Book gives behind-the-scenes look at presidency

by Adam Greenberg assistant a&e editor

Marching down the mall corridor, George Stephanopoulos was greeted with applause from the crowd of hundreds that lined up to have the former Washington insider autograph copies of his new book.

Upon seeing the man who had so often appeared on their television sets, most people were not struck by his commanding presence or anything regarding his demeanor.

Most people were talking about his height.

A ripple of discussion traveled down the assembled line of people as Stephanopoulos passed by.

"What is he, about five feet five?" one woman said.

"He is short," another man said.

Ironically, people exiting the signing remarked how "down-to-earth" he seemed.

"Down-to-earth" might be a fitting description for the man, but it also describes his new book, "All Too Human."

The book chronicles his experiences in the White House while serving as an advis- er on President Clinton's staff. Clinton's presidency, as mired in controversy and scandal as it has been and continues to be, is an excellent backdrop for a book.

Of course, the subject has been tackled several times already, most recently with an account of Monica Lewinsky's story. However, Stephanopoulos has an insider perspective th11tlends credibility to his account.

As a spin-doctor on the campaign trail and in the White House, Stephanopoulos was there when stories were breaking and when decisions were made. He had to answer to the press for every presidential misstep, blunder and indiscretion during the President's first term. He also had to deal with the "bimbo eruptions," which is how he describes the cases of Gennifer Flowers and Paula Jones.

Yes, the juicy stuff is in there, but so are the details about the daily mechanics of American politics.

Stephanopoulos writes with candor and as much objectivity as possible. There is no attempt to distance himself from the dirty dealings that went on behind closed doors.

Pointing the finger at himself as much as anyone else, Stephanopoulos is not afraid to portray himself as selfish.

An undercurrent of sadness and disillusion runs throughout "All Too Human." Does the title refer to Clinton's fall from grace or to Stephanopoulos'?

In the Philadelphia Inquirer, critic Doug Ireland faults the writing in "All Too Human" as being "pedestrian, rarely expanding on the basic TV vocabulary of 3,000 words." He also cnt.1c1zes Stephanopoulos' reliance on pop-culture references. Ultimately, Ireland concludes that the book is self-serving and that the former Clinton aide is in it for the money. Ireland's comments about the language of the book are indicative of everything that is wrong with the government. Who decided that only well-educated academic types should understand the language of politics?

Ireland finds the "TV vocabulary" of "All Too Human" to be a weakness when it is actually a strength. Stephanopoulos' writing is accessible and fascinating, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the presidency that is interesting without being sensationalized. Is Stephanopoulos in it for the money?

On March 13 George Stephanopoulos visited Waldenbooks in Montgomery Mall in North Wales, Penn.

Sure he is. However, "All Too Human" is subtitled "A Political Education," and that education is definitely worth the cost for the reader.