Don't Tell the President: The Best, Worst, and Mostly Untold Stories from Presidential Advance

by Jean Becker, Tom Collamore

Overview

Two former staffers to President George H. W. Bush bring together the most harrowing and hilarious stories behind presidential events over the past sixty years—from the Rose Garden to Air Force One, foreign trips to the campaign trail—detailing the art of preparation that goes into these delicate, high stress operations and revealing how they have often been one step away from disaster.

Featuring a foreword by Jon Meacham

Don’t Tell the President is a collection of the greatest tales of triumph and near-crisis in presidential advance. Behind every seamless campaign appearance and presidential affair lies the meticulous work of event planners and advance teams—the little-known professionals who transform political logistics into carefully choreographed performances.

Here are illuminating first-hand accounts from dedicated employees who worked for every modern-day president from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama, a few First Ladies, a few vice presidents, and a few wannabes.

Experience some of the most searing events from behind the scenes, including: 

• Memorable moments from the campaign trail, including Lyndon Johnson’s 1960 trip to Boston as John Kennedy’s newly minted running mate and Barack Obama’s first rally appearance with Oprah.
• Riveting accounts from the advance team with President Reagan on the day he was shot to the terrible hours on 9/11 from someone who was on Air Force One with President Bush.
• Those hectic and often historic foreign trips including Vice President George Bush’s cloak-and-dagger trip in Communist Poland; President Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” speech in Berlin; and President George W. Bush’s secret trip to Iraq on Thanksgiving Day.
• And a few stories when the foreign dignitaries came to visit us, including Queen Elizabeth’s famous “talking purple hat” speech on the South Lawn of the White House.
• And an all-star team of advance contributors - many who went on to be political figures themselves including former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; radio host and CNN contributor Michael Smerconish; and former Senator Rob Portman. Also, a first-hand account from former Secret Service agent Barbara Riggs who had to deal with inappropriate advances of Manuel Noreiga.
• And yes, the regrettable and now infamous gaffes, when Bob Dole’s campaign event turned into a photo op with Woody Woodpecker, Frankenstein, Charlie Chaplin, and Mae West; and when a pig relieved himself on Vice President George Bush on a farm in Iowa.

Allowing us to witness presidential history and politics from a new angle, Don’t Tell the President brings together the hilarious chaos of Veep and the grandeur of The West Wing. It is a memorable and at times laugh-out loud funny look at how many presidential events happen—and how many almost went awry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063446779
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/03/2026
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.97(d)

About the Author

Jean Becker served as chief of staff for President George H. W. Bush for nearly twenty-five years. She is the editor of Pearls of Wisdom (with Barbara Bush) and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Man I Knew: The Amazing Story of George H. W. Bush’s Post Presidency and Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons from George H. W. Bush. She also served as deputy press secretary to First Lady Barbara Bush and was a newspaper reporter for ten years, including four years at USA Today.

Tom Collamore first met President George H.W. Bush in 1978 as his driver and became part of his inner circle of staffers. Tom served in various senior roles throughout the twelve years of President Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush’s administrations and has been an advisor to the George and Barbara Bush Foundation for over 30 years. After government Tom enjoyed a long career as a senior corporate executive and trade association leader. He’s the founder of Collamore Consulting Group, providing strategic counsel to CEO’s of companies, associations and non-profits. He lives in Maryland with his wife Jacqueline and they are the proud parents of four grown children.

Editorial Reviews

"Don’t Tell the President is the best kind of White House history—a front row seat to the chaos, comedy, and choreography that keeps the leader of the free world looking confident and composed. Or not. Sharp, hilarious, and full of behind-the-scenes surprises, these stories from presidential advance prove that history doesn’t just happen—it’s meticulously (and sometimes manically) pulled off.”  - George Stephanopoulos
"Don’t Tell the President is the book you didn’t know you needed. I delighted in the behind the scenes tales of putting together presidential events. What a triumph for Jean and Tom — we owe them a debt of gratitude for writing these stories down. They are priceless! Long live the advance teams — no longer the best kept secret in political communications." - Dana Perino, New York Times bestselling author of I Wish Someone Had Told Me...
"Mark Twain once said truth is stranger than fiction. Here’s the proof in this incredible behind-the-scenes look at presidential advance. The stories are wild—you won’t be able to put it down. " - Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The JFK Conspiracy

From the Publisher