Description
Book SynopsisOffers a political biography of an important but often overlooked figure in modern congressional history. While examining the story of Tom Foley’s service as Speaker of the House, R. Kenton Bird and John C. Pierce place his career in the context of both his own life story and congressional politics in the late twentieth century.
Trade Review"In Bird and Pierce’s book on Tom Foley, they combine their perspectives as a journalist and a political scientist in their analysis of a complex, and often underappreciated, bipartisan leader in the transition of the House over his three decades of service. Their analysis of Foley’s ability to balance the demands of his more conservative constituency with his more liberal policy inclinations provides a testament to Foley’s skill as both a representative and a legislator. It is an excellent addition to the UPK series on congressional leaders."—Bruce I. Oppenheimer, professor emeritus of political science, Vanderbilt University
"Well-paced and comprehensive, Tom Foley: The Man in the Middle achieves what few books on congressional leaders do: it explains Speaker Foley’s congressional career in light of the electoral and constituent pressures of his home district. The book provides a detailed portrait of a leader and Speaker who was at once leading a House Democratic Party that was moving to the left while representing a right-leaning district that was becoming even more so."—Douglas B. Harris, professor of political science, Loyola University Maryland and coauthor of Choosing the Leader: Goal Salience and Leadership Elections in the U.S. House of Representatives
"A valuable portrait of Speaker Tom Foley, an intelligent and indefatigable defender of the constitutional role of the House of Representatives. Despite skillfully balancing his constituent needs with his leadership responsibilities, Bird and Pierce ably describe how this ‘Man in the Middle’ nevertheless fell prey to the hyperpartisanship that has overwhelmed American politics."—John Lawrence, author of Arc of Power: Inside Nancy Pelosi’s Speakership, 2005–2010
Table of ContentsSeries Foreword
Prologue and Acknowledgments
1. The Man in the Middle
2. You Can Get There from Here!
3. A Bipartisan Speaker
4. Mapping the Fifth District Landscape
5. Holding the Center
6. The Pinnacle of Power
7. Defending the Reputation of the House
8. The Perfect Storm
9. His Own Stamp?
Epilogue
Biographical Highlights
Notes
Bibliography
Author Biographies
Index
A photo gallery follows page 128
