I Swear
Politics Is Messier than My Minivan
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Narrated by:
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Katie Porter
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Written by:
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Katie Porter
About this listen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “high-octane, no-bullshit” (The New Republic) memoir about re-energizing our politics and standing up to corporate America—while carting three kids around in a minivan.
“Just like her whiteboard schoolings of CEOs, this book showcases Katie’s ability to entertain while making the inner workings of Congress more accessible than ever before.”—Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Never having run for office before, Katie Porter charted a new path in 2018 when she was elected to Congress as a Democrat in historically conservative Orange County, California. Underestimated as a single mom and chided for her progressive values, Katie defied expectations. Then, using her signature whiteboard, she began to take CEOs and corrupt government officials to task in Congressional hearings. The videos went viral, introducing Americans to her no-bullshit style, and making her a coveted guest on cable news and late-night television.
I SWEAR: Politics Is Messier Than My Minivan is a witty, down-to-earth exploration of what it’s really like to serve in Congress, particularly as a single mom. Katie offers Americans a clear picture of what their elected leaders are doing—and how they’re doing it—exposing the gaps between politicians’ press conferences and real people’s lives.
Katie reveals how her challenges as an Iowa farmgirl diverted her to the Ivy League and how she came to see herself as a Californian, teaching law and raising three kids in Orange County. She shares why she made the jump from academia to politics and how she quickly mastered the art of making CEOs and cabinet members squirm when they bluff and bloviate instead of doing the job for America.
With the same clarity she demonstrates in Congressional hearings, Katie makes the case for consumer protection, corporate accountability, and anti-corruption reforms. She pulls back the curtain on the political messaging machine, campaign fundraising, and Congress’ traditions, showing that the way things have always worked, in fact, does not work for a Congressperson without someone at home to do the shopping and take care of the kids. Along the way, she provides whiteboard lessons on where your campaign donations go, how to fight the corporations that cheat you, and how to conduct her trademark robust oversight.
Full of candid and inspiring stories—from how Katie lent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a pair of sneakers during the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, to her kids’ lightly illegal campaign hijinks—this is a book by an exhausted, committed parent who just doesn’t have the time for nonsense in her house or in the House of Representatives.
What the critics say
“[A] tangy tell-all . . . rollicking . . . [Porter] alternates between the witheringly satirical and the breezily self-deprecating (think Erma Bombeck goes to Capitol Hill). . . . Porter’s superpower is her credential as a populist everywoman.” (The Washington Post)
“Genuinely readable, insightful, revealing, and surprisingly fun . . .[Porter] strips back the artifice and privilege of the job with everyday examples. . . . If she were not a politician, she would have made a good columnist.” (Chicago Tribune)
“Bracingly honest . . . [I Swear] strays from the norm, exploring normally taboo issues such as the strain her job has put on her finances, her family and her self-image.” (Los Angeles Times)
What listeners say about I Swear
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- Jane Doe Customer
- 2024-02-25
So Likeable
Hearing about Katie and her family has been a lovely treat. She is so down to earth and real. Telling us about her trials and victories was very motivating. She is incredible.
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- Carolyn
- 2023-05-05
Appreciated the humanity.
As a former single mom for a decade, I could relate to and felt understood by the struggle Katie described about being a passionate career woman intent on making a difference and being a connected mom. Heroes really do drive mini vans. Interesting and informative, if not a little discouraging on how our American cousins run their congress.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2023-07-03
great read!
Her ethics, authenticity, intelligence and humor combine to make this the most inspiring political bio I've ever read.
I love the behind-the-scenes reveals of her campaigns and her congressional work. All citizens would benefit from this kind of honest information. Because there are so few politicians compared to other professions, most people don't have a good understanding of the day-to-day requirements of the political job. That lack of information itself breeds distrust, and this book helps dispell that. I'm so grateful.
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