Andrew Rand, a freshman Democratic representative at the start of the Obama administration, is about to be introduced to the corridors of power of Washington. There, he will find a broken system: a liberal party in power and out of control, passing legislation that its constituents neither desire nor need because its members are under constant political and personal pressure to ''fundamentally transform the nation.'' Soon Andrew will struggle with the question of what he's willing to sacrifice in order to win reelection. Meanwhile, his wife, Carolyn--a brilliant, apolitical woman from a family of radical academics--will struggle not only with the emotional fallout of the choices her husband makes but also with her own awakening conservative conscience.
Weaving satire into an engrossing plot, A Bitter Cup of Tea also tells the story of the rise of the conservative Tea Party through the eyes of secondary characters from all walks of American life: there's a housewife who decides to challenge the powers that be in her home district; a Texas radio host with a gift for caustic political insight; and a campaign manager concealing a secret romantic ambition. Other perspectives are heard from student radicals, disenchanted factory workers, and more. Author Timothy McDaniel succeeds in presenting a bitterly funny vision of the United States today: a country whose leaders have betrayed the people and whose people are beginning to fight back.