Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's "Madam Ambassador" in Switzerland and the West Wing
“A careful, in-depth account of Ambassador Faith Whittlesey’s time both in and outside of Washington . . . a pioneer for women in politics” (American Swiss Foundation).
 
“Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did,” so the saying goes, “but she did it backwards and in high heels.” Faith Whittlesey popularized this quotation during the 1980s, and many attribute the line to her. In this book, the life and career of Faith Whittlesey gives concrete meaning to the quotation.
 
Raised in western New York State by highly motivated Irish-American parents of limited means, she worked to reach an eminent position as Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to Switzerland—twice—and to serve as the highest-ranking woman on Reagan’s White House staff from 1983–1985. There, she occupied the West Wing office soon to be Hillary Clinton’s, and as a widow since 1974 with three children, provided a female influence of her own to presidential culture well before it was fashionable.
 
After leaving government service, Whittlesey practiced private-sector diplomacy, serving from 1989 as Chairman and then Emeritus of the American Swiss Foundation, organizing several private high-level delegations to visit China, and participating, both publicly and at times “behind the scenes,” in discussion of the most significant public policy issues of recent decades.
 
This book “tells the story of the political career of a remarkable and sometimes polarizing political figure,” who despite daunting obstacles, was able to achieve exceptional influence, then use her position for the furtherance of common good (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
1112160181
Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's "Madam Ambassador" in Switzerland and the West Wing
“A careful, in-depth account of Ambassador Faith Whittlesey’s time both in and outside of Washington . . . a pioneer for women in politics” (American Swiss Foundation).
 
“Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did,” so the saying goes, “but she did it backwards and in high heels.” Faith Whittlesey popularized this quotation during the 1980s, and many attribute the line to her. In this book, the life and career of Faith Whittlesey gives concrete meaning to the quotation.
 
Raised in western New York State by highly motivated Irish-American parents of limited means, she worked to reach an eminent position as Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to Switzerland—twice—and to serve as the highest-ranking woman on Reagan’s White House staff from 1983–1985. There, she occupied the West Wing office soon to be Hillary Clinton’s, and as a widow since 1974 with three children, provided a female influence of her own to presidential culture well before it was fashionable.
 
After leaving government service, Whittlesey practiced private-sector diplomacy, serving from 1989 as Chairman and then Emeritus of the American Swiss Foundation, organizing several private high-level delegations to visit China, and participating, both publicly and at times “behind the scenes,” in discussion of the most significant public policy issues of recent decades.
 
This book “tells the story of the political career of a remarkable and sometimes polarizing political figure,” who despite daunting obstacles, was able to achieve exceptional influence, then use her position for the furtherance of common good (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
17.99 In Stock
Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's

Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's "Madam Ambassador" in Switzerland and the West Wing

by Thomas J. Carty Ph.D.
Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's

Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's "Madam Ambassador" in Switzerland and the West Wing

by Thomas J. Carty Ph.D.

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Overview

“A careful, in-depth account of Ambassador Faith Whittlesey’s time both in and outside of Washington . . . a pioneer for women in politics” (American Swiss Foundation).
 
“Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did,” so the saying goes, “but she did it backwards and in high heels.” Faith Whittlesey popularized this quotation during the 1980s, and many attribute the line to her. In this book, the life and career of Faith Whittlesey gives concrete meaning to the quotation.
 
Raised in western New York State by highly motivated Irish-American parents of limited means, she worked to reach an eminent position as Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to Switzerland—twice—and to serve as the highest-ranking woman on Reagan’s White House staff from 1983–1985. There, she occupied the West Wing office soon to be Hillary Clinton’s, and as a widow since 1974 with three children, provided a female influence of her own to presidential culture well before it was fashionable.
 
After leaving government service, Whittlesey practiced private-sector diplomacy, serving from 1989 as Chairman and then Emeritus of the American Swiss Foundation, organizing several private high-level delegations to visit China, and participating, both publicly and at times “behind the scenes,” in discussion of the most significant public policy issues of recent decades.
 
This book “tells the story of the political career of a remarkable and sometimes polarizing political figure,” who despite daunting obstacles, was able to achieve exceptional influence, then use her position for the furtherance of common good (The Philadelphia Inquirer).

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781612001609
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Publication date: 01/10/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 369
File size: 9 MB

About the Author

Dr. Thomas J. Carty is the Chairman of the Social Sciences Department at Springfield College(Massachusetts) and the author of "Backwards, in High Heels: Faith Whittlesey, Ronald Reagan's 'Madam Ambassador' in Switzerland and the West".

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1

1 From Williamsville, New York, to U.S. Embassy Bern 7

2 Reducing Tensions Between the Sister Republics: The First Bern Tour (part 1) 37

3 Advocating Reagan's Policies to the Swiss People: The First Bern Tour (part 2) 61

4 Resisting the "Gender Gap" in the West Wing: The White House Years (part 1) 87

5 Holding on to Reagan Democrats: The White House Years (part 2) 117

6 Geneva Summitry and Technology Transfers: The Second Bern Tour (part 1) 163

7 Madam Ambassador Under Fire-Much Ado About Nothing? The Second Bern Tour (part 2) 199

8 New York and the American Swiss Foundation: Private Diplomacy (part 1) 239

9 Enlarging U.S.-China Connections: Private Diplomacy (part 2) 281

Conclusion 303

Afterword 307

About the Author 311

Index 313

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