I Am Martin Eisenstadt: One Man's Adventures with the Last Republicans

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Overview

In the days after the 2008 presidential election, we heard that Sarah Palin thought Africa was one big country. We heard that the leak came from Martin Eisenstadt, a McCain policy adviser. And then, within forty-eight hours, we heard that he was a fraud, a fake, and that Martin Eisenstadt didn't exist.

Maybe he doesn’t. But in a world where "news" can spread like wildfire on the Internet and a hoax can tell you more about politics than the facts, Martin Eisenstadt—whose blog and think tank fooled the world—has something to tell us. With the savviness of Primary Colors and the playfulness of Forrest Gump, his book is a mix of political intrigue, campaign-trail escapades, and cyberspace detective work. From debate preparation with Sarah Palin to his mother’s basement (yes, he still lives at home), from Liberation of Iraq softball games to Saturday Night Live; from his campaign for casinos in the Green Zone to happy hour in Washington, we follow a neocon pundit on his travels. This is his version of the election campaign.

Martin Eisenstadt: Hoaxster? Hero? You decide.

I Am Martin Eisenstadt

Editorial Reviews

Columbia Journalism Review

I can't vouch for the comedic value of the book, but I assure you the accompanying promotional video is very, very clever and well worth the watch.
—Clint Hendler

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From The Critics

Martin Eisenstadt's new memoir...is essential reading for all political junkies.
—Ken Silverstein

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780865479142
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Publication date: 10/27/2009
Pages: 336
Product dimensions: 5.40 (w) x 8.20 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

The political strategist and conservative analyst Martin Eisenstadt is a senior fellow at the Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy and founder and president of the influential Eisenstadt Group. An expert on Near Eastern military and political affairs, Mr. Eisenstadt worked alongside Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, offering advice and liaising with the Jewish community in particular. Prior to that, he consulted on the Rudolph Giuliani campaign, as well as for numerous corporate and multinational organizations on issues of security and policy development. Mr. Eisenstadt has been an influential voice in public policy debate for over a decade. By the time you read this, he will have his own place and will not be living in his mother’s basement.

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I Am Martin Eisenstadt

One Man's (Wildly Inappropriate) Adventures with the Last Republicans

By Martin Eisenstadt

Faber & Faber

I Am Martin Eisenstadt
1The SNL After Party with Joe the PlumberIT WAS THREE DAYS before the election, November 1, 2008, and there I was at a legendary Saturday Night Live after party with my candidate's sexy blonde daughter, Meghan McCain, and America's newest political celebrity, Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher. He was over six feet tall, tan, with rippling muscles; like Mr. Clean at a soap convention. Meghan had interned at SNL the year before and she knew the ropes. She led the way as we snaked through the hordes of beautiful people, back to the bar. Over in the corner, we saw a skinny bald white guy hunched over two turntables spinning tunes. Meghan couldn't contain herself. "Ohmigod, that's Moby!""Hey, Joe," I shouted above the crowd. "Looks like you crapped out a tiny version of yourself!" I could see Joe and Moby exchanging head-nod hellos, as if they were in some sort of private skinhead fraternity.While we waited at the bar, SNL cast member Fred Armisen (the nervous guy with the glasses) came over to us and said, "Hey, Joe, I'm a big fan!"Joe replied, on the threshold between umbrage and disdain,"Do you even know what I stand for?" Armisen glanced at Meghan and raised his eyebrow, looking for an assist. Meghan's shrug said, "Fred, you're on your own, buddy." Joe, his brow furrowed, pecs tensed, and buns taut, glared down at the small funny man.Fred cowered away, "Uh, uh, you know, what you, uh, said about the little guy and taxes, or something. Sir?"Then Joe busted out his secret weapon: the biggest smile this side of Cleveland, and said in a perfect impression of Armisen's Venezuelan TV host character, "I'm jus' kidding!" and wrapped up Fred in a giant bear hug. Poor Fred seemed relieved and bought us all a round of drinks (I was told that due to budget constraints at NBC, it was a cash bar).This was the hottest ticket in New York, especially the Saturday before the election. But like coats and weapons, politics were checked at the door. In this very Democratic city it was nice just to see people let their hair down and forget about the campaign for a couple of hours.Sean "Puffy" Combs was holding court in one corner of the club, enthralling the likes of Andy Dick, Paul Simon, Lauren Hutton, and Mary-Kate Olsen with contractor horror stories from the Hamptons. I ducked into the bathroom and overheard Alec Baldwin in the stall yelling at his daughter in L.A. Then again, it could have been that night's host, Ben Affleck, doing his Baldwin impersonation yelling at Baldwin's daughter. Hard to say.When I returned to the bar, I noticed Meghan McCain eagerly sampling hors d'oeuvres of sesame-crusted crab cakes with wasabi aioli. Dammit, they looked delicious, but for reasons I'll explain later, no shellfish for me. Governor David Paterson walked over to Meghan. Hands outstretched, he found her. "Ms. McCain, what a pleasure it is to meet you. Welcome to the fine state of New York.""Uh, you can take your hands off me now.""Please forgive me. I'm here with my wife tonight, and we swing."Just then, a meaty hand grabbed my shoulder."Marty, hey, there you are. I got to tell you, man, I don't usually have a pregger fetish, but there's this smokin' tall chick over there who looks about seven months ripe.""Jennifer Garner?""Is that who that is? Yeah, come to think of it, she did introduce me to this stuffed suit who she said was her husband's agent. He wants me to star as the Bachelor next season. Here's his card."I looked at the card: Patrick Whitesell, Endeavor Talent Agency."That's funny.""What?""It's the talent agency run by Ari Emanuel. Rahm's brother.""You mean the guy from Entourage?""Something like that. Mind if I keep the card?" I asked. Not a bad connection to the Obama team if this McCain thing doesn't work out."Sure, I don't really like to stuff things in my pockets anyway. Interferes with my mobility, if you know what I mean."Night wore on to early morning, and Joe finally got some "quality" alone time with a certain female cast member. I'm not that familiar with the show, but I know it wasn't Tina Fey or Amy Poehler. The skinny brunette, I think it was. Kristen, maybe? If politics makes strange bedfellows, then plumbing makes stranger ones. I ran into Joe the next morning outside his hotel, and ever the gentleman, he refused to reveal more than his mile-wide grin.So how had I, a mere campaign consultant, think-tank fellow, and pundit, found myself at the epicenter of the wildest presidential campaign in history? I was at the cusp of politics, celebrity, fame, and fortune.And all this just three days before the election. For a political operative such as myself, it really couldn't get any better. The only thing that could top this would be an election-night victory for John McCain! So you're probably asking yourself, how on earth did a Washington brat from a broken home grow up to be this successful self-made man?That night in a leopard-skin booth, with a highball in one hand and a buxom young actress in the other, I asked myself that same question. But just a scant two weeks later, I would have to ask myself the even deeper question: How did that blessed life come crashing down to a fate worse than death--being accused of never having lived at all--and what on earth could have gone so horribly, horribly wrong?Copyright © 2009 by Dan Mirvish and Eitan Gorlin

Continues...

Excerpted from I Am Martin Eisenstadt by Martin Eisenstadt Copyright © 2009 by Martin Eisenstadt. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Anonymous

Posted December 27, 2009

So humorous! One has to be so careful on the news when "quoting sources".Authors seemed to have such fun with it all.Great for discussions and for belly laughs!

The entire premise is hysterical yet gives a serious lesson. Who "really"knows what is going on everywhere? and with our need to "know celebrities" better than they think they know themselves, this book is a must read. Yes these are serious times, but "politics" is "not as usual" and these authors are sooo creative.
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James_Standish

Posted November 29, 2009

more from this reviewer

Fantastic book!

If you enjoyed Al Franken's Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, then you will love Martin Eisenstadt's journey into what it means to be part of the Republican establishment. Gorlin and Marvish's wicked sense of humor will leaving you laughing out loud on many occasions. Plus your friends will think you are smart owning it.

In all seriousness, this if a fantastic book.

Jim
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Anonymous

Posted November 16, 2009

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I Am Martin Eisenstadt: One Man's Adventures with the Last Republicans

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More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

I Am Martin Eisenstadt

Editorial Reviews

Columbia Journalism Review

From The Critics

Product Details

Meet the Author

Read an Excerpt

I Am Martin Eisenstadt

Faber & Faber

Rating Distribution

So humorous! One has to be so careful on the news when "quoting sources".Authors seemed to have such fun with it all.Great for discussions and for belly laughs!

Fantastic book!