Hail to the Chief

"Hail to the Chief" by Randall Garrett" is a political science fiction novel written during the early 1960s. This narrative delves into themes of political maneuvering and public perception as it explores the fictional presidential campaign of Senator James Cannon. The book scrutinizes the intersection of image-making in politics and the consequences of power on individual character. The story follows Senator James Harrington Cannon's rise to the presidency amid the backdrop of a shifting political landscape fraught with external threats, including a potentially incendiary situation involving the Soviet Union and extraterrestrial technology. As Cannon prepares for the election, he contemplates the selection of his running mate, ultimately considering Matthew Fisher, a man whose integrity contrasts with his lack of political charisma. As election day approaches, the tension escalates with both personal and national stakes intertwined, leading to a surprising conclusion regarding leadership priorities, where Cannon's decisions reflect a deep understanding of political realities, leading to an unexpected twist in governance. The plot culminates with Cannon's deliberate choice to position Fisher as president for the greater good, showcasing themes of sacrifice and the nature of effective leadership. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Gordon Randall Phillip David Garrett was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was a contributor to Astounding and other science fiction magazines of the 1950s and 1960s. He instructed Robert Silverberg in the techniques of selling large quantities of action-adventure science fiction, and collaborated with him on two novels about men from Earth disrupting a peaceful agrarian civilization on an alien planet.