Dear President Obama #249: Book him...

Reporter's Note: President Obama has been a relatively prolific writer, as have been some past presidents. But none of them these days can keep pace with the writings of their ex-staffers. With that in mind I continue my daily letters to the president.

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Tom Foreman | Bio
AC360° Correspondent

Dear Mr. President,

I am thinking of writing a book. Not because I have any particularly good ideas, but because I’m pretty certain you don’t need them anymore. All you need in DC these days is a mercenary heart and utter disregard for the feelings of old friends and coworkers when you spill their secrets like grape juice all over the Barnes and Noble shelves. Seriously, the political section looks like a who’s who of former Administrations, with everyone and his sister just itching to tell the “inside story” of any White House.

I’m a big reader. I’ve read plenty of books just because I happened to see them; on plagues, mathematics, obscure historical events, geographic regions, counterfeiting, religious cults, circus acts, outdated medical devices, pirates, piano makers, forgotten murders, and alchemists. And yet, some of these political books, despite my best intentions, can send me to Snoozeville faster than a hammer to the head. Most of this flash and trash works, unlike legitimate presidential histories written later, are just not very good. And yet they keep appearing.

The thing that has me thinking of all this is the appearance of yet another book purporting to have a behind the curtain look at the more recent Bush Administration. Like most “tell all” books, it is not flattering. No surprise. The “secret story” of how any former president was just a great guy does not seem to be in much demand. No surprise either that close Bushies are saying the author doesn’t know what he’s talking about. But the point is that the book was written at all. Call me old fashioned, but I think if a person is honored by a call to serve any president, that is a lifelong commitment. It is wrong to disgrace the office by cashing in on every burp you heard and every disagreement you were privy to just so you can have your picture on a dust jacket.

Should we know if something illegal or outrageous is going on in the Oval Office? Absolutely. But if an insider feels that strongly about it, let him or her come courageously forward at the time for the good of us all.

Sadly, I must say, it will happen to you too, are sure as the leaves will soon fall. Some of those who stand beside you right now, so proud to have their picture taken with President Obama, are authors in the making. So watch what you say and to whom, and remember we all have plenty of colleagues and acquaintances, but precious few true friends… especially when there are nickels to be made, and books to be published.

Regards,

Tom

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.

Find more of the Foreman Letters here.