CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER ONCE WROTE: “If lying about authorship is now a hanging offense, there are not enough lampposts in Washington to handle the volume.”
But maybe you should at least review the stuff that goes out in your name: Kristi Noem and the open secret about the political publishing industry: Nobody writes their own books.
Now, there has been a noticeable distinction between how “insiders” and “outsiders” have interpreted the flaming dumpster fire that is the publicity tour related to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s upcoming book. The general public seems confused about the idea that Noem seemingly didn’t know about so many things that were in *her own book*. . . .
The Kristi Noem saga has exposed an open secret about the political publishing industry: a tiny percentage of “authors” in the space write their own books. And those real authors are often smothered by fake authors with a machine in place to promote their fake autobiographies, which take time and opportunity away from those who have put in the work.
For politicians, I would estimate that maybe 1 percent write their own books. Some spend occasional time with their ghostwriter in order to best express their personality and ideas. Others, like Noem, just mail it in entirely, and have the ghostwriter rely upon public material from speeches and appearances.
As for your favorite TV personality/social media influencer? It would be generous to say that 5 percent write their own books. It is very rare to hear about cable news talking heads with faces full of delicately applied makeup putting in that kind of hard work.
These tasks are usually delegated to an underpaid 20-something, who may or may not be in routine contact with the “author” during the writing process.
I write all of this to say that there is an incredible lack of authenticity amongst the political class, who attempt to give off the impression that they have the time, ability, intelligence, and fortitude to publish their own works. It goes without saying that their constituents deserve so much better than being suckered into financing this endless grift.
The fake authors acquire tons of money, a reputational boost, and sometimes, the prestige of being on the New York Times best selling author list. All for maybe doing a handful of phone calls with the real author, who usually receives a low-end five figure amount (think 10 to 20 grand) for six months of hard work.
The famed professional bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman famously commented that “everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights.” The same applies to publishing. Everybody wants to be an author, but very few in the political space want to put in the work to become one.
At least read the manuscript. Or at the very least, have a knowledgeable staffer do so.
