Independent

A groundbreaking, revelatory assessment of America’s broken two-party system.

In a country obsessed with blind loyalty to a two-party democratic system, Karine Jean-Pierre, former White House press secretary to the Biden-Harris administration, shares why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents.

Jean-Pierre didn’t come to her decision to be an Independent lightly. She has served two American presidents, Obama and Biden. In 2020, she joined Biden’s campaign as a senior adviser, becoming Harris’s chief of staff and then two years later, White House press secretary. She takes us through the three weeks that led to Biden’s abandonment of his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision.

In an urgent, timely analysis, Independent asks all Americans to vote their values and maintain their individuality within party lines. She presents clear arguments and provocative evidence from her time as an insider about the importance of dismantling the torrent of disinformation and misinformation that has been rampant during recent elections and provides passionate insight for ways to move forward.

In a hard-hitting-yet-hopeful critique, Jean-Pierre defines what it means to be part of the growing percentage of our fractured electorate that is Independent, explains why it can be worthwhile to carve oneself a political ideology true to personal beliefs rather than a party affiliation, and provides the questions you need to ask yourself to determine where you fit politically. As a history maker, veteran public servant, political analyst, and independent thinker, she urges Americans to think outside of the blue-and-red box as we consider what’s next to save our democracy.

• "Not your typical Washington book! Karine Jean-Pierre is not angling for her next big job in politics or trying to get you to vote for her—she's cutting a swath through the political class, telling blunt, gritty truths and sparing no one. As she encounters both perfidy and grace from unexpected sources in both parties, the media, and the White House, Jean-Pierre's own story becomes infuriating and inspiring in equal measure. Independent is a truly new and valuable contribution to our understanding of the Biden presidency, the Harris candidacy, the Trump phenomenon, and the Democratic Party's whipsaw fortunes over the last decade. This is a brave firecracker of a book. Well done."
  Rachel Maddow