Nixon's Resurgence not a Resurrection

Normally, I blog about Christian books that I've read; however, I departed from my modus operandi when I saw the possibility of Patrick J. Buchanan's book The Greatest Comeback.  Whenever the name Nixon is invoked, everyone quickly thinks of Watergate, but Buchanan deals with a rather unknown part of Nixon's career -- he rebuilt the atrophied Republican party base and overcame his label as a "loser."  It was deliberate, intentional, and strategic steps that led to his resurgence.

As an aside, the author uses a last line teaser to indicate that he may already be working on a book dealing with Watergate.  If he does so, I would be interested in how he characterizes the President differently than he has done the Candidate.  It is for this reason that my review is entitled resurgence not resurrection.  I can only think of one individual that rose from the dead to never die again, and that was Jesus Christ.  Nixon regained a following but flushed it down the drain with horrible choices in a cover-up.  Had he come clean immediately, the drama that we know as Watergate may never have occurred.

The book is delightfully written and easy to understand.  To be honest, it was the fastest 350+ page book I've ever read.  Buchanan has a reputation of being a partisan, but that side does not emerge front and center on every page.  Yes, it can still be detected, but he writes more from an admiration of Nixon standpoint than a partisan one.  He does capture the cultural struggles of the day that helped foster the resurgence of Nixon, and this historiography further enhances the work itself.

My biggest gripe revolves around the end of the campaign where Nixon was losing ground as Wallace's supporters flooded to Humphrey.  Buchanan utilized significant and meticulous details throughout every section of the book until this final piece.  The drama of what was really happening and the response was deficient.  He took great pains to describe the blunders of the Democratic National Convention but not so much of Nixon's "safe" campaign at the end.  I believe these additional details would have completed the book in a more full and rich manner.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.