Potus Geeks Book Review: The Situation Room by George Stephanopoulos
There is an iconic photograph of President Barack Obama and his then-Vice President Joe Biden with other top government officials all huddled around a conference room table watching a television screen as the infamous terrorist Osama Bin Laden meets his end. The scene takes place in a small room that is part of an area in the basement of the White House known as "the Situation Room," an area featured in many Hollywood and television tales on fictional presidencies. It is also the title of a fascinating new book by former Presidential advisor and current ABC television personality George Stephanopoulos called The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis. As the author frequently points out, the "Sit Room" (apparently now dubbed the "WHSR") is more than just a room or a series of rooms. It is a dedicated team of apolitical military and security professionals who keep their collective eyes focused on worldwide events and filter down international and domestic happenings, determining where the real and potential trouble spots are, and which decisions require the President's eyes and decision making. It is a stressful job, one in which a small mistake can be tragic, which makes the stories that Stephanopoulos tells all the more amazing.
The title is somewhat misleading in that the focus is not entirely or even mostly on the Presidents, although they are certainly at the center of each of the stories told in the book's 12 chapters. The author uncovers wonderful profiles of the men and women who place the interests of the nation first, ever reminding us that behind the greatest security programs that exist, there are human beings who are under tremendous pressure and whose professionalism and support for one another are such that their nation owes them a huge debt of gratitude.
The concept of a situation room first became a reality under President John F. Kennedy and it has evolved over time and with improvements in technology. From the days when messages were conveyed by courier, insecure radio connections and pneumatic tubes, to modern times with secure videoconferencing among world leaders and the encroaching threat or assistance (depending on one's opinion) of artificial intelligence, the author takes the reader through this transition via the vehicle of records and oral histories of times when the nation was in crisis, from the Bay of Pigs to the war in Ukraine.
Stephanopoulos has conduced an impressive and extensive series of interviews with many of the participants in these events. He has reviewed declassified transcripts and his research uncovers details not typically included in how history recounts these tense moments. These details include how a White House photographer may have prevented a catastrophe in southeast Asia by speaking truth to power, how a nuclear confrontation was prevented while the sitting president was too drunk to deal with the crisis, how another President sought help from a paranormal psychic to address a crisis, and how the role of women in the national security field became taken more seriously and became respected for valuable contributions. The author reports which Presidents were most and least attentive to intelligence reports, and on their decision making process. George H. W. Bush is described as the gold standard for making intelligence decisions, but was also admired by situation room staff for his kindness, humility and good humor. Stephanopoulos profiles those at upper and lower levels who performed their job in an exemplary manner, often under very difficult conditions.
Although he worked in a Democratic administration, Stephanopoulos uses his best efforts to write an apolitical account of his subject, something very difficult in these polarized times. The result is a captivating and delightful read, not only of some of the most tense and stressful times in recent American history, but also of the human element behind these events, the stories of unsung heroes, dedicated professionals that no one has ever heard of outside the beltway. For its recognition of these remarkable men and women as well as for its exceptionally interesting look behind the scenes at these events, this book is highly recommended.
The title is somewhat misleading in that the focus is not entirely or even mostly on the Presidents, although they are certainly at the center of each of the stories told in the book's 12 chapters. The author uncovers wonderful profiles of the men and women who place the interests of the nation first, ever reminding us that behind the greatest security programs that exist, there are human beings who are under tremendous pressure and whose professionalism and support for one another are such that their nation owes them a huge debt of gratitude.
The concept of a situation room first became a reality under President John F. Kennedy and it has evolved over time and with improvements in technology. From the days when messages were conveyed by courier, insecure radio connections and pneumatic tubes, to modern times with secure videoconferencing among world leaders and the encroaching threat or assistance (depending on one's opinion) of artificial intelligence, the author takes the reader through this transition via the vehicle of records and oral histories of times when the nation was in crisis, from the Bay of Pigs to the war in Ukraine.
Stephanopoulos has conduced an impressive and extensive series of interviews with many of the participants in these events. He has reviewed declassified transcripts and his research uncovers details not typically included in how history recounts these tense moments. These details include how a White House photographer may have prevented a catastrophe in southeast Asia by speaking truth to power, how a nuclear confrontation was prevented while the sitting president was too drunk to deal with the crisis, how another President sought help from a paranormal psychic to address a crisis, and how the role of women in the national security field became taken more seriously and became respected for valuable contributions. The author reports which Presidents were most and least attentive to intelligence reports, and on their decision making process. George H. W. Bush is described as the gold standard for making intelligence decisions, but was also admired by situation room staff for his kindness, humility and good humor. Stephanopoulos profiles those at upper and lower levels who performed their job in an exemplary manner, often under very difficult conditions.
Although he worked in a Democratic administration, Stephanopoulos uses his best efforts to write an apolitical account of his subject, something very difficult in these polarized times. The result is a captivating and delightful read, not only of some of the most tense and stressful times in recent American history, but also of the human element behind these events, the stories of unsung heroes, dedicated professionals that no one has ever heard of outside the beltway. For its recognition of these remarkable men and women as well as for its exceptionally interesting look behind the scenes at these events, this book is highly recommended.