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Chargement... Standing Firm: A Vice-Presidential Memoir (1994)par Dan Quayle
Chargement...
Inscrivez-vous à LibraryThing pour découvrir si vous aimerez ce livre Actuellement, il n'y a pas de discussions au sujet de ce livre. Quayle received brutally unfair treatment from the national media. He was ridiculed for his lack of experience, but he had more at the time of his nomination for vice-president that Obama had when nominated for president. Quayle is a decent man. This book does come off a bit on the side of "Hey look at me. Look what I did." Quayle is not the vapid person he is often made out to be. I think he would make a good president. aucune critique | ajouter une critique
Distinctions
"Standing Firm leaves no doubt that Dan Quayle is the most misjudged figure in modern political history. Prior to 1988, Quayle had never lost an election. Not for Congress. Not even for the Senate. Heading into that year's Republican Convention, Quayle was considered one of the party's brightest young stars - a man of unusual political instincts who, when it came to campaigning, had a reputation as a giant killer. He would become the first in his generation to hold national office, but only after a tumultuous contest that frequently put him on the defensive." "With gritty honesty and admirable self-deprecation, Quayle describes what it was like to weather that 1988 media storm, and the other squalls that followed. Poignantly, he also talks of the self-confidence and Christian faith that gave him the courage to stand firm and record some of the most noteworthy contributions of any Vice President ever. Among the high points: his coordination of America's response to a coup attempt in the Philippines, the details of which have never been reported; his bringing the family-values issue to the fore with the Murphy Brown speech - a call for action that, one year later, would even draw support from Democratic President Bill Clinton; his use of the White House Competitiveness Council to curtail harmful "overregulation"; his unreported diplomacy with Latin American leaders; and his championing of legal reform, which would earn him the strongest praise of his vice-presidency." "Quayle pulls no punches when it comes to assessing himself and other players in the Bush administration - the men and women who were his allies, and sometimes his opponents, in helping George Bush spread democracy around the world. He shares entries from his diary of the Persian Gulf crisis, offers a surprising snapshot of what the typical Bush cabinet meeting was like, describes intramural battles waged by White House power brokers, and reveals his special relationship with the President. Quayle, a former journalist, interviewed several members of the press for this book, and their contributions form a vital part of its fabric." "Standing Firm is perhaps most intriguing in its analysis of what went wrong in the 1992 election. Quayle does not hesitate to place blame where it is deserved - in fact, he reserves some of the strongest criticism for himself. Throughout, the portrait is that emerges of the former Vice President is that of a man whose good humor is exceeded only by a competence for which he has never been fully credited."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
Discussion en coursAucunCouvertures populaires
Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)973.928092History and Geography North America United States 1901- Eisenhower Through Clinton Administrations George H.W. Bush BiographyClassification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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In "Standing Firm" Former Vice-President Quayle provides the reader with his view of the administration led by George H.W. Bush. While Quayle obviously has very high respect for President Bush, he is hard on others in the administration including, at times, himself. It seems that the only ones above criticism are President and Mrs. Bush and Marilyn Quayle. There is plenty of honest assessment of others to satisfy any but the most sanguine reader.
Mr. Quayle gives us an introduction to his early life, which disposes of the claim that he came was a trust fund baby who rode to school in a limousine. It sounds like he really came from an upper middle-class family.
These are times worth looking back on. He gives us his perspectives on the issues which confronted the administration and him personally. He begins the book with the call to be the running mate and the chaotic rush to get through the crowd to Spanish Plaza in New Orleans for the announcement at which he was, as he admits "too hot." He then steps back to us on a walk along the road leading to his selection. It wasn't something that just happened. He was a carefully thought out choice. After the announcement the press assault immediately began. The first to come to his defense were his neighbors at the "Battle of Huntington." He gives us his own impression of the famous "You're no Jack Kennedy" incident.
With the election won, Quayle started to establish his own role. His analysis of the opportunities for a vice-president and the pitfalls, such as taking a position without the clout to be effective, give the reader a unique perspective on the office. He carved out a particular interest in Latin America. His perspectives on Desert Storm, the Clarence Thomas nomination, the saving of President Aquino and the nailing of Noriega provide up close looks at crucial events of the era. He provides reminders of his prophetic calls for legal reform (some of which have become standard) and recognition of family values. Remember the "Murphy Brown" speech?
With victory won in the Gulf, the political juggernaut, seemingly invincible, started to sputter, stopping before crossing the finish line in 1992. Quayle gives us his viewpoint of what went wrong and why.
Vice-Presidents have unique perspectives on the administrations in which they serve. Whether your interest is in the vice-presidency, the era or Quayle himself, this is a book you will enjoy. ( )