All Too Human: A Political Education (34 page)

The president as usual rewriting his speech minutes before the 1994 State of the Union address.
(Bob McNeely/Official White House Photograph)

My first trip to the grand jury. Hailing a cab to avoid the message sent by riding in an official White House car.
(Associated Press/Worldwide)

The infamous
Time
magazine cover photo, before they cropped out Dee Dee Meyers and David Gergen (extreme right).
(Official White House Photograph)

“You did great, Mr. President.” Congratulating Clinton after his performance at a White House Correspondents dinner.
(Official White House Photograph)

Much of my day was spent taking notes on the president's phone conversations for follow-up and informing the press.
(Official White House Photograph)

Opposite, top:
On the European trip to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of D day, with Wendy Smith and presidential aide Andrew Friendly.
(Diana Walker/Time)

Opposite, center:
September 1994: Two months before the disastrous midterm elections, the president revels in an article attacking the press for not giving him enough credit. With Rahm Emanuel, Dee Dee Meyers (obscured), and Bruce Reed.
(Official White House Photograph)

Opposite, bottom:
Helping the president go through his in-box after a Saturday morning radio address.
(Official White House Photograph)

Watching every word. Mark Gearan, Leon Panetta, Woodrow Wilson, Tony Lake, and I keep an eye on the president as he revises a speech on Haiti.
(Official White House Photograph)

The first lady and I compare notes.
(Official White House Photograph)

Still inside but feeling out. Reacting to another midnight policy flip engineered by Dick Morris.
(Official White House Photograph)

A happy moment at the final affirmative action meeting, July 1995. I had grown a beard to cover a stress-induced skin condition.

(Official White House Photograph)

The president about to blow. Gene Sperling (to my left), Erskine Bowles, and I try to persuade Clinton to retract his “I raised your taxes too much” statement.
(Official White House Photograph)