There are two new Irish books published that focus Obama's race to the White House. Carole Coleman, former RTE (Ireland's national TV station) Washington correspondent, has written a book called "The Battle for the White House . . . and the Soul of America" (www.theliffeypress.com) It is an intelligent and in-depth look at the race and pays particular attention to the Irish role in backing Clinton and Obama, as well as the Irish support for John McCain. Coleman is famous for her scorching interview with President George W. Bush in June of 2004, one of the very few critical interviews carried out with Bush at the time. Criticism of the president and the Iraq war was still a big no-no in the American media at the time, but Coleman tore into Bush, leading to a furious response from the Bush administration, but no apology from Coleman. The other book on the campaign is entitled "Redemption Road" by Northern Ireland journalist Niall Stanage, which is critical of Irish American efforts to solve the immigration problem, hardly surprising as Stanage is an Oxford-educated Northern Protestant who has little sympathy for Irish America.