Synopses & Reviews
Democrats who voted for the healthcare bill but pretended they hadn't; Republicans who took local credit for stimulus money while condemning the bill on TV; Eric Cantor, Mitt Romney, and the Democratic former governor of Maryland, Parris Glendening. What do they all have in common? According to former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, they're all wussesand after more than three decades in politics, he knows a wuss when he sees one.
In A Nation of Wusses, Rendell revisits some of the toughest fights of his career. He recalls most vividly those moments when he saw someone stand his ground, even at the risk of incurring the wrath of supporters and losing the next election. Unfortunately, as he surveys the current political scene, what he sees is a herd of elected officials, both legislators and executives, who seem far more concerned with their own job security than with serving the people who elected them.
Among current office holders and candidates, he sees politicians pretending to stand on principle while, in fact, pandering to their bases; flip-flopping on issues, not because of new information, but because of new polls; and criticizing rivals for actions they would have praised if done by allies. While not at all shy about singling out Republicans like Scott Walker, Eric Cantor, and Mitch McConnell, Rendell has no trouble taking on Democrats who refuse to stand up to the teachers' unions or distance themselves from allies who run into trouble. Other politicians might have left out of their memoirs stories like what happened to their plaque in the park, the story of Swifty the five-legged donkey, a dirty Al Gore joke, the time they considered pretending to faint, and who they're already supporting for president in 2016. Luckily for readers, Ed Rendell is not that kind of politician. Complete with a scathing list of the "Top Ten Reasons Why Most American Politicians Are Wusses" and packed with uproarious tales of politicians in action that will make you wonder why these folks keep getting elected, you might have to go back to Ulysses S. Grant to find a politician with a book as lively and honest as A Nation of Wusses.
Review
and#160;andquot;When your career includes delivering twenty straight State of the City addresses in Boston, youandrsquo;ve got a lot to teach the world about leadership and andldquo;getting stuff done.andrdquo;
Mayor for a New America is a fascinating look at how he did it. I worked with Tom Menino for eight years on the challenges facing our cities. I know how much he did for the people of Boston.andquot;
andmdash;President Bill Clinton
and#160;
andldquo;Mayor Tomand#160;Menino led the resurgence of Bostonand#39;s neighborhoods, expanded parks and livable spaces, and fought for an economy at the frontiers of innovation.and#160; He also knitted together a divided city and led the way for a new American revolution, ordering insurance coverage for domestic partners in 1996, performing marriages for same-sex couples in 2004, and sponsoring an annual gay prom at City Hall for Bostonandrsquo;s teenagers. and#160;A Mayor for a New Americaand#160;tells his story, from meeting his wife Angela toand#160;leading Boston after the Marathon bombings. and#160;Meninoand#39;s Boston truly is a city on a hill, a model for the country and for the world.andrdquo;
andmdash;Senator Elizabeth Warren, author of A Fighting Chance
Synopsis
Governor Ed Rendell explains why America's leaders rarely call for sacrifice for the greater good—to avoid making any sacrifices themselves!Rendell has seen job security become the primary consideration of any person with power in America—their own job security! Most politicians and bureaucrats can see no further ahead than the next election, sometimes no further than the next press conference. Americans are rarely afraid of sacrifice and hard work when they mean building a better future, but when was the last time you heard of a leader of anything making a sacrifice for the greater good? The people can only win when they make it clear to the powers that be that making the right choices, even the hard ones, is the key to winning the next election.
- Explains in rollicking stories ranging from the profane to the profound that most hard choices are only ""hard"" because the polls conflict with your principles
- Ed Rendell rose to the top of Philadelphia, then Pennsylvania, then national politics, by doing what he thought was right, and there were plenty of times that looked like it would be his downfall as well
- This book revisits the high points of Ed Rendell's career and current landscape to define the political fights his peers seem just as afraid of winning as losing
- Rendell is a former head of the Democratic National Committee, a current MSNBC Senior Political Analyst, and a Partner at Ballard Spahr LLP
Synopsis
Praise for A Nation of Wusses"Ed Rendell is one of the more refreshing and insightful voices in the conversation around American politics. He is a rare breed who tells the truth even when it doesn't support his agenda. This book is a clever, intelligent, and entertaining retrospective on his life in politics featuring many of the characters he met along the way."
—Sean Hannity
"Ed Rendell gives us more than a political memoir—his book is a fun, funny, and authentic account of a life spent in government, and a no-holds-barred argument for bold leadership in America."
—President Bill Clinton
"Ed Rendell's book is just like Ed Rendell—unflinching, funny, heartfelt, hopeful. It is why he was the country's most dynamic politician when in office. It is why you should read this book if you care about America."
—Buzz Bissinger
"Ed Rendell has written a very funny book about his life in politics and his passion for sports. No matter what someone's political affiliation is, I think people will be entertained by this book."
—Charlie Manuel
"Ed Rendell's book is big-city politics at its best. It's got the roar of the El, the stale cigar smoke of City Hall. Rendell writes with hoagie on his breath—or was that a Philly cheesesteak? It's The Last Hurrah for the twenty-first century."
—Chris Matthews
Synopsis
Governor Ed Rendell explains why America's leaders rarely call for sacrifice for the greater good—to avoid making any sacrifices themselves!Rendell has seen job security become the primary consideration of any person with power in America—their own job security! Most politicians and bureaucrats can see no further ahead than the next election, sometimes no further than the next press conference. Americans are rarely afraid of sacrifice and hard work when they mean building a better future, but when was the last time you heard of a leader of anything making a sacrifice for the greater good? The people can only win when they make it clear to the powers that be that making the right choices, even the hard ones, is the key to winning the next election.
- Explains in rollicking stories ranging from the profane to the profound that most hard choices are only "hard" because the polls conflict with your principles
- Ed Rendell rose to the top of Philadelphia, then Pennsylvania, then national politics, by doing what he thought was right, and there were plenty of times that looked like it would be his downfall as well
- This book revisits the high points of Ed Rendell's career and current landscape to define the political fights his peers seem just as afraid of winning as losing
- Rendell is a former head of the Democratic National Committee, a current MSNBC Senior Political Analyst, and a Partner at Ballard Spahr LLP
Synopsis
A revealing memoir by Bostonand#8217;s beloved five-term mayor, explaining the power behind Bostonand#8217;s success and lessons for the Washington power brokers
Synopsis
A revealing memoir by Bostonand#8217;s beloved five-term mayor, explaining the power behind Bostonand#8217;s success and lessons for Washington power brokers After twenty years of service, Mayor Thomas Menino is stepping down from his office as one of the longest-serving major-city mayors in United States historyand#8212;and one of the most popular politicians in modern memory. His political career has stretched from the busing crisis of the 1970s to the cityand#8217;s extraordinary response to the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.and#160;
Menino tells exclusive behind-the-scenes stories of urban politics and provides inspiration for Washington with his proven, people-focused method: and#8220;Do the small stuff so you can win the credibility to do the big stuff.and#8221; Heand#8217;s not known as a fancy talker, but he gets things done. Under his wing, the city has enjoyed unprecedented economic growth while fostering a new attitude of acceptance. Menino shows how a very old city shook off its Puritan roots and racial tensions to become a truly twenty-first-century city.
Synopsis
Bostonandrsquo;s late, revered mayor explains the power behind the cityandrsquo;s dramatic success andmdash; and its lessons for Washington power brokers.
When Thomas Menino stepped down from office as one of the longest-serving major-city mayors in the nationandrsquo;s history, he was among the most popular politicians in modern memory. Inand#160;Mayor for a New America,and#160;Menino gives a play-by-play look at how he managed to wield political influence while staying fiercely loyal to the interests of the people he was elected to serve.
The unassuming guy from Bostonandrsquo;s Hyde Park neighborhood was an unlikely politician. Heandrsquo;d been a backstage campaign workhorse whose career nearly ended the second he stepped into the spotlight, tongue-tied. Although not a fancy talker, Mayor Menino took to the details of running the city he loved. By taking care of the small stuff andmdash; fixing potholes, cleaning up parks, plowing the streets quickly after snowstorms andmdash; he won the publicandrsquo;s trust to deliver on the big issues. He had a progressive agenda and was forward thinking in his support of an innovation economy and a champion of gay rights. He also held fast to the values of his childhood andmdash; good schools, a growing middle class, and close-knit, welcoming communities.
In this candid look back at a career that spanned the busing crisis of the 1970s, the remarkable resurgence of the neighborhoods, and the cityandrsquo;s extraordinary response to the Boston Marathon bombing, Menino tells behind-the-scenes stories and gives a master class in urban politics. And his proven, people-focused track record provides inspiration for a dysfunctional Washington to actually get things done andmdash; just like he did in Boston.
About the Author
Elected five times as Mayor of Boston and five times as a City Councilor, Thomas M. Meninoandnbsp;(1942-2014) spent a lifetime building a better city for residents and businesses. Menino was known as a mayor of the people and was widely recognized for meeting more than half of Bostonandrsquo;s residents. Following his final term, which drew to a close in January 2014, Mayor Menino joined Boston University, where he served as codirector for the newly founded Initiative on Cities. He is survived by his wife of forty-eight years, Angela, their two children, and their six grandchildren.
Jack Beatty is a news analyst for NPRandrsquo;s On Point and the author of The Rascal King,andnbsp;a biography of Boston mayor James Michael Curly.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 The Wussification of America 5
2 “We’re Mad as Hell and We’re Not Going to Take it Anymore!” 11
3 “I Wear Blue, Take Me Too!” 21
4 Only a Smart Jewish Lawyer Can Turn This City Around 29
5 The Truth about Waste, Fraud, and Abuse 35
6 “Fast Eddie, We Are Ready!” 47
7 What’s a Nice Jewish Boy Doing Holding Hands with Louis Farrakhan? 57
8 “We Don’t Cover Plane Landings!” 63
9 “Harper Valley PTA” 69
10 Animals I Have Known 83
11 How to Get Uninvited to a Christmas Party You Were Never Invited To 91
12 How My Love Affair with Philadelphia Made Me Governor 99
13 Lobbyists’ Rule: No Money for School 105
14 “Behold the Turtle” 111
15 How Two Young Non-Wuss Pittsburgh Women Stared Down the Haitian and US Governments 117
16 Sports and Politics 127
17 “Like a Sturgeon” 137
18 “Hillary, Hillary . . .” 143
19 Change We Can Believe In: How the Best Communicator in Campaign History
Has Been Badly Outcommunicated as President 151
20 “Know When to Fold ’Em” 159
21 Please, Please Don’t Honor Me 167
22 Build, Baby, Build: “Infrastructure,” the Least Sexy Word in the English Language 173
23 Stand and Defend: There Are Some Things Worth Losing For 183
24 “The Charge of the Wuss Brigade!” 193
25 Does Government Create Jobs? 197
26 Is Honesty the Best Policy? 203
27 The Top Ten Reasons Why Most American Politicians Are Wusses 209
28 How to Get Our Democracy Back on Track—Electoral Reform 217
Conclusion 225
Acknowledgments 231
Index 233