"Fiction" does have its purposes

One piece of advice given to first time authors is to write about something that you know well from real life. Well, it appears that Gore's daughter really took that advice to heart. From John Fund in yesterday's Political Diary:

Finally, a Gore Writes a Book Worth Reading

Kristin Gore, daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, is busy peddling 125,000 copies of her new political satire "Sammy's House." It's the story of a clumsy but smart White House policy wonk named Samantha Jones. George Stephanopoulos, the former Clinton White House aide who provided some of the inspiration for the character, calls the book a cross between "Bridget Jones" and "Primary Colors."

The book apparently is a good read, but official Washington has been poring over it mainly for clues to the dysfunctional relationship between the Gores and the Clintons. In the book, Sammy Jones is working for President Max Wye, a former Southern governor who is undeniably brilliant but also has an addictive personality and a problem telling the truth. Among his other characteristics: "He always stared at himself for too long in mirrors," "he wanted to please too many people to be able to consistently take tough stands," and "he lacked a strong inner compass." His problems are compounded by a nasty First Lady whose "paranoia was legendary" and who resembles a modern-day Lady Macbeth.

It won't surprise anyone that there is also a loyal vice presidential hero in the novel, a brainy former Senator named Robert Gary. He is an upright family man of high principle and integrity. He is appalled when his boss, President Wye, becomes enmeshed in a horrific scandal. There is also the opposition party to worry about. Its leader in the Senate is in league with pharmaceutical companies and is always plotting to undermine virtuous health care proposals. The leader's name, Frand, might make some readers think of Bill Frist, the GOP Senate leader until this past January. . . .