Summary

In chapter 24 Obama discusses the impact that he heavy democrat losses in the midterm election mean for his presidency. He informs the readers of the various departures in his staff, which are customary for a president after the midterm elections. Notably, Larry Summers, Axe, Gibbs, and Rahm will not return to Obama’s administration at the beginning of the new year.

During this time, Obama travels to India to meet with their prime minister, Manmohan Singh. Obama observes during this trip the various obstacles that stand in the way of India establishing a firm liberal democratic free market society.

Obama then describes how he took advantage of the six to seven week stretch between election day and the Christmas recess, a time in which congress does not usually work very hard that he calls a “lame-duck session” (603). In an unconventional fashion, Obama uses...