"The Last Campaign" examines what presidents do to keep us from knowing what presidents do: skewed history, hidden documents, self-commemoration, the influence of private money and political organizations, and more than a hundred years to open the records in new presidential libraries. Anthony Clark recounts his attempts, as a private citizen and as a senior Congressional staffer, to rein in the system’s worst abuses. Unrestrained commemoration, unregulated – and undisclosed – contributions, and unchecked partisan politics have radically altered the look and purpose of presidential libraries, changing them from impartial archives of history into extravagant, legacy-building showplaces where the goals of former presidents, their families, financial donors, and the national parties trump accuracy and the (often inconvenient) facts.Using records discovered over twelve years of research and more than 30 research trips to all 13 presidential libraries, the National Archives, and other sources, Clark narrates the ways presidents rewrite history. And how their private, political foundations use government institutions to raise millions of dollars for political purposes.Americans deserve fair and accurate history in the libraries for which we pay; history based on records, not politics. But while presidents run for posterity, dedicating their self-congratulatory museums an average of four years after leaving office, the records that show what actually happened won’t be opened for more than a hundred years…unless we do something, and reform our presidential-library system. "Eye-opening." "This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in the politics of history and in the abuse of the public purse." - Rick Perlstein, author of the New York Times bestsellers "The Invisible Bridge" and "Nixonland" "Anthony Clark has something important to say about the preservation of and access to presidential records - a system that is more about building monuments to the presidents than about understanding their legacy by preserving archives. Every archivist needs to read this book and work to change what Clark has found." - Richard J. Cox, Professor in Library and Information Science, the University of Pittsburgh; Fellow, Society of American Archivists; author of "Archival Anxiety and the Vocational Calling." "This book - I have to tell you - is absolutely fascinating." - Paul Lisnek, Politics Tonight, WGN-TV Chicago "[Anthony Clark's] extensive research provides a unique and interesting perspective into presidential libraries and is relevant to scholarship in the fields of American Politics and History." - Philip J. Ardoin, Professor & Chair, Department of Government & Justice Studies, Appalachian State University "From 2009 to 2011, [Anthony] Clark was a legislative director for the Democratic side in the House of Representatives, running a series of congressional investigations on breakdowns in federal record-keeping. "'There are few people who have spent as much time thinking about this topic as I have,' says Clark, and he's probably right." - Nancy Scola, Yahoo News Unrestrained presidential commemoration, unregulated and undisclosed contributions, and unchecked partisan politics have radically altered the look and purpose of presidential libraries, changing them from impartial archives of history into extravagant, legacy-building showplaces where the goals of former presidents, their families, financial donors, and the national parties trump accuracy and the (often inconvenient) facts. Read THE LAST CAMPAIGN to learn the hidden politics & history of the taxpayer-funded, uniquely American shrines, and how far presidents will go to rewrite history and ensure their legacies. " A president grabs spectacular federal real estate on the Southern California coast from the military during a time of war to build his library, covering up his actions within a new bureaucracy, only to see the plan thwarted by his even larger crimes. .." Americans deserve fair and accurate history in the libraries for which we pay; history based on records, not politics. But while presidents run for posterity, dedicating their self-congratulatory museums an average of four years after leaving office (complete with exhibits created to glorify them and their achievements), the records that show what actually happened won't be opened for more than a hundred years...unless we decide to do something, and reform our presidential libraries. Anthony Clark is a former speechwriter, committee professional staffer, and legislative director in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 111th Congress he directed hearings and investigations of the National Archives and presidential libraries for the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform. He writes about presidential legacy and Congress and has been published by Salon, Time, and History News Network. A recognized expert in federal and presidential records and libraries, he earned a