Every president is offered a daily report-the President's Daily Brief, or PDB-detailing the most secret activities of the intelligence services and their analysis of global threats. This is the story of what presidents over the last half-century learned, from a CIA insider during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
"Every day, a member of the CIA presents to the president a report detailing the most sensitive activities and analysis of world events. These can range from the behavior of America's allies to the maneuvering of its adversaries, from imminent dangers to long-term strategic opportunities ... This report--for the president's eyes only--forms the basis of the president's assessment of US intelligence and strength. The story of the President's Daily Brief--the PDB, in the jargon--is a window into the character of each president and his administration, and the degree to which his worldview and policy was shaped by the information from the security services"--
