Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma reveals the fascinating and influential political career of the four-time New York State governor and US vice president. Marsha E. Barrett's portrayal of this multi-faceted political player focuses on the eclipse of moderate Republicanism and the betrayal of deeply held principles for political power. Although never able to win his party's presidential nomination, Rockefeller's tenure as governor was notable for typically liberal policies: infrastructure projects, expanding the state's university system, and investing in local services and the social safety net. As the Civil Rights movement intensified in the early 1960s, Rockefeller envisioned a Republican Party recommitted to its Lincolnian heritage as a defender of Black equality. But the party's extreme right wing, encouraged by its successful outreach to segregationists before and after the nomination of Barry Goldwater, pushed the party to the right. With his national political ambitions fading by the late 1960s, Rockefeller began to tack right himself on social and racial issues, refusing to endorse efforts to address police brutality, accusing, without proof, Black welfare mothers of cheating the system, or introducing harsh drug laws that disproportionately incarcerated people of color. These betrayals of his own ideals did little to win him the support of the party faithful, and his vice presidency ended in humiliation, rather than the validation of moderate ideals. An in-depth, insightful, and timely political history, Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma details how the standard-bearer of moderate Republicanism lost the battle for the soul of the Party of Lincoln, leading to mainlining of white-grievance populism for the post-civil rights era.

Presents profiles of major figures in American politics, from Bella Abzug through Woodrow Wilson, arranged alphabetically, by area of activity, and by year of birth.

The Presidency of the United States is an illustrated A-to-Z guide to the U.S. Presidency, including biographical sketches of each President and Vice President, along with articles on presidential powers, presidential history, theories about the presidency, presidential elections, advisors and agencies, and information about the daily workings of the White House. The second edition is completely revised up to March 2001, with new biographies of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and completely updated biographies of Bill Clinton and Al Gore. There are also new general articles on African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Women in the Executive branch and existing articles have been fine-tuned to include memorable events of the 7 years since publication of the first edition of this book. Illustrations include portraits, cartoons, and Presidential memorabilia. Articles are cross-referenced with suggestions for further reading listed at the end of each article as well as at the end of the book. Websites are now provided in the updated appendix of Presidential Libraries and Museums.