Primary Colors (Novel)

Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics is a Roman à clef (fictional work used to describe real-life events) about the 1992 election of former United States President Bill Clinton. The book was written by Joe Klein, who was originally anonymous. The book begins with Henry Burton, a former congressional worker who joins the campaign of John Stanton, a thin veil for Bill Clinton. It follows Stanton's primary in New Hampshire, where he has an affair with his hairdresser, and participation in a Vietnam War protest. Stanton portrays his Democratic opponent as weak on Social Security and his Pro-Israel stance. Burton becomes disillusioned with Stanton, who is shown to eat too much, and to be a womanizer. Stanton is shown to be insincere with his beliefs.