Exclusive: Atlanta author Lisa Baron discusses her wild "Life of the Party" political memoir

Atlanta author Lisa Baron had many responsibilities as spokesperson for Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed and GOP political operative. However, it is the job she performed for future George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer on her knees in a Greenville hotel room during the 2000 Republican presidential primary that is liable to cause some exploding heads at Fox News this week.

 

The former Sunday Paper columnist's debut book, "Life of the Party: A Political Press Tart Bares All" (Citadel Press, $14.95) hits stores today.  It's a no-holds-barred, laugh out loud funny peek behind the political curtain. Baron, a "not-so-nice, socially liberal" Jewish girl describes how she ended up working for Reed, the aspiring Georgia Lt. Governor candidate who saw his campaign derailed by his ties to Kryptonite-carrying lobbyist Jack Abramoff. On the book jacket, New York pop culture watchdog website Gawker refers to "Life of the Party" as "'Primary Colors' meets 'Coyote Ugly.'" READ MORE

“Truth really is stranger than fiction in this behind-the-scenes look into the Republican party, hardly the land of first-class morals and model behavior. It’s a fascinating read as Baron recounts true tales of her time working on various state and national GOP campaigns. If you thought politics was boring, this will blow your mind.”

– Instinct Magazine

 Behind most politicians are a bunch of young, overworked, tired and randy staffers, says Lisa Baron, author of the new memoir, “LIFE OF THE PARTY: A Political Press Tart Bares All.”

Press Tart” Lisa Baron pens tell-all about Ralph Reed, Christine Whitman, Ari Fleischer and other Republican insiders

Conservative strategist Ralph Reed, former New Jersey Governor Christine Whitman and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer . (AP Photo (Charlie Neibergall)/ Tom Williams (Roll Call)/ Carolyn Kaster (AP))
Lisa Baron, author of "Life of the Party" and long-time spokeswoman for Ralph Reed. (sarahanna.com)

Lisa Baron dreamed of becoming a White House press secretary. Instead, the hard-partying, self-described “not-so-nice” Jewish political junkie ended up as spokesman for former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed. Their professional partnership lasted for years (even survived her stint as a sex columnist) until 2005, when Reed’s campaign for Georgia’s Lt. Governor was scuttled by his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Now she’s dishing about all her former GOP bosses in an upcoming memoir, “Life of the Party: A Political Press Tart Bares All” — and doesn’t hold back: “I hold pretty much everyone in the same measure of contempt, except for friends and family.” A few notable targets:

• Ari Fleischer: The book opens with Baron and the Fleischer sharing an, ahem, intimate moment in a hotel room during the 2000 South Carolina presidential primary. The soon-to-be White House spokesman never returned her calls; awkward when they ran into each other on the campaign trail. She writes: “Note to self: If you’re going to sleep around, sleep around with Democrats.” Read More

Former “press tart” bares all in tawdry memoir

Well, we have it as a fact now, thanks to Lisa Baron, that Republicans have raunchy sex, too.

Baron, a former press advisor for well-known Republicans such as Ralph Reed, Darrell Issa and Christine Whitman — a job that also went by the title of “press tart” — once dreamed of being a White House press secretary for a Republican administration.

If she still harbors that aspiration after publishing her tawdry memoir, “Life of the Party,” she can dream on.

“Life of the Party,” to be published by Citadel Press in July, panders to lurid curiosity. It is filled with material sure to interest columnists who trade in the gossip of this town’s bold-faced names, as well all those politically ambitious (and anonymous) underlings who roam the halls of government. Think Chelsea Handler, but aimed at 20somethings with “staff assistant” in their title. Read More