The Audacity of Hope

Acknowledgments
THIS BOOK WOULD have not been possible without the extraordinary support of a
number of people.
I have to begin with my wife, Michelle. Being married to a senator is bad enough; being
married to a senator who is also writing a book requires the patience of Job. Not only
did Michelle provide emotional support throughout the writing process, but she helped
me arrive at many of the ideas that are reflected in the book. With each passing day, I
understand more fully just how lucky I am to have Michelle in my life, and can only
hope that my boundless love for her offers some consolation for my constant
preoccupations.
I want to express as well my gratitude to my editor, Rachel Klayman. Even before I had
won my Senate primary race, it was Rachel who brought my first book, Dreams from
My Father, to the attention of Crown Publishers, long after it had gone out of print. It
was Rachel who championed my proposal to write this book. And it has been Rachel
who’s been my constant partner in what’s been the frequently difficult but always
exhilarating effort of bringing this book to completion. At each stage of the editorial
process, she’s been insightful, meticulous, and unflagging in her enthusiasm. Often
she’s understood what I was trying to accomplish with the book before I did, and has
gently but firmly brought me into line whenever I strayed from my own voice and
slipped into jargon, cant, or false sentiment. Moreover, she’s been incredibly patient
with my unforgiving Senate schedule and periodic bouts of writer’s block; more than
once, she’s had to sacrifice sleep, weekends, or vacation time with her family in order to
see the project through.
In sum, she’s been an ideal editor—and become a valued friend.
Of course, Rachel could not have done what she did without the full support of my
publishers at the Crown Publishing Group, Jenny Frost and Steve Ross. If publishing
involves the intersection of art and commerce, Jenny and Steve have consistently erred
on the side of making this book as good as it could possibly be. Their faith in this book
has led them to go the extra mile time and time again, and for that I am tremendously
grateful.
That same spirit has characterized all the people at Crown who’ve worked so hard on
behalf of this book. Amy Boorstein has been tireless in managing the production
process despite very tight deadlines. Tina Constable and Christine Aronson have been
vigorous advocates of the book and have deftly scheduled (and rescheduled) events
around the demands of my Senate work. Jill Flaxman has worked diligently with the
Random House sales force and with booksellers to help the book make its way into the
hands of readers. Jacob Bronstein has produced—for the second time—an outstanding
audio version of the book in less than ideal circumstances. To all of them I offer my
heartfelt thanks, as I do to the other members of the Crown team: Lucinda Bartley,
Whitney Cookman, Lauren Dong, Laura Duffy, Skip Dye, Leta Evanthes, Kristin Kiser,
Donna Passannante, Philip Patrick, Stan Redfern, Barbara Sturman, Don Weisberg, and
many others.