When Democratic hopeful Senator Adhemar Reyes proposed that all presidential candidates compete on a reality TV show to prove they can handle a crisis, he was kidding—mostly. But he said it on the U.S. Senate Floor, and it was all caught on C-SPAN. The comment sparks a media frenzy. Everyone wants Adhemar on their show. It doesn’t hurt to get your face on TV so that the American public knows your name before you announce your candidacy. Right? Mostly. But when Congress passes a bill that makes the reality show a reality, the senator is thrust into The President Factor. Countless sarcastic jibes, two political crises, and an off-limits love affair. Will the charismatic Hispanic candidate win? Why is one team getting malaria shots? Can Washington politics be even more absurd? Yes to the last question. The rest is inside.
Everyone who is fed up with the American political system should read this. The President Factor is a well written, clever and thought provoking political satire.
Rated 5 out of 5
S. kraatz –
What a ride! Putting presidential candidates’ feet to the fire! Obermeier nailed it. Laugh-out-loud funny mixes with “hmmm…we should do this for real” in The President Factor. Pat Obermeier deftly uses satire/humor to illuminate the reality of electing a president in today’s world of over-saturated and manipulative media experiences. At times, I wondered…how the heck did she come up with that? It’s both a delightful romp and a reminder of how crazy the political world really is. You’ll want this reality show to be real and picked up by NBC. Now if we could just get Congress to back it!
Rated 5 out of 5
Janette –
A fun and entertaining read with larger than life characters. You don’t have to love politics to enjoy this one, but for those who do, it’s a hoot. Perfect timing on its release with the behind-the-scenes peek into reality shows. The author’s expertise shines in this regard. Can’t wait to hear what the book club has to say….
Rated 5 out of 5
California Kat –
“The President Factor” is a very entertaining read and is often laugh-out-loud funny. Ms. Obermeier not only satirizes politicians, but also the media and the attention deficit afflicted population who view sound bites as news. This is a cautionary tale: do not accept a 20 second sound bite as truth. Ms. Obermeier has the technical expertise to explain how easy it is to manipulate video and the writing chops to be amusing while she does it. I liked her matter-of-fact writing style, especially the dialog, and all the local color that gives the reader the insider viewpoint. The story flows, even though the premise is outlandish. I hope.
Rated 5 out of 5
Mary F. Bartley –
“The premise: What if voters got a chance to evaluate the presidential candidates via a reality tv show?
Candidates posture & plot, while network execs manipulate the audience. Given the state of the current campaign, this story couldn’t be more timely. Almost as funny and unbelievable as the campaigns themselves.”
Rated 5 out of 5
Good Reader –
A well-written novel. The story major story line (the 2 candidates campaigning via; Reality Show) was hilarious. The sub-plot (what goes on behind the scenes in TV News and reality shows fascinating. The combination is a great read!
Rated 4 out of 5
avidreader –
Take two ideas : marketing a politician to the public, and reality shows, and mix them together. Result, The President Factor. A funny, satirical, well written look at the insanity that befalls us every four years. Taking the premise of using a Reality show to help us choose a president, the author uses her past experience as a TV Exec to deftly explain the ins and outs of how easy it is to sway the public using the tricks of the trade. I also really enjoyed her use of local NYC color, especially the commentary on restaurants, food, popular culture, and the way she uses an insider New Yorker’s eye to set the mood.
Rated 4 out of 5
Verified Customer –
A wonderful and very entertaining read. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.
Buffalo, New York is known for its remarkable architecture. Masterpieces by world-renowned architects dot the city. From the ground, these structures are impressive. From the sky, they are breathtaking. Soar high over the Queen City via beautiful drone photography and see the city like you’ve never seen it before. From the sweeping grandeur of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery to the immense scalloped walls of Temple Beth Zion, discover Buffalo from A to Z.
Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award, Silver in the Gift Book Category
Hugh Brady’s life’s work has been discovering the divine in the human. He thinks we have it wrong when we apologize, saying: “I am only human.”
A Spirituality of Being Human explores our human nature as a sacred gift, even with its vulnerabilities and weaknesses. In fact, it is through our limitations that we find our way to growth, compassion, and grace. “It is not in escaping our human condition but in its full embrace that we can feel the divine heartbeat within our own human hearts.”
Jesus taught a spirituality of being human when he walked among us. Discover with Brady the fullness of human life as the bridge to transformation and the building of the kingdom of God. Our human home, Earth, is integral to this spirituality.
Follow the lives of John and Patrick Donahue as they grow up in the Old First Ward in Buffalo, New York during the mid-1800s. Orphaned as children, they are sent to live with their grandmother. While John finds work and helps support the family, Patrick becomes involved with a gang and runs wild. When the Civil War breaks out, the brothers join the Union army. Follow them through the deadly battles of Grant’s Virginia campaign to Appomattox, the difficulties they face holding jobs once the war is over, their relationships with wives, children, and one another, and Patrick’s lifelong battle with the bottle. A compelling tale of two Irish Catholic men, sons of immigrants, during a tumultuous period in our nation’s rich history.
Written by Jonathan Zimmerman, with cartoons by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Signe Wilkinson.
Across the political spectrum, Americans have demanded the suppression of ideas and images that allegedly threaten our nation. But the biggest danger to America comes not from speech but from censorship, which prevents us from freely governing ourselves.
In this brief but bracing book, historian Jonathan Zimmerman and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Signe Wilkinson tell the story of free speech in America: who established it, who has denounced it, and who has risen to its defense.
The fascinating story of the elusive man who brought steel to Buffalo, harnessed the power of Niagara Falls, and gave Buffalo its most treasured gift: the Albright Art Gallery. To tell this compelling tale required a long and circuitous journey, from small town archives to big city libraries, tracking down Albright descendents in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts to sift through the many layers of mystery which have for so long shrouded this enigmatic man. The result is a beautiful, illustrated biography of industrialist and philanthropist John J. Albright, one which reveals the remarkable story of a man and the turn-of-the-century city in which he lived. Exquisite photographs by Susan Fuller Albright bring to life this extraordinary man and his family.
Winner of the 2019 IPPY Award, Silver in Biography
Andrew J. Bauer –
Everyone who is fed up with the American political system should read this. The President Factor is a well written, clever and thought provoking political satire.
S. kraatz –
What a ride! Putting presidential candidates’ feet to the fire! Obermeier nailed it. Laugh-out-loud funny mixes with “hmmm…we should do this for real” in The President Factor. Pat Obermeier deftly uses satire/humor to illuminate the reality of electing a president in today’s world of over-saturated and manipulative media experiences. At times, I wondered…how the heck did she come up with that? It’s both a delightful romp and a reminder of how crazy the political world really is. You’ll want this reality show to be real and picked up by NBC. Now if we could just get Congress to back it!
Janette –
A fun and entertaining read with larger than life characters. You don’t have to love politics to enjoy this one, but for those who do, it’s a hoot. Perfect timing on its release with the behind-the-scenes peek into reality shows. The author’s expertise shines in this regard. Can’t wait to hear what the book club has to say….
California Kat –
“The President Factor” is a very entertaining read and is often laugh-out-loud funny. Ms. Obermeier not only satirizes politicians, but also the media and the attention deficit afflicted population who view sound bites as news. This is a cautionary tale: do not accept a 20 second sound bite as truth. Ms. Obermeier has the technical expertise to explain how easy it is to manipulate video and the writing chops to be amusing while she does it. I liked her matter-of-fact writing style, especially the dialog, and all the local color that gives the reader the insider viewpoint. The story flows, even though the premise is outlandish. I hope.
Mary F. Bartley –
“The premise: What if voters got a chance to evaluate the presidential candidates via a reality tv show?
Candidates posture & plot, while network execs manipulate the audience. Given the state of the current campaign, this story couldn’t be more timely. Almost as funny and unbelievable as the campaigns themselves.”
Good Reader –
A well-written novel. The story major story line (the 2 candidates campaigning via; Reality Show) was hilarious. The sub-plot (what goes on behind the scenes in TV News and reality shows fascinating. The combination is a great read!
avidreader –
Take two ideas : marketing a politician to the public, and reality shows, and mix them together. Result, The President Factor. A funny, satirical, well written look at the insanity that befalls us every four years. Taking the premise of using a Reality show to help us choose a president, the author uses her past experience as a TV Exec to deftly explain the ins and outs of how easy it is to sway the public using the tricks of the trade. I also really enjoyed her use of local NYC color, especially the commentary on restaurants, food, popular culture, and the way she uses an insider New Yorker’s eye to set the mood.
Verified Customer –
A wonderful and very entertaining read. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie.