âAn affecting human portrait of a public servant who came to symbolize the bipartisan pursuit of the national interest and a more peaceful world.â âHenry A. Kissinger
The idea that a SenatorâRepublican or Democratâwould put the greater good of the country ahead of party seems nearly impossible to imagine in our current climate of divisiveness. But this hasnât always been the case. Arthur H. Vandenberg (1884â1951), Republican from Michigan, was the model of a consensus builder, and the coalitions he spearheaded continue to form the foundation of American foreign and domestic policy today. With this authoritative biography, Hendrik Meijer reveals how Vandenberg nurtured the bipartisan consensus that created the American Century.
Vandenberg was appointed and later elected to the Senate in 1928, where he became an outspoken opponent of the New Deal and a leader among the isolationists who resisted FDRâs efforts to aid European allies at the onset of World War II. But Vandenberg soon recognized the need for unity; and as a Republican leader, he worked closely with Democratic administrations to build the strong bipartisan consensus that established the Marshall Plan, the United Nations, and NATO.
Vandenbergâs career offers powerful lessons for today, and Meijer has given us a story that suggests an antidote to our current democratic challenges. After reading this poignant biography, many will ask: Where is the Vandenberg of today?
âAn engaging and thorough account. . . . A first-rate chronicle.â âWall Street Journal
âA first-class political biography, enthralling, a page-turner.â âNational Review
âEvery member of Congress should read this book for a lesson in leadership.â âCokie Roberts
âA landmark achievement.â âDouglas Brinkley, author of Rightful Heritage