Writing a book can drive one mad, so I want to thank my wife, Erin, for tolerating me and for being a constant inspiration in everything I do. I also thank my mom, Hope Lewis, for always insisting that I “be somebody,” even when I resisted (and for proofreading, too).
My friends Bill Scher, Kristi Speights, and David Pietrusza deserve special recognition. They graciously spent countless hours helping brainstorm ideas and editing this book (I can only imagine the number of hours they contributed to this effort).
This book wouldn’t have happened without my book agents at Javelin, Matt Latimer and Keith Urbahn, who encouraged my efforts and were intimately involved in helping craft the initial book proposal. Kudos are also in order for my editor, Paul Whitlatch—who believed in this book and worked tirelessly to see this project through to completion—and the entire team at Hachette Books, including Mauro DiPreta (publisher), Michelle Aielli (executive director of publicity), Betsy Hulsebosch (marketing director), Lauren Lavelle (publicist), and Emily Caldwell (publicity assistant). They have been amazing to work with.
I also want to thank the following people for their ideas, edits, time, memories, expertise, support, and various contributions to this effort: Tucker Carlson, Morton Blackwell, Craig Shirley, Vince Coglianese, Adam Hasner, Brian McGuire, Jim Eltringham, Rachel Motte, Andrew Walker, Daniel Darling, Josh Finestone, James Strock, William Beutler, Yuval Levin, Chuck Warren, Chris Meekins, and R. J. Moeller.
Thanks also to Neil Patel, Jamie Weinstein, Alex Pappas, and everyone at the Daily Caller for their continued support and friendship. And lastly, a special thanks to Jon Avalon and Will Rahn at the Daily Beast, Ben Frumin at The Week, and the Telegraph’s opinion editorial team (especially Peter Foster), all of whom have been generous enough to publish my columns while I was writing this book and who, along the way, became cherished friends and allies.