An Evening With James Baker

The LBJ Library had the rare opportunity to attend a sneak preview with a candid observer who has been close to power for thirty-five years. Once called "The Velvet Hammer" by Time magazine for his political skills, Baker took us inside the White House with Presidents Ford, Reagan, and Bush. Even though, the book is political in nature, Baker shared personal stories, anecdotes, lessons learned, and his impressions of the powerful men and women with whom he's worked. Baker shared his thoughts on the vote recount in Florida during the 2000 presidential election, Watergate, Vice President Dan Quayle, why President Reagan did not pick Ford as a running mate, and confusion inside the White House following the assassination attempt on President Reagan. This very personal memoir also describes Baker's friendship with George H. W. Bush, insights into his own marriage, and the discovery just a few years ago of an African-American branch of the Baker family.