The Gatekeepers - by Chris Whipple Paperback

About the Book

Originally published in hardcover in 2017 by Crown Publishing Group. Published in 2018 by Broadway Books with additional content.

Book Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - An in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the White House Chiefs of Staff, whose choices have defined the course of our country--including a chapter on the chaos of the first Trump administration

"Entertaining and engaging."--The Wall Street Journal
"Compelling and insightful."--HuffPost
"Carefully researched and eminently readable."--Newsday

Presidents have always depended on the advice of key confidants. But it wasn't until the twentieth century that the White House chief of staff was codified and became the second most powerful job in government. Unelected and unconfirmed, the chief is the president's closest adviser; when the president makes a life-and-death decision, often the chief of staff is the only other person in the room.

Through extensive, intimate interviews with eighteen chiefs (including Reince Priebus) and two former presidents, award-winning journalist Chris Whipple pulls back the curtain on this unique fraternity. In doing so, he revises our understanding of presidential history, showing us how one chief paved the way for the Reagan Revolution--and, conversely, how Watergate and the Iraq War might have been prevented by a more effective chief. Plus, in a chapter written exclusively for this edition, Whipple takes readers inside the Trump White House, revealing startling details of its dysfunction.

Review Quotes

"Entertaining and engaging."--Wall Street Journal

"Compelling and insightful . . . destined to take its place alongside classic works by Richard Neustadt, Theodore White, and other White House chroniclers . . . a must-read."--HuffPost

"Carefully researched and eminently readable, The Gatekeepers . . . provides a fresh view of the modern presidencies. Whipple cuts to the heart of what, or more to the point who, makes a presidency succeed or fail."--Newsday

"A treasure trove of stories about 'the second-most-powerful job in government.'"--Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Could not be more timely . . . There are valuable lessons in The Gatekeepers for Trump's chief, the embattled Reince Priebus."--Time

"Captivating . . . This is a tale told by a journalist and in a way that makes for better history."--U.S. News & World Report

"[Whipple's] prose is clear, crisp, and often evocative. . . . His observations ring true as he tracks the development of the office."--Washington Times

"Observers of the political scene will find this book well worth their time and attention. Whipple's style is lively and engaging, and he peppers the pages with colorful quotes and marvelous anecdotes."--History News Network

"A candid and exhilarating history about the development of the office of chief of staff."--Washington Missourian

"Chris Whipple takes us deep inside one of the most important and demanding jobs in Washington--White House chief of staff. Here, we get to know how great power is managed and exercised by those who have held the job. If you're a political junkie or merely curious, this is the book for you."--Tom Brokaw, former anchor, NBC Nightly News

"A vivid, enthralling, and brilliantly reported account of White House chiefs of staff, who are--with all respects to U.S. vice presidents-- the actual second-most-powerful people in Washington. This is U.S. history through the fascinating prism of the men who guard the door to the Oval Office and a learned, welcome, and important addition to the study of the executive branch."--Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You for Smoking, No Way to Treat a First Lady, and The Relic Master

"Understanding how government really works, what presidents actually do, and what is the range of 'normal' versus 'unprecedented' behavior is more important now than ever before. As The Gatekeepers makes vividly clear, White House chiefs of staff are at the center of the process that determines how presidents succeed or fail. This is an enlightening work of history with important lessons for our immediate future."--James Fallows, The Atlantic, former White House speechwriter

About the Author

CHRIS WHIPPLE is an acclaimed writer, journalist, documentary filmmaker, and speaker. A multiple Peabody and Emmy Award-winning producer at CBS's 60 Minutes and ABC's Primetime, he is the chief executive officer of CCWHIP Productions. Most recently, he was the executive producer and writer of Showtime's The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs.