By BRUCE DENNILL
As the devastation began to unfold in Ukraine, political activist and author Claudia Clark delivered a timely, potent reminder of the importance of alliances between countries and world leaders in her extensively researched, compelling book, Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel. Informative and entertaining, Clark’s narrative details one of the great political friendships of our time and shows that it is possible for political adversaries to establish bonds of respect – and even camaraderie – in the service of the free world.
When, and under what circumstances, did the idea for your book come to you?
The idea originally came to me in November 2016, when I watched the final press conference between President Obama and Chancellor Merkel. I remember being moved at how physically upset the normally stoic German Chancellor became when a journalist asked her about her reaction to this being the final time the two would work together in an official capacity. At that point, I noted how important their relationship was, but did not think too much about it until several months later.
Did it initially feel like something to commit to, or was that something that took time to develop?
In March 2017, Merkel made her first visit to Washington to visit Trump and I noticed the stark contrast between her interaction with him and Obama – when Trump refused to even shake her hand when they were in a meeting in the Oval Office – and I saw the photos that the media displayed comparing Merkel and Obama’s interactions with the interactions between Merkel and Trump. I realised, with the sheer amount of media coverage there had been comparing these interactions, that there was a general interest in the friendship, and it should be memoralised in some way. While I thought that a book which discussed their relationship was warranted, I was on the fence on whether I were the person to tackle such a project. I was an unknown author attempting to write a book on two of the most powerful people in the world. In May 2017, I learned that the first post-presidency trip Obama made was in to Berlin to visIt Chancellor Merkel. At that point, I cast aside my fears and apprehensions and began research to see if the book were worth pursuing, and next thing I knew, I had a 250-page manuscript.
How did you conduct your research or other preparation before writing – was it more experiential or more academic or desk-based?
My research was more academic based – I began my research by reading biographies of Obama and Merkel, then I used the bibliographies from those books to get relevant information. Then, thanks to most of my work being public domain, I was able to access press conferences and other public events between the two leaders on the internet, as well as the White House and Bundestag archives. I also used a wide variety of newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic for perspective on meetings and encounters between the two. For example, when Merkel visited Washington, I would read newspapers from New York and Los Angeles as well as Berlin for analysis, and when Obama was in Germany for meetings I would use sources from German and European news outlets as well as American ones. I used a variety of sources including clips, documentaries, books, newspapers, and archival documents.
If resources (money, time, whatever) were no object, what additional groundwork would you like to have completed?
I would have loved the opportunity to meet first-hand with either Obama or Merkel or members of their inner circle who had inside knowledge of them and their relationship. The information provided in the book is based on stories and details already published and compiled in other places. I would have loved to hear first-hand accounts of encounters that are not currently known from people who were in the room at the time or had first-hand knowledge. That is my goal for this book: that I get enough exposure and recognition that I could write an updated second edition with some inside information and updates.
When considering influence, do you find yourself wanting to write like someone (in terms of their style, tone or use of language), or aiming for a kind of perspective or storytelling approach you admire or enjoy?
I tend to like the writing styles of journalists – they write for the masses, so they are easy to read and and not too academic. Nevertheless, this is well-written enough that academics still find the book interesting and worth reading. Some of my favourite authors include Kati Matron and Carol Leoning. I also like the writing style of political insider Ben Rhodes.
What’s in your to-read pile – and what upcoming book (other than yours!) are you most looking forward to?
My reading pile includes: A Woman Of No Importance: The Untold Story Of The American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell; Battle For The American Mind: Uprooting A Century Of Miseducation by Peter Hegseth and David Goodwin; Against All Odds: A True Story In Ultimate Courage And Survival In World War II by Alex Kershaw and After The Fall: The Rise Of Authoritarianism In The World We’ve Made by Ben Rhodes. The upcoming books I am most lookingforward to are: Skirts: Fashioning Modern Femininity In The Twentieth Century by Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell and Mother, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal.
Do you have a favourite character that you have created? Or if you’re writing non-fiction, do you have a specific topic that you find endlessly fascinating?
I am an American non-fiction writer, historian and social activist who lives in Berlin. I am fascinated by books on World War II and the Cold War. There is not a book written on either subject that I have not found some merit in, and I say that I should turn down reading books on those subjects to broaden my horizons and learn about other subjects, but I often find myself returning to these two themes.
