Press release from Harper Collins sent to media

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2008—With this weekend’s big wins behind Senator Barack Obama, you may want help de-mystifying the mystique of

America

’s hottest political superstar.  We can bring it to you from the distinguished author and journalist who has been covering the presidential hopeful’s career since his successful run for U.S. Senate:  David Mendell of the Chicago Tribune and author of OBAMA:  From Promise to Power (Amistad/HarperCollins: ISBN:  9780060858209, July 2007). 

In OBAMA:  From Promise to Power--the FIRST in-depth, objective look at Obama’s life--Mendell paints a very intimate portrait of the change advocate and his pre- and post-Senate life.  He positions Barack Obama as the Savior of a fumbling Democratic party.

The author also outlines how earlier opponents avoided the race question for

fear of alienating the African-American constituency.  In on-air interviews, Mendell can explain why some say not heeding this warning has worked against Senator Hillary Clinton. 

In OBAMA:  From Promise to Power, Mendell also recognizes Obama as something other than a sound-bite politician who is particularly suited for debates.  In on-air interviews, he can assess the candidate’s maturation on this front and more.

In OBAMA:  From Promise to Power, the author also reveals how the dominant message of unity and bi-partisanship stems from the mother whom Obama describes as a “liberal and secular, humanist,” who instilled in him a sense of “love-thy-brother-esque” fairness.