Partner to Power: The Secret World of Presidents and Their Most Trusted Advisers

by K. Ward Cummings

Overview

A former congressional staffer and Capitol Hill veteran recounts the colorful history of presidential advisers, showing how influential these unelected appointees have been.This revealing book examines the relationships between U.S. presidents and their closest advisers from a psychological, personal, and professional point of view. The author, a Capitol Hill veteran, shows why such relationships are necessary, how presidents have employed them, how they have evolved over successive administrations, and why some believe they are not in the best interests of the nation. Cummingsdescribes relationships that have sometimes been tense, such as the fractious association between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton; or complicated, as seen in the often-troubled understanding between Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton; or controversial, as in the influence of Vice President Dick Cheney on the decision making of George W. Bush.There have also been close friendships, such as the bond between Abraham Lincoln and William Seward; the long-term partnership of Franklin Roosevelt and Louis Howe; and, more recently, the trusting reliance of Barack Obama on Valerie Jarrett. Whether their connection with presidents was close or strained, these "partners to power" had an impact on some of history's most important moments and decisions.Full of interesting vignettes, insights, and little-known facts, this is a fascinating insider's account of the exercise of power at the highest levels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633883154
Publisher:	Globe Pequot
Publication date:	02/27/2018
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

K. Ward Cummings is a former senior adviser to members of Congress. Before coming to Congress, he was director of the Division of International and Intergovermental Relations for the Maryland state government. He is a board member of the Harold W. Rosenthal Fellowship, a nonprofit that helps to secure government internships for young professionals. Formerly, he was a senior adviser to the Partnership for a Secure America (PSA), where he helped create the Capitol Leaders Program, a collaboration between Harvard University's Program on Negotiation and PSA to teach negotiation and conflict-resolution skills to senior congressional staffers. In addition, he was a member of the National Journal Group's Policymakers Council.

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Introduction
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Excerpted from "Partner to Power"
by .
Copyright © 2018 K. Ward Cummings.
Excerpted by permission of Prometheus Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Author's Note: How to Read This Book 7

Introduction 9

Prologue William McKinley George Cortelyou 15

Chapter 1 George Washington & Alexander Hamilton 21

Chapter 2 Abraham Lincoln & William Seward 43

Chapter 3 Woodrow Wilson & Edward House 67

Chapter 4 Franklin Roosevelt & Louis Howe 91

Chapter 5 Harry Truman & Clark Clifford 113

Chapier 6 Dwight Eisenhower & Sherman Adams 137

Chapter 7 Ronald Reagan & "The Troika" 157

Chapter 8 Bill Clinton & Hillary Rodham Clinton 177

Chapter 9 George W. Bush & Dick Cheney 203

Epilogue: Reconsidering the Vice President 233

Acknowledgments 241

Notes 243

Index 265

Editorial Reviews

"Cummings uncovers much fascinating presidential history…. An original, insightful exploration of how the presidency has evolved and of how presidents have functioned.”—Publishers Weekly “Delivers entertaining accounts that illuminate an important feature of American presidential politics.”—Kirkus Reviews“This intimate look at the partnerships that shaped presidencies is delightfully informative. It vividly shows how the personalities of leaders and those around them affect the whole world.”—Stephen Kinzer, author of The Brothers and The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire“One of the best ways to add fresh perspective to leaders as well-known as Washington, Lincoln, or Eisenhower is through a confidant who knew them in all seasons, fair and foul. Partner to Power casts that light on nine presidents, from the point of view of those in the very tightest ring of the inner circle. Cummings carefully traces how each such relationship evolved, changing history as a president turned to another person as a crony, sounding board, political hitman, or all of those and more. Packed with rich anecdotes, Cummings's vigorous new book will engage readers whether they are just meeting the presidents in question or have already read extensively about them.” —Julie Fenster, author of Jefferson's America and FDR's Shadow“A lively, instructive, and thoroughly entertaining history that explains the mysterious chemistry between nine of America's presidents and their most powerful advisers.” —David Roll, author of The Hopkins Touch: Harry Hopkins and the Forging of the Alliance to Defeat Hitler“This is a highly readable and most enjoyable look at the people behind some of the most influential US presidents, beginning with Washington and his right-hand-aide Alexander Hamilton and moving through history to the duo of George H. W. Bush and Dick Cheney. It reminds us that no president is an island; his success or failure often depends on the men or women around him. While some of these partnerships dissolved acrimoniously, their influences were powerful, enduring, and helped shape the nation at crucial moments in its history.” —Linda Lotridge Levin, Professor Emeritus, journalism, University of Rhode Island, and author of The Making of FDR“This is a very readable and absorbing account of the American presidents and their advisors through all the administrations.... It is all about politics and personalities and how these two items sometimes combined to produce something not only remarkable but also relevant to history. President Lincoln and his secretary of state, William Seward, for instance, had a personal relationship that contributed as much to the winning of the Civil War as any battle. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in politics and in American history.” —David Alan Johnson, author of Battle of Wills“Cummings rewards readers with thoroughly researched tales of American presidents and their closest counselors. Equally insightful and entertaining, Partner to Power remains lively, even as it expands our understanding of presidential decision-making.” —Dr. David Priess, author of The President's Book of Secrets and former CIA officer

From the Publisher

2017-11-28
Looking at the "extraordinary relationships" between a handful of presidents and their most trusted advisers.Presidents have Cabinets, secretaries, and aides, but this is often not enough counsel. Most have depended heavily on a single individual who may or may not occupy an official position within the government. In his first book, Cummings, a former senior adviser to Congress, delivers breezy dual biographies of presidents and these critical figures. " ‘Right-hand men' are chosen because their strengths and temperaments serve the purposes of the president," writes the author. "Though most of them choose to wield their influence out of the spotlight, even from the shadows they impact our lives in deep and lasting ways." Although Cummings mentions a dozen others at length, nine chapters emphasize perhaps the most significant. Two historical icons—Alexander Hamilton under Washington and William Seward under Lincoln—were Cabinet members. Two obscure figures (although not at the time)—Edward House under Woodrow Wilson and Louis Howe under Franklin Roosevelt—occupied shadowy, semi-official positions. More recent presidents have depended heavily on a chief of staff, a position heralded by Clark Clifford with Harry Truman and solidified by chiefs advising Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. There were also a first lady, Hillary Clinton, and a vice president: Dick Cheney under George W. Bush. Not shy with opinions, Cummings disapproves of Hillary Clinton's performance but gives Cheney good marks and concludes with an energetic promotion of the vice presidency as the most effective office for a president's right-hand man.The author mostly gathers material from other historians, and his tendency to explain a president's choice as a consequence of parallel childhood trauma may remind readers of the Freudian psychobiographies that flourished in the mid-20th century. On the plus side, he writes well and delivers entertaining accounts that illuminate an important feature of American presidential politics.

Kirkus Reviews