What Presidential Candidates Read Can Tell Us About Their Fitness to Serve
Judging a Candidate by Their Bookshelf: The Importance of Presidential Reading Lists
Every single Presidential Debate inundates us with the same rhetoric: “When I am President, I will make our country the most prosperous nation in the world.”
More often than not, we never delve deeper into the candidates’ values or actual policy preferences.
Even worse, we fail to distill how they developed their beliefs. In other words, we often accept the Presidential Candidates’ talking points at face value and neglect to scrutinize their core ideals. Perhaps most importantly, we frequently fail to engage with one of the most critical civic duties in a democracy.
For me, this meant that I had to thoroughly examine the books they read and recommend.
One thing we can all agree on is that the books we read influence our perspective on the world. They shape our values, beliefs, and understanding of ourselves and others. Here are some historical examples:
- Abraham Lincoln, the iconic American president, was an avid reader throughout his life, devouring both fiction and nonfiction works. Among his most cherished books was “Shakespeare’s Plays,” which he read multiple times. He drew inspiration from Shakespeare’s characters and their struggles, often applying their lessons to his own political endeavors.
- Alan Turing, the pioneering computer scientist and mathematician, credited the novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” with sparking his interest in logic and problem-solving. He reportedly found the story’s structure and symbolism to be intellectually stimulating.
- Martin Luther King Jr, the iconic civil rights leader, drew inspiration from “My Experiments with Truth” by Gandhi. King found in Gandhi’s nonviolence philosophy a powerful tool for combating racial injustice
So why don’t we investigate the books that have influenced the values, beliefs, and understanding of the people vying for the most consequential job in the world?
As we prepare for the Third Republican Presidential Debate — which will take place this November 8th, we must ask ourselves: What books are the individuals bidding to become the most powerful on the planet reading?
There is no better moment to look beyond the speeches the candidates will deliver and delve into the foundations of their beliefs: The Books They Read.
In doing so, we can make a more informed decision while also gaining recommendations on books that have shaped the vision of our potential leaders — achieving two goals with one stone.
Below, you’ll find a list of the books recommended by each candidate, along with a brief analysis of what this might signify for their principles as they vie for the most important job in the world.
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley tweeted, ‘This was an amazing book that shows the role culture plays in a person’s life & the importance of an education.’
Ambassador Haley has expressed multiple times that education is the foundation of a working democracy and a healthy nation, and during the last presidential debate she expressed her concern over the fact that ‘67% of eighth-graders are not proficient in reading or math and over 80% of eighth graders are not proficient in history or civics.’
Educated by Tara Westover is a tale of self-determination and resilience as well as the challenges individuals face when pursuing an education. Ambassador Haley’s recommendation here is handy to get a deeper understanding about the complexities of education, navigating family values, and setting our kids up for success through a meaningful educational journey.
Everything Will Be Okay by Dana Perino
Nikki Haley recommended this book in a tweet in 2021 and said that ‘This is a must read for young women everywhere.’ She gave this book to her daughter Rena as ‘she prepares to graduate from college and start her professional career.’
Ambassador Haley is the only woman that is seeking the highest office in the nation, and that in itself is a tale of determination, grit, and courageousness. Still, she recommends all women to read Everything Will Be Okay so they harness internal resilience navigating a world where women are under-represented in positions of leadership.
Perhaps Dana’s tale about how to take risks and understand their true power as women has given Ambassador Haley the drive and confidence to bid for the Presidency of The United States.
In the Path of Abraham by Jason Greenblatt:
Nikki Haley said that “The Abraham Accords were historic and will go down as an amazing legacy for a small group of people, including Jason Greenblatt. Jason’s work toward Middle East peace is remarkable, inspiring, and well worth reading about.”
As the world witnesses the potential collapse of stability in the Middle East, In The Path of Abraham can shed a light for all of us to see the work of the inner circle of Former President Trump’s administration on the Middle East, and their path to create the Abraham Accords. Jason Greenblatt offers an inside look into one of the most consequential periods in the history of US-Israel relations.
Jason worked as the Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations. He served as the Special Envoy to the Middle East, and he is attributed as one of the ‘chief architects’ of the Peace to Prosperity Plan between Israel and the Palestinians and between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
When it comes to Middle East Policy, Ambassador Haley has made her position clear: The United States must do everything in its power to fully support Israel, and this book recommendation can help us read more into her thought process.
Woke, Inc. Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam by Vivek Ramaswamy
In an interesting crossover Ambassador Haley didn’t envision, she praised fellow Republican Presidential Candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, who she believes wrote a book that ‘…speaks the truth without fear…’
Of course, this endorsement of Vivek’s book was done prior he announced his run for President — which made him an opponent rather than an ally. And let us remember that during the second presidential debate, Ambassador Haley said that every time she heard Vivek speak, she felt a ‘little dumber.’
Still, Ambassador Haley believed that Woke Inc is a great read. And it reveals some aspects of her social policy platform, as she believes that ‘a woke America is a weak America.’
For Ambassador Haley, “…woke identity politics is dividing and weakening America at every level.”
Perhaps her views were widely influenced by what Vivek wrote on Woke Inc, which can shed a light on both how Haley’s views on social justice have been influenced and on Vivek’s first hand perspective on the “woke movement,” which is a huge piece of his political platform.
Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography: Volume I: From Grantham to the Falklands
In her book, If You Want Something Done, Ambassador Haley tells the story of ten women who have defied all of the odds and became some of the most influential women in history.
One such story includes Margaret Thatcher, the Former Prime Minister of The United Kingdom.
Ambassador Haley has praised Thatcher multiple times, the most recent one being the Presidential Debate when she quoted Thatcher while all the other male candidates were arguing. She said that “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” It is safe to say that Thatcher’s story has deeply influenced the way Ambassador Haley sees the world, and her place as a leader.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas — Not Less
In one tweet, Vivek said that “Every American should read this book.” For him, “it was eye-opening and challenged a lot of my assumptions, in a good way.”
The mainstream assumption that Vivek is talking about is that Fossil Fuels are a negative and the main driver of climate change. One of his Presidential Platform Pillars includes the premise that “The climate agenda is a lie: fossil fuels are a requirement for human prosperity.” Vivek believes that more people are dying due to climate change policies than actual climate change.
Fossil Future, written by Alex Epstein, offers a glimpse into this counter-intuitive position that Vivek is pushing hard during his bid for POTUS.
Vivek cited Adam Coleman in his book Nation of Victims — and he actually sat down with Adam for an interview, where they discuss Adam’s trajectory and his journey from Being a “Black Victim” to becoming a “Black Victor.”
A big part of Vivek’s campaign is that America must return to a philosophy that is primarily meritocratic, and one that is driven by the pursuit of excellence, rather than the acceptance of victimhood.
The Managerial Revolution: What Is Happening in the World
In one tweet, Vivek said that “It may seem like the lesson for the next U.S. President is to never ever take a classified document out of the White House, but the real lesson is this: if you don’t eliminate the managerial class, they will eliminate you. Biden, Trump, doesn’t matter: they know who’s in charge.” Then one person asked him if he could expand more on this idea and he said that “Burnham had written a book a century ago about this.”
James Bunrham writes — in 1941 — that the world is moving to a reality where bureaucratic processes and managers rule the world. Vivek has made it clear that one of his priorities as President would be to “Dismantle Managerial Bureaucracy.”
The Managerial Revolution can shed light into the principles that influenced Vivek’s perspective on this issue.
Restoring the Promise: Higher Education in America
In his book, Woke Inc, Vivek cites the book written by Richard Vedder where he argues that American Universities have been corrupted by a movement that is suppressing free speech, federal financial programs gone wrong, and corrupted institutional actions.
Vivek’s presidential bid has been marked by one word: Truth. His attempt to mark himself as the candidate pro free speech, pro harsh truths, is a clear indication that the one place he’d like to reform is American Colleges, which have been widely criticized for becoming ideological incubators rather than institutions where truth prevails.
Ron DeSantis*
*It is worth noting that Governor DeSantis has not made these book recommendations directly. These were extrapolated based on his book, The Courage To Be Free.
Churchill: Walking with Destiny
Governor DeSantis starts his book, The Courage to Be Free, with a quote by Winston Churchil: “courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it, all others depend.”
While this is not a direct recommendation by the Governor who is bidding for the Presidency of the United States, it is safe to say that Churchill has deeply influenced the way DeSantis sees the world and the role of leadership.
Some news commentators have even said that Governor DeSantis is ‘channeling’ Churchill’s spirit.
The book, written by Andrew Roberts, offers ‘access to extensive new material: transcripts of War Cabinet meetings, diaries, letters and unpublished memoirs from Churchill’s contemporaries.
In his book The Courage to Be Free, Governor DeSantis mentions an article written by Angelo Codevilla where Codevilla describes the new “Ruling Class” of America. In the words of Governor DeSantis, Codevilla identified the ‘source of America’s political divisions and policy failures’ that have been driven by a ruling class that is ‘ideological, incompetent, and self interested.’
The Ruling Class will shed a light on the philosophy behind DeSantis’ fight against what are considered “experts,” such as Anthony Fauci.
The Vision Of The Annointed: Self-congratulation As A Basis For Social Policy
Governor DeSantis writes in his book that Thomas Sowell identified how the nation is moving into a political reality where narrative, not facts or results, drive policy–and heeds a warning about building a nation that is built on the resistance of evidence with policies that are ‘fatally independent from reality’.
Governor DeSantis’ Presidential Platform has been based on how, under his governorship, Florida remained open during the COVID Pandemic, as he argues he was ruling based on the evidence, not the narrative.
The People’s Justice: Clarence Thomas and the Constitutional Stories that Define Him
In his book, Governor DeSantis praises justice Clarence Thomas because, although he was part of the “ruling elite,” given that he studied at Yale Law School, Thomas does not subscribe to the group’s ‘ideology, tastes, or attitudes.’
Governor DeSantis, who also studied at Yale Law School, takes pride in being an “independent thinker” and someone who is driven by his own values and not ‘group think.’ He believes that this is a big reason why Florida ‘stood as an antidote of America’s failed ruling class.’
Tim Scott
In one video, Senator Scott, unlike the previous candidates, made my homework much easier. He gave an extensive recommendation on the books he has read, and they range from motivational to political. Senator Scott likes to read books that give him energy and that are derived from “the gospel,” and given that he is such a persuasive and great public speaker, we can certainly benefit from his recommendations.
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Dale Carnegie’s book is one of the most impactful of all time, and it is no surprise that Senator Scott has recommended it. This book reveals some ways to achieve any goal, and convince anyone of any idea you might have — and being a U.S. Senator running for POTUS, Scott would be a clear case study for Carnegie on the success of his techniques.
Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell made quite the appearance in Candidate’s book recommendations, and this one by Senator Scott is a deep dive into the Economics of Sowell.
For Scott, an economy must be driven by Capitalism and free enterprise. While Sowell writes a book on all approaches to the economy — such as socialism, communism, and feudalism — this book is a clear way of understanding the fundamentals of any economic system.
The Storm Before The Calm, by George Friedman
Senator Scott gives us an interesting recommendation on the future of American society. Unlike the conventional idea that the calm precedes the storm, Friedman believes that American Culture is passing through an existential crisis — the storm — which will lead to the nation’s most prosperous moments during the late 2020’s and early 2030’s. Political divide, corruption, and social crisis will pave the way for the county’s golden years — something Senator Scott looks forward to help build on his bid to become the next POTUS.
7 habits of highly effective people
Stephen Covey’s book is part of the foundations of Scott’s approach towards building his personal path, one that is driven by self determination, resilience, and integrity — values he seeks to embody on his bid for POTUS.
Being a Senator requires you to build bridges as well as to know when to compromise or not to compromise. It also demands that you are proactive, and collaborative — and Covey’s book covers these themes thoroughly.
BONUS (Thank you, Senator Scott):
If you are interested in more books recommended by Senator Scott, check out this tweet.
Chris Christie*
Just as with Governor DeSantis, these books were not direct recommendations but they were extrapolated from the books Governor Christie wrote.
The Conscience of a Conservative
In his book, Republican Rescue, Governor Christie said that Goldwater’s story on how he was deciding to run for President ‘hit close to home.’ The Conscience of a Conservative is a classic statement of conservative principles. Goldwater’s book argues that conservatives should be proud of their beliefs and should not be afraid to stand up for them.
Christie may appreciate Goldwater’s courage and conviction as he ran for president himself, and faced many challenges uphill while defending what he calls “root conservative principles,” and Governor Christie seeks to run a presidential administration through those same ones.
And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle
And There Was Light is a biography of Abraham Lincoln, one of Christie’s favorite presidents.
Christie may admire Lincoln’s strength and determination in the face of adversity, something he relates to as he has been the only Republican candidate who is running a campaign mostly based on preventing Trump from getting re-elected — which has made him a target for harsh criticism by Republican voters.
The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink
The Peacemaker is a biography of Ronald Reagan. Reagan was a charismatic leader who helped to end the Cold War. Christie may admire Reagan’s ability to build consensus and to achieve his goals, while also being a persuasive voice and a ‘principled Republican.’
Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life
Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life is a biography of FDR, another of Christie’s potential favorite presidents. FDR led the country through the Great Depression and World War II. Christie has written a book that seeks to “reignite” Republican Principles, which include bold and decisive leadership, traits that marked FDR’s presidency.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now that we have a better picture on the “Software” that our Presidential Candidates have installed in their minds, we can get a better idea on the depth beneath their talking points during this Presidential Debate.
This was an exhausting yet rewarding exercise of trying to understand from a first principle perspective how did the people bidding for the most consequential job in the United States arrived to their worldview, which shoulders are they standing on, and what mental models have they adopted that will impact their fitness to serve our nation.
Plus, for all of us book-addicts, we just got a handful of great recommendations for our winter-reading list.
Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
