Jonathan Alter, senior editor at Newsweek, discusses his new book, *The Promise: President Obama, Year One*. He provides a fast-paced inside account of the breakneck speed with which Barack Obama began making critical decisions and assuming the burdens of office amid the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. With dozens of exclusive details about everything from the selection of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state to the president’s personal secrets for running a good meeting, Alter paints a portrait of a highly disciplined and self-aware president and his team.
Jonathan Alter is an award-winning columnist for *Newsweek* Magazine. He is a frequent guest on *Meet the Press* and appears twice weekly on *Countdown with Keith Olbermann* on MSNBC. His 2006 book, *The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope*, was a national bestseller. He has written for *The New Republic*, *Esquire*, *Slate*, and *The New York Times*. A Chicago native, Mr. Alter received his B.A. in history with honors from Harvard.