Primary Colors opens with a quote be Machiavelli, Men as a whole judge more with their eyes than with their hands. This is a great statement that sums up a good deal about Jack Stanton, the presidential candidate that this book follows. The handshake is the threshold act of politics and Jack Stanton knows it. He loves to go out, meet the people and shake hands with them. When he lost the New Hampshire primary he was not upset at all. A large number of voters on leaving the polls said the deciding factor was that they had met Stanton. Unfortunately though the people began to judge Stanton by what they had read in the papers. If the voters had judged Jack
Stanton with their hands, a handshake, instead of their eyes, he would have easily become President because everyone that met him loved him.
The book is told through the eyes of Henry Burton. He is a young, well educated and brilliant political strategist who formally served as a Congressional aide. He is also well know for being the grandson of a beloved Martian Luther King like figure of the civil rights era. Burton had resigned as a Congressional aide because he longed to work for someone hecould believe in. He is consistently searching to rise above cynicism and make a positive and lasting political and social contribution. He reluctantly serves as the campaign manager for unknown southern Governor Jack Stanton.
Susan Stanton convinces Burton that the fight will be uphill, but worth it. Throughout the Presidential race Burton flip-flops between enthusiasm and disillusionment. Each time Burton s faith in Stanton was tested, it was soon renewed when he saw the way Stanton could mesmerize a crowd.
