The White House Staff And The National Security Assistant

Review: ?Joseph G. Bock, a staff member at the BDM Corporation and a state representative in the Missouri General Assembly, has written an arresting book about foreign policymaking involving the national security assistant, the president, and political advisors at the White House, Bock traces the evolution in presidential thinking about the role of the national security assistant from a career staff member under Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, to a free-wheeling, policy assistant under Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan.

The book presents an administration-by-administration synopsis of how each has viewed the functions of the national security assistant, beginning with the creation of the office under the Truman administration in 1947 through the completion of the first Reagan administration (1984). Bock has consulted every major source in the field, along with several little-known works.

His bibliography is a gold mine' of information about the National Security Council. In addition, Bock interviewed many of the former NSC assistants and several former members of the White House staff.... Although this book ends with the first Reagan term, its insights into the evolution of the national security assistant from career bureaucrat to political advisor add new understanding to the imbroglios of the second Reagan administration.

Clearly written and informative, this timely book is of interest to the general reader and poltical scientist alike. It should be on the shelf of every presidential scholar.?-Perspective