Life of the Party: A Political Press Tart Bares All
{{Short description|2011 memoir by Lisa Baron}}{{Infobox book
| image = Life of the Party, A Political Press Tart Bares All cover.jpg
| author = Lisa Baron
| pub_date = 2011
| caption = First edition
| publisher = Citadel Press
| language = English
| country = United States
| genre = Memoir
}}
{{italictitle}}
Life of the Party: A Political Press Tart Bares All is a 2011 memoir by Lisa Baron describing her time as a spokesperson for Ralph Reed.
Lisa (Baron) Shore is a former spokesperson for Ralph Reed, who did not share many of his political views; even though the people she worked for were fundamentalist Christian, she was Jewish.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lisa-baron/life-party/|title=Life of the Party|magazine=Kirkus Reviews|date=2011-05-20|accessdate=2018-11-27}} - Published in print on June 1, 2011.
Content about her work with Reed makes up the majority of the book.{{cite news|author=Lowman, Stephen|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/political-bookworm/post/former-press-tart-bares-all-in-tawdry-memoir/2011/04/06/AF8ZR6pC_blog.html|title=Former "press tart" bares all in tawdry memoir|newspaper=Washington Post|date=2011-04-06|accessdate=2018-12-21}} She stated that the book reveals previously secret information, including Reed's view of the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal and Baron's sexual life; it describes an encounter with Ari Fleischer.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/press-tart-lisa-baron-pens-tell-all-about-ralph-reed-christine-whitman-ari-fleischer-and-other-republican-insiders/2011/05/31/AG5VdhFH_blog.html?noredirect=on|title="Press Tart" Lisa Baron pens tell-all about Ralph Reed, Christine Whitman, Ari Fleischer and other Republican insiders|newspaper=Washington Post|date=2011-06-01|accessdate=2018-12-21}} The book also chronicles her political work with Christine Todd Whitman;{{cite web|author=Gavin, Patrick|url=https://www.politico.com/click/stories/1104/former_press_adviser_pens_racy_memoir_.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409234936/https://www.politico.com/click/stories/1104/former_press_adviser_pens_racy_memoir_.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-04-09|title=Former press adviser pens racy memoir|publisher=Politico|date=2011-04-07|accessdate=2018-12-21}} Baron made negative statements about Whitman, including some Stephen Lowman of the Washington Post stated "violate this website’s standards of decency." Kirkus Reviews stated that the sexual encounters "seem almost quaint" since there was a "long list of prominent conservatives who have been caught doing much worse".
{{Asof|2009}} the author was married to Jimmy Baron, a host of a radio program.{{cite news|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/ex-ralph-reed-spokeswoman-lisa-baron-spilling-sexy-political-details-book-article-1.413969|title=Ex-Ralph Reed spokeswoman Lisa Baron spilling sexy political details for book|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=2009-11-28}}
Reception
Foster Kamer of Gawker stated that the "great" book, described as one of several "political tell-alls", "is the Republican version of Primary Colors and Coyote Ugly meeting in the middle."{{cite web|author=Kamer, Foster|url=https://gawker.com/5414703/humor-inherent-in-ari-fleischers-blowjob-increased-exponentially-by-revelation-of-blowjob-giver|title=Humor Inherent in Ari Fleischer's Blowjob Increased Exponentially by Revelation of Blowjob-Giver|publisher=Gawker|date=2009-11-29|accessdate=2018-12-21}}
Kirkus Reviews described the book as "A misguided focus on sex and booze overshadows the moments of insight and inspiration." It criticized the focus on social life over day-to-day life in politics.
Michelle Goldberg, an opinion columnist for The New York Times, characterized the book as "a self-portrait of a cynical, fame-hungry narcissist".
{{cite news|author=Goldberg, Michelle|authorlink=Michelle Goldberg|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/26/opinion/trump-supporters-bill-white-bryan-eure.html|work=Op-Ed|title=Maybe They're Just Bad People|publisher=The New York Times|date=2018-11-26|accessdate=2018-11-27}} On December 3, 2018, The New York Times published a response by Baron.{{Cite news|author=Baron, Lisa|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/opinion/letters/republican-memoir-lisa-baron.html|title=Opinion {{!}} A Memoir of Years in the G.O.P. Trenches|date=2018-12-03|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-04|issn=0362-4331}}