The Confirmation

Political novels have not been a favorite of mine, but B&H Publishing Group/Fidelis recently sent me a book that kept me spellbound.


The Confirmation
Ralph Reed
(Fidelis)
ISBN: 9781433669248
September, 2010/408 pages/15.99

Newly elected U.S. president Bob Long is weighing reports of nuclear weapons in Iran when he learns Justice Peter Corbin Franklin, 86-year-old liberal conscience of the Supreme Court, has suffered a massive stroke. With pressing same-sex marriage and abortion laws as well as a huge antitrust case on the court's docket, the door is open for Long to appoint a conservative replacement, repaying the twenty-one million evangelicals who voted for him.

But it won't be that easy. Long suffers a series of political missteps while his court nominee, Marco Diaz, endures vicious character accusations in the media for his religious beliefs and rumors of a tragic past.

Meanwhile, terrorists in Iran have hijacked more nuclear materials and are threatening to bomb a major city if the U.S. or Israel attacks. Chaos reigns in the nation's capitol . . .

Praise for The Confirmation:

"A roller coaster ride of a political thriller. You won't be able to put it down."

Mark R. Levin, nationally syndicated radio host
New York Times best-selling author of Liberty and Tyranny

"As a participant in Supreme Court confirmations as a member of the United States Senate, I know The Confirmation weaves a tale that, while fictional, is true. Ralph Reed shines a bright light on the backroom deals, special-interest-group pleading and the politics of personal destruction that plague judicial confirmations, but he does so in a way that is ultimately hopeful and inspiring."

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator (R-PA)

“If you think ‘it can’t happen here,’ then don’t read this book. The Confirmation reminds me of the old dramas which concluded by stating, ‘Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.’

The Confirmation is only part fiction---the issues are as real as a massive heart attack.”

John Ashcroft, U.S. Attorney General, 2001-2005




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ralph Reed is chairman and CEO of Century Strategies, a public relations and public affairs firm advising Fortune 500 companies, and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. He has also worked on seven U.S. presidential campaigns and advised 88 senate, congressional, and gubernatorial campaigns in 24 states. As executive director of the Christian Coalition from 1989 to 1997, Reed was recognized for building one of the nation's most effective grassroots organizations by Newsweek, Life, and Time magazines. He and his wife have four children and live in Duluth, Georgia.

MY THOUGHTS
I will admit that when I first began reading this book, I expected it to be trite and preachy. Fortunately, that was not my impression. It was fascinating, albeit sad, to glimpse the political wrangling that goes on in our nation's capital. Just as it would be in reality today, the nomination of a new Supreme Court justice polarized those in whose hands the confirmation lay. The deals made behind the scenes and under the table, the controlled "leaks" to the media, and the intensity of the unfolding drama made me glad I live half a continent away from Washington, D.C. The opposing sides' arguments were realistically delineated, and if I hadn't recognized who the author was, I wouldn't have known which "side" he was on. I have only two very small frustrations with the book: one is the repetition, to the point of overuse, of several adjectives; I began to wonder why a thesaurus wasn't employed to provide other options. The other is the similarity in names of some of the characters; names like Stanton and Stanley were easy for me to confuse and I kept flipping back to be sure I knew which individual to which the name referred. But overall, this is a highly interesting novel, and I recommend it.


Thanks to B&H Publishing Group/Fidelis for providing me with a copy of this book for my review.