Mark Halperin’s first book since his career was upended by allegations of sexual harassment is clearly no Game Change.
How to Beat Trump sold just 502 copies in its first week. The numbers were reported Wednesday by NPD BookScan, which tracks around 85 percent of print sales. Published Oct. 29 by Regan Arts, How to Beat Trump compiles comments from such Democratic strategists as Donna Brazile, David Axelrod and James Carville.
News of the book in August was met with widespread criticism, with the major networks saying they would not interview Halperin and even some of the book’s contributors distancing themselves.
Halperin was once a top political commentator who teamed with John Heilemann on the million-selling Game Change, an inside account of the 2008 presidential election. In October 2017, CNN reported that five women said Halperin had made inappropriate and unwelcome sexual advances while he was director of political coverage at ABC News 10 years earlier. He has denied any unwanted physical interactions but has previously acknowledged that his “behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain. For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologize.”
