing the campaign trail: “‘How am I going to get through it?’ is not the question you want to be asking yourself as you enter what are supposed to be the pinnacle few months of your profession.” this is where you can really feel leibovich’s voice return, endlessly hilarious and self-aware, calling “politics have never been meaner” arguments “gauzy laments” and emphasizing “talking point Novocain.” He speaks of growing fauxness i think a lot of people resent and a lack of joy in politics. But in it, he says “I write and read about politics because beneath that cynicism I understand that the stakes are high.” And he’s right. Political journalism isn’t about the false umbrages. it’s about how the real people relate to those.

- chris christie: my god I need christie to stop threatening my life and taking my lunch money Jersey style.

- peter orszag: being boring sexy will get someone pregnant and on inside edition and in the west wing. peter stan number one.

- senator roommates: i love when guys are just dudes. i think we forget that a lot of politicians started out as frat presidents.

[Josué · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leibovich sheds some interesting light on the “swamp” of Washington, DC, and its political culture, though at times the book feels as though fascinating political profiles on figures such as John Kerry and Jeb Bush are interwoven with filler content (did we really need to know about a former congressman who hasn’t served in 15 years and is serving prison time, or about a Kennedy who has never run and never will run for office?) The author’s prose is straightforward and easy to casually read, but deleting some chapters and shaving off 50-100 pages in the process would have made this a breezier and more enjoyable read.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ethnography of Washington’s self-important power class. Leibovich builds on biographical sketches mostly reported previously for The New York Times Magazine. I would recommend his This Town as a similar but stronger exposition of the same themes. Recommended for politics junkies with a sense of humor about Washington’s humorless power rituals and self-made construction and maintenance of an elite culture. The hook will be instantly recognizable to anyone with the misfortune of having spent time in or around it.

[Marti Martinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was succinct, engaging, and witty. The fact that I would not break bread with any of the people he wrote about (even if they were alive) is why I can't 4 or 5 star this.

But, hey, I lived in DC for 24 years. I would have had lunch at Raku or Thai Phoon with the author; he might, though, not have wanted to dine with me.

[Steve Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Chris Christie profile after he was summarily dunked in the garbage by Trump would have been more fun.

Lots of letting people look like morons with their own words, which was nice.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Profiles of members of the media and politicians. Entertaining, informative and depressing. :) Most importantly: got it off my TBR pile!!!!

[David McLennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, but it feels too much like the National Enquirer at times.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about the goings on in the lives of the DC elite that you may or may not have heard. Written in a way that is engaging rather than just a recollection of history.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories overlap quite a bit with Mr. Leibovich's "This Town". Good as the stories are, you will note recurrences.

[Shana Oshin · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s soo sassy but the Ted Kennedy one was poignant

[J. Fakename · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful acid pen material that was recycled to better effect in This Town. [audiobook]

[Patrick Tarbox · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not as good as This Town, but definitely has plenty of what makes Leibovich great as a writer. The Glenn Beck and Chris Matthews profiles stood out in particular.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a sequel to 'This Town' Author Mark Leibovich made a huge splash with his book, This Town, with its gossip and stories of politicians, lobbyists, media people, etc. of Washington, DC. The rise and fall of staffers, the back stabbings of politicians, the scheming, the drama, etc. All a political junkie's dream. This book promised to (or at least sounded like) it was somewhat similar. These personalities that go and sit in a green room before interviews.
 
Sadly, it is not. I did not realize it was a collection of his old profiles until I re-read Mike Allen's story. Thankfully I realized that it was just that--profiles of people. From Hillary Clinton to Andrew Card, various media types, politicos and staffers their their day in the spotlight. However, it's only the "big" names that get their due and get those long profiles you might read in the newspaper.
 
Not having read everything by Leibovich before, it was interesting to read up on people like John Kerry, Chris Christie, etc. Some are quite touching, including a sort of closing piece on Sen. Ted Kennedy. Others were quite boring: I wasn't interested in Andrew Card or Ted Kennedy Jr, so I skipped their chapters.
 
If you're a political junkie and follow US politics and elections (or read a lot of the author's work), a lot of this probably familiar, if not entirely rehashed info. While a lot of it was quite interesting, I had been looking forward to the narrative that propelled Town. While certainly people who appear in one place (Clinton) certainly pop up in other profiles, there is no overarching "story." It's a collection of pieces that are not really tied together, or perhaps are grouped as such as the author/editor liked.
 
He's not a bad writer at all, but don't think you're getting a sequel to his other book. If you're really interested in someone who's in this book, it might be a good check-out or super cheap buy if you need it as a reference. Otherwise I'd say it's for political junkies.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love Leibo's writing style and I need to do a better job paying attention to when his profiles get published. Even if I don't care about the politician (or politico) his writing style is so witty and engaging that the profiles are always worth reading. It was also fascinating to read some of the older profiles and compare them to where the people are now (such as John Kerry, I had NO IDEA his wife was a Republican). I think this book is especially eye-opening if you don't follow politics super closely or like me, you do follow politics closely but since most politicians have been around since before you were born you don't fully appreciate their transformation and who they are now. Some profiles reaffirmed what I already suspected (Chris Matthews, John McCain), some really surprised me (HRC's college letters, Glenn Beck, the Kennedys). My favorite profile was definitely that of Mike Allen, there's so much to unpacl.

I wish there had been more diversity in those Leibovich profiles, some more women and politicians of color would have been nice. Then again maybe he'd say something asinine and thus avoids those profiles for a reason so it's better he doesn't (I would have loved to see his take on Tulsi Gabbard, Jesse Jackson Jr or Harold Ford Jr to name a few). The saddest (not truely sad but I felt a twinge of sympathy) profile to read is probably Jeb's in light of how things played out. Honestly the most depressing aspect of the book is when you read that Leibovich calls the 2012 election "joyless" and you realize how much worse it's gotten. I remember 2008 and how impactful that was, and the pride I felt that we re-elected a Black man in 2012 but 2016 also feels like a joyless election. And maybe that's the fate we're doomed to have with a two party system that relies so heavily on money. I think Mark Leibovich's books always leave me discouraged but also feeling better informed and less alone for still liking some politicians and so enjoying the game of politics while also being disgusted. If that paradox is even possible.

[Angie Reisetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reference to the green room in the title of this book gave me the incorrect impression that it is forward-looking, perhaps looking at who's in the wings for the next presidential election. It is backward looking, and many of the essays are quite old, considering the pace of political change. The title is drawn from an essay Leibovich wrote about the candidates in the green room before the democratic nomination debate in 2004. In many fields of study, 2004 wasn't that long ago, but politics tends to move a little faster, so it feels like a long time ago.

As far as the writing goes, the best essays are the ones that are more personal. These essays were written for a variety of publications and for a variety of reasons. The best, I believe, is the first about Mike Allen of Politico. It's quite compelling, but one of the reasons that it's so good is that Leibovich knows Allen and likes him. And that makes a difference. There are many profiles of people here whom Leibovich clearly doesn't respect very much, and that makes for a less enjoyable experience. At least for me. I'm not a huge political fan as much as a human fan -- I'm more looking for admirable characters, and many here fall short of that. Inevitably.

As a collection, these essays paint an amusing picture of the folks in politics and political media. They don't sleep and are caught up in themselves. They're all a little crazy. As a group they make for interesting study. But it's not a timely collection, as I say, so it comes as more an interesting collection of character sketches.

I got a free copy of this through Penguin's First to Read program.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having enjoyed Leibovich's This Town, I looked forward to reading Citizens of the Green Room, and it did not disappoint. The book is full of intriguing people (mostly Washington pols) and interesting quotations, and it's full of telling details that reveal character, often negative. Is it risky to extrapolate character from minute details? Sure. Is it fun to read. Absolutely.

The book falls short of This Town in one major regard. This Town had something of a narrative arc--from Russert's funeral to a Sally Quinn party--so there was some coherence to the story. Citizens of the Green Room, in contrast, is a collection of earlier articles (some much earlier). Though there is a spot of glue holding the pieces together ("portraits of Washington's elite, and wannabe elites"), there's no story here. It's just the "best of" thrown together. But that's OK. Leibovich can observe, speculate, and really dish so Citizens of the Green Room is an enjoyable read.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Politics, like sports and weather, has a short shelf life. With the notable exception of HBO's The Newsroom, no one wants to read about whatever was big news in politics a few years ago (or several years ago). So I'm not sure why Mark Leibovich decided to release, in 2014, a book about his various interviews with politicians and pundits primarily in the mid to late 2000's. It seems odd and deja-vu-ish to read about Chris Matthews' jealousy of his then-MSNBC cohost Keith Olberman (who left the network in early 2011), or Glenn Beck being described as the black sheep of Fox News (which he also left in 2011), or a profile on Rick Santorum that says nothing about his bizarre (and Icarusian) 2012 presidential campaign, or a story about how former Bush press secretary Scott McClellan was a master at sticking to the script and not giving information. "This Town" was a great political book. This one, not so much.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably should have read more about this book before getting so excited to see another Mark Leibovich books. I loved This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral — plus plenty of valet parking! — in America’s Gilded Capital and expected this to build on it or at least look at another facet of US politics in the same vein as This Town did. Unfortunately, Citizens of the Green Room is a collection of disparate stories that were previously published. I still do enjoy his writing and there were several chapters that were extremely entertaining. But disappointing after his last effort.

[Kristi Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a political junkie like me, than you will enjoy this book by Mark Leibovich. He has taken various interviews and stories he did from around 2000 up to 2014 and created a book that feels like a microcosm of America today.

Some of the early stories feel dated but in context they all coalesce in a funny and sometimes poignant way.

I especially enjoyed the Mike Allen from Politico story and enjoyed the Chris Mathews and Ted Kennedy tidbits too. Some of the people I didn't know but the majority are household names and very familiar.

I received this book as one of Penguin books First to Read program.

[Peter · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Goodreads algorithm strikes again! Linked as a book similar to some other now unidentifiable book on politics that I liked (Hunter S. Thompson? Joan Didion?), this bland personality reporting is nothing like Hunter S. Thompson or Joan Didion, or anything remotely resembling a thoughtful, heartfelt, principled investigation of an apparent political reality. It was instead a series of observations of known facts strung together with inside stories that held the interest and impact about as long as the average blog post. Of course, I have only read three of the essays in here at this point, but the sample does not encourage me to spend more time.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still insightful and honest, I wonder if Leibovich considers himself post-journalism now that his career seems to establish him as an inside-outsider, someone who knows the game of politics, plays his role, yet acknowledges playing the role along with other role-players and then training his authorship as a bigger lens on how we are all doing this in the age of social media. Sometimes this can be insightful, such as his depiction of Glenn Beck, but sometimes can fall short, such as in his piece on Hillary Clinton, when he can't get inside of or around his subject's skin.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

For the most part, I greatly enjoyed this book. Mark Leibovich profiled several significant individuals in American politics including Chris Matthews, Rick Santorum, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, John McCain, and Hillary Clinton. In particular I found the Kerry-Heinz marriage and Jeb Bush family particularly interesting. But the book was ruined when he spent 26 pages praising Glenn Beck. How could anyone consider a ‘low life’ like Glenn Beck equal to great Americans? My recommendation is to NOT read this book and to NEVER read anything written by Mark Leibovich.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed Mark Leibovich's writing in the NY Times, I was looking forward to this one. Leibovich is a good writer and I appreciate his take on Washington: in turns cynical, irreverent, amused and exasperated. Unfortunately, many of the pieces in this collection were underwhelming. Highlights include profiles of Mike Allen, John and Teresa Heinz Kerry, John McCain and Glenn Beck.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book! Leibovich has an eye for the telling detail, and a talent for revealing the human beings behind the public masks that political figures wear. I particularly liked his piece written from the campaign trail for the 2012 election. He actually managed to get me to care about people with whose politics I disagree, which is no small feat. I would definitely read more Leibovich books.

[Jill Deutsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed This town. This book not so much. The most recent columns were interesting but those that were at least ten years old were dated and tired, especially since the players have changed so much i.e. Tim Russert, David Gregory, Brian Williams. Also having written at length about Mike Allen in This Town, this book is redundant with the same fawning and history of Mike Allen. Enough about him please.