Robert Gibbs, Obama's press secretary, once exploded in profanities after presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett said the first lady was unhappy with the response to a report that she had called life in the White House "hell." As it turned out, Kantor writes, Jarrett may have misspoken.
Though Obama pledged to have the most transparent administration in history, he takes a dim view of leaks and uncomplimentary reports in the media, and so some of Kantor's assertions are based on the recollections of nameless officials reluctant to speak without authorization (she interviewed 33 former and current White House aides, advisors and cabinet members, among other sources). Still, Kantor's reporting rings true — and considering the administration's insistence on presenting a unified front, it is a considerable achievement.
