579 | Liam Kerr: Deciding to Win: A Centrist Autopsy of the Post-2024 Democratic Party and the Center's Missing Story

The book explores why moderate candidates are less likely to run for office despite their proven ability to win elections. It examines the various factors that contribute to this phenomenon, including the increasing polarization of American politics and the challenges faced by centrists in today's political climate. The author delves into the reasons why pragmatic and heterodox candidates are becoming more hesitant to enter the political arena, analyzing the impact of pipeline and talent issues within entrepreneurial ecosystems. Hall highlights the lack of confidence and the perceived inability to get things done as key factors that discourage moderate candidates from running. By examining these trends, the book offers insights into the changing dynamics of American politics and the challenges faced by those seeking to bridge the divide between the left and the right.

Rick Perlstein’s book recaptures America’s turbulent 1960s and early 1970s, revealing how Richard Nixon rose from political obscurity to seize and hold the presidency. The book begins with the 1965 Watts riots and spans through the political upheavals up to Nixon’s reelection in 1972. Perlstein’s narrative highlights how Nixon manipulated social and political events to shape the current political landscape, creating a deep rift in American society that persists to this day. The book is filled with prodigious research and vivid detail, making it a grand historical epic that sheds new light on modern American politics.