Alex Thompson on His Canceled Biden Book Deal and Collaboration with Jake Tapper

The Original Biden Book Deal

• 💡 Alex Thompson originally had a book deal with Simon and Schuster signed in January 2021, intended for release before the election.
• 🎯 The book's focus was on family dynamics and their impact on the president and the presidency, with a potential angle on age.
• ⚠️ The deal ultimately fell apart in October 2023 due to Thompson running behind schedule, poor sales of other Biden books, and a disagreement over the book's direction.

Title Disagreement and Deal Collapse

• 🔑 A major point of contention was the book's title, with Thompson proposing "Haunted" to reflect Biden being affected by his son Beau, Hunter's issues, Obama comparisons, and the threat of Trump's return.
• 🗣️ Simon and Schuster proposed titles like "Soulman" or "Shadow Boxer," which Thompson rejected, leading him to return the advance.
• 💔 Thompson described this as an "expensive hill to die on" but felt it was a crucial point to stand firm on.

Reviving the Project with Jake Tapper

• ✍️ Following the cancellation, Thompson, having covered Biden extensively, was interested in reviving a project about him.
• 🤝 The idea for the current project, focusing on a specific issue within the Biden presidency, was proposed by Jake Tapper.