November 12, 2013

“Life Inside the Bubble” by Dan Bongino – Behind the White House Scenes

Life Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino (Book Cover)
We, the normal folk, can only really imagine as to how things work on the higher echelons of politics, and how the decisions which guide the country are really taken. Are politicians just pushing their own agendas? Is it a power contest? A free exchange of ideas? Are they all in cahoots? 

The truth is that we can only keep guessing, and the more dedicated of us will simply jump on the opportunity to find out more on those rare occasions when someone from the inside goes out and tells us how it is. 

Dan Bongino is one such a man, being a former member of the Presidential Protective Division and having left the service in favor of a political career. In Life Inside the Bubble, Dan Bongino details his own life, going all the way from his childhood, passing by his stint with the secret service, and ending with his current political efforts.

As the book started I began to have thoughts of regret creeping in my head. Though Bongino certainly had some noteworthy events to discuss in regards to his childhood and very early career, most of the stuff found here can be classified as autobiographical anecdotes that can be entertaining, but at the end, forgettable. 

All of my feelings of doubt dissipated however once the part about his time in the secret service began. From there on out, we get to see the inner workings of not only the Presidential Protective Division, but also the White House politics behind closed doors. In other words, it’s as if we are taken to the world’s greatest backstage where we can get a glimpse of how things actually work on such a level.

Bongino doesn’t merely content himself with telling us how things work in a dry and factual way, as if describing a painting. Rather, he goes beyond that and offers his own insights, thoughts and opinions on what he saw during his time as a secret agent. 

Though you may agree or disagree with his morals, values and/or beliefs, there is no denying that Bongino hit the nail on the head on a number of occasions when he touched on the faults and imperfections of the United States’ political system. He explains why things are the way they are, and why the future is only bound to get darker if no action is taken.

Life Inside the Bubble by Dan Bongino (Book Cover)
All in all, Life Inside the Bubble is certainly an engrossing read, providing a much-welcome insight into the world of politics at the highest level, as well as bits and pieces of entertainment to make sure the reader keeps turning the pages. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about politics and the secret service. 


Dan Bongino (December 4, 1974)

Dan Bongino


Personal site

Dan Bongino is a former member of the United States Secret Service, an author, and perhaps more importantly at the moment, a politician who is vying for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from Maryland’s 6th Congressional District in the 2014 election. He wrote a book on why he left his successful life as a secret agent, titled Life Inside the Bubble.






No comments:

Post a Comment