About the book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this gripping political memoir, former Republican political operative Tim Miller answers the question no one else has fully grappled with: Why did normal people go along with the worst of Trumpism?
As one of the strategists behind the famous 2012 RNC “autopsy,” Miller conducts his own forensic study on the pungent carcass of the party he used to love, cutting into all the hubris, ambition, idiocy, desperation, and self-deception for everyone to see. In a bracingly honest reflection on both his own past work for the Republican Party and the contortions of his former peers in the GOP establishment, Miller draws a straight line between the actions of the 2000s GOP to the Republican political class's Trumpian takeover, including the horrors of January 6th.
From ruminations on the mental jujitsu that allowed him as a gay man to justify becoming a hitman for homophobes, to astonishingly raw interviews with former colleagues who jumped on the Trump Train, Miller diagrams the flattering and delusional stories GOP operatives tell themselves so they can sleep at night. With a humorous touch he reveals Reince Priebus’ neediness, Sean Spicer’s desperation, Elise Stefanik and Chris Christie’s raw ambition, and his close friends’ submission to a MAGA psychosis.
Why We Did It is a vital, darkly satirical warning that all the narcissistic justifications that got us to this place still thrive within the Republican party, which means they will continue to make the same mistakes and political calculations that got us here, with disastrous consequences for the future of American politics.
- An Insider’s Confession: Go behind the scenes with a former GOP strategist who pulls no punches in his forensic study of the party he once loved and the colleagues who jumped on the Trump train.
- Unflinching Self-Examination: Miller explores the mental jujitsu that allowed him, a gay man, to work as a “hitman for homophobes” and asks how he and his friends got it so wrong.
- The Anatomy of Complicity: Through astonishingly raw interviews and firsthand accounts, discover why operatives like Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer submitted to a MAGA psychosis.
- A Stark Political Warning: Learn why the narcissistic justifications that led to the horrors of January 6th still thrive within the Republican party—and what it means for the future of the nation.
Editions of Why We Did It
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780063161474
- EBook
- ISBN 9780063161481
Read an Excerpt
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this gripping political memoir, former Republican political operative Tim Miller answers the question no one else has fully grappled with: Why did normal people go along with the worst of Trumpism?
As one of the strategists behind the famous 2012 RNC “autopsy,” Miller conducts his own forensic study on the pungent carcass of the party he used to love, cutting into all the hubris, ambition, idiocy, desperation, and self-deception for everyone to see. In a bracingly honest reflection on both his own past work for the Republican Party and the contortions of his former peers in the GOP establishment, Miller draws a straight line between the actions of the 2000s GOP to the Republican political class's Trumpian takeover, including the horrors of January 6th.
From ruminations on the mental jujitsu that allowed him as a gay man to justify becoming a hitman for homophobes, to astonishingly raw interviews with former colleagues who jumped on the Trump Train, Miller diagrams the flattering and delusional stories GOP operatives tell themselves so they can sleep at night. With a humorous touch he reveals Reince Priebus’ neediness, Sean Spicer’s desperation, Elise Stefanik and Chris Christie’s raw ambition, and his close friends’ submission to a MAGA psychosis.
Why We Did It is a vital, darkly satirical warning that all the narcissistic justifications that got us to this place still thrive within the Republican party, which means they will continue to make the same mistakes and political calculations that got us here, with disastrous consequences for the future of American politics.
- An Insider’s Confession: Go behind the scenes with a former GOP strategist who pulls no punches in his forensic study of the party he once loved and the colleagues who jumped on the Trump train.
- Unflinching Self-Examination: Miller explores the mental jujitsu that allowed him, a gay man, to work as a “hitman for homophobes” and asks how he and his friends got it so wrong.
- The Anatomy of Complicity: Through astonishingly raw interviews and firsthand accounts, discover why operatives like Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer submitted to a MAGA psychosis.
- A Stark Political Warning: Learn why the narcissistic justifications that led to the horrors of January 6th still thrive within the Republican party—and what it means for the future of the nation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Why We Did It about?
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
In this gripping political memoir, former Republican political operative Tim Miller answers the question no one else has fully grappled with: Why did normal people go along with the worst of Trumpism?
As one of the strategists behind the famous 2012 RNC “autopsy,” Miller conducts his own forensic study on the pungent carcass of the party he used to love, cutting into all the hubris, ambition, idiocy, desperation, and self-deception for everyone to see. In a bracingly honest reflection on both his own past work for the Republican Party and the contortions of his former peers in the GOP establishment, Miller draws a straight line between the actions of the 2000s GOP to the Republican political class's Trumpian takeover, including the horrors of January 6th.
From ruminations on the mental jujitsu that allowed him as a gay man to justify becoming a hitman for homophobes, to astonishingly raw interviews with former colleagues who jumped on the Trump Train, Miller diagrams the flattering and delusional stories GOP operatives tell themselves so they can sleep at night. With a humorous touch he reveals Reince Priebus’ neediness, Sean Spicer’s desperation, Elise Stefanik and Chris Christie’s raw ambition, and his close friends’ submission to a MAGA psychosis.
Why We Did It is a vital, darkly satirical warning that all the narcissistic justifications that got us to this place still thrive within the Republican party, which means they will continue to make the same mistakes and political calculations that got us here, with disastrous consequences for the future of American politics.
- An Insider’s Confession: Go behind the scenes with a former GOP strategist who pulls no punches in his forensic study of the party he once loved and the colleagues who jumped on the Trump train.
- Unflinching Self-Examination: Miller explores the mental jujitsu that allowed him, a gay man, to work as a “hitman for homophobes” and asks how he and his friends got it so wrong.
- The Anatomy of Complicity: Through astonishingly raw interviews and firsthand accounts, discover why operatives like Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer submitted to a MAGA psychosis.
- A Stark Political Warning: Learn why the narcissistic justifications that led to the horrors of January 6th still thrive within the Republican party—and what it means for the future of the nation.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Why We Did It?
Society and Social Sciences > Politics and government > Political ideologies and movements > Nationalism and nationalist ideologies and movements
Where can I read a sample of Why We Did It?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780063161474
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Why We Did It?
Tim Miller
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Why We Did It is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780063161474) and ebook(ISBN 9780063161481)
Where can I buy Why We Did It online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Why We Did It from below
Where can I buy Why We Did It?