BROKEN GOVERNMENT

John Dean knows something about broken government, having served as White House legal counsel during the Nixon administration. His latest book is a scathing dismemberment of the political party he once supported. Paul Michael delivers the bad news with the objective tone of a news anchor, which makes the book's message all the scarier. Dean's attack on the Republicans is the third part of a trilogy on the subject. This part focuses on the beleaguered George W. Bush administration and its legacy. Frightening stories of payoffs, power-grabbing, and ruthless behavior have a ring of truth. Frankly, it might be better if Michael's delivery were less believable. The subject matter is dense, and Dean makes it even more difficult with frequent footnotes, which are distracting on audio. M.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]