The New Book by Dan Gilgoff

What Mean Machine is needed to win the next presidential election?

The Jesus Machine.

Dan Gilgoff, Senior Editor

When the rumors of the book’s release were confirmed with a book party invite, we righteous-right, Jesus-loving good-guys were nervous.

But there is a happy ending. **(note from Charmaine: haven’t finished the book yet!)

Charmaine and Your Business Blogger were invited to a new-book celebration at Chef Geoff’s in Your Nation’s Capital. Food, wine and wisdom. Some serious crab cakes.

Dan Gilgoff, Senior Editor from US News & World Report has released a new book on James Dobson and Focus on the Family. Gilgoff,

provides the first inside look at Dobson’s vast national network, the most powerful web of organizations the Christian Right has ever known. From its origins as a Southern California radio show dispensing parenting advice, Dobson — not a minister, but a family therapist with a doctorate in child development — has turned Focus on the Family into the command center for an unrivaled grassroots army. Dobson’s radio show reaches up to ten million Americans a week and elicits so much listener mail that Focus needs its own zip code.

A crowd of 85 moved about a small room and congratulationed Dan.

His mom was there.

Dan talked of the writer’s work and the need for confinement solitary — traveling in hotel rooms to research and bang out 300 pages. He thanks family and friends and co-workers and his employer.

“It takes a lot of people to provide a lot of solitude,” says he.

Michael Barone did a book blurb and paid the highest compliment by attending the book release party. Barone is a class act.

Dan’s PR team sold some books tonight.

Trick DC question: Where is the first place a Big Ego looks inside a new book?

Answer: The Index.

The Jesus MachineThere is a common practice inside the Beltway whenever a new book is released. Most everyone will first check out the index pages to see if one’s name is there. Or a friend’s. Or an enemy’s. (Clever authors sometimes omit the index, hoping the Big Players will buy and research later, outside of the bookstore.)

Dan saved us the trouble by including an Index. We bought a book anyway.

You should too.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Charmaine was not listed in the index. But she did make it as a “Source” in The Jesus Machine. Which was a relief — she’s usually a target.

Be sure to catch the Barone Blog on Rudy’s Viability. He talked tonight about Rudy’s appeal as a “War President.” And how this might just win in this time of terror.