Winners and Losers: The 1988 Race for the Presidency--One Candidate's Perspective

The senator from Illinois offers an enlightening and entertaining account of his presidential candidacy in the 1988 race, a shrewd appraisal of his fellow candidates of both parties and a thought-provoking inquiry into the electoral process itself. Simon questions whether the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries should carry the importance they do, and argues that the presidential campaign must be shortened and made less dependent on financing. He charges that ``the two candidates with the most money were nominated.'' Simon is highly critical of the Bush campaign which he believes demeaned the presidency. High on Jesse Jackson, he predicts that the country will one day have a black president; ``It may not be Jesse. But like John the Baptist he preaches about, he has helped prepare the way.'' There are several backstage surprises in the book, one of which is that industrialist Armand Hammer told Simon he could have any cabinet post he wanted in return for endorsing the candidacy of Albert Gore Jr. First serial to New York Times Magazine. (Mar.)