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The Contender: Richard Nixon: The Congress Years, 1946 to 1952
The first of a three-volume biography of the troubled American president traces the beginning of Nixon's presidential aspirations in the Congress during the Korean War and McCarthy era. By the author of Secret Affairs. 50,000 first printing. Tour.
624 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 1999
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About the author
Irwin F. Gellman
11 books8 followersIrwin F. Gellman is the author of four previous books on American presidents. He is currently at work on a volume on Nixon and Kennedy. He lives in Parkesburg, PA.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 25, 2015
Every dog deserves his day, and Irwin F. Gellman has given one to Richard Nixon. This refreshingly revisionist biography is hardly even-handed, but I suppose neither are the many anti-Nixon biographies that I have read over the years. As a confirmed Nixon-phobe, I was--and am--willing to be convinced that Whittier's homegrown boy was a hero, not a villain, but this book didn't do it for me.
Gellman relies mostly on secondary sources, especially contemporary documents like newspapers and expense receipts, although his research in this respect seems more exhaustive than that done by others. His primary sources, on the other hand, tend to be memos written for the public record, not soul-searching, private reflections on intentions and feelings.
Gelman makes some of the same mistakes that he criticizes Nixon-bashers for: a lack of balance and fair judgment. Nixon didn't cheat; Jerry Voorhis and Helen Douglas ran lousy campaigns and were too far left for Los Angeles/Orange County voters. His big-business slush fund was perfectly legal and used for official purposes only. And Alger Hiss (oh, my!) was a liar, traitor, and communist-agent. Nixon was attuned to America's anti-communist sentiments and (privately) helped tone down McCarthy's red scare rhetoric.
I'm willing to concede these points, although whatever Hiss and Harry Dexter White were up to was peanuts compared with the Rosenbergs, a couple, by the way, who were prosecuted, convicted, and executed by the Truman Administration. Gellman mentions but mostly excuses Nixon from apparently tampering with Whitaker Chamber's testimony before HUAC and then misleading (lying?) the House committee about it. Gellman's rants about the very real corruption within the Truman Administration are a bit ironic, given his admiration for the guy who put Spiro Agnew a heart-beat away from the presidency.
My main reaction to the book is this: When did the heroic Nixon of 1946-1952 become the dick (pun intended) of 1972? At what point in his long career did Mr. Nixon become a lying quitter? I am now about half way through Gellman's sequel, The President and the Apprentice: Eisenhower and Nixon, 1952-1961, and haven't found the answer to that question yet. I will keep looking and I will retain an open mind as to whether everything I ever thought about Richard Nixon was wrong.
Gellman relies mostly on secondary sources, especially contemporary documents like newspapers and expense receipts, although his research in this respect seems more exhaustive than that done by others. His primary sources, on the other hand, tend to be memos written for the public record, not soul-searching, private reflections on intentions and feelings.
Gelman makes some of the same mistakes that he criticizes Nixon-bashers for: a lack of balance and fair judgment. Nixon didn't cheat; Jerry Voorhis and Helen Douglas ran lousy campaigns and were too far left for Los Angeles/Orange County voters. His big-business slush fund was perfectly legal and used for official purposes only. And Alger Hiss (oh, my!) was a liar, traitor, and communist-agent. Nixon was attuned to America's anti-communist sentiments and (privately) helped tone down McCarthy's red scare rhetoric.
I'm willing to concede these points, although whatever Hiss and Harry Dexter White were up to was peanuts compared with the Rosenbergs, a couple, by the way, who were prosecuted, convicted, and executed by the Truman Administration. Gellman mentions but mostly excuses Nixon from apparently tampering with Whitaker Chamber's testimony before HUAC and then misleading (lying?) the House committee about it. Gellman's rants about the very real corruption within the Truman Administration are a bit ironic, given his admiration for the guy who put Spiro Agnew a heart-beat away from the presidency.
My main reaction to the book is this: When did the heroic Nixon of 1946-1952 become the dick (pun intended) of 1972? At what point in his long career did Mr. Nixon become a lying quitter? I am now about half way through Gellman's sequel, The President and the Apprentice: Eisenhower and Nixon, 1952-1961, and haven't found the answer to that question yet. I will keep looking and I will retain an open mind as to whether everything I ever thought about Richard Nixon was wrong.
January 2, 2021
Well researched
Poorly written. It feels like too much detail. Overly detailed.
The prose does not flow.
Certain events are covered but almost unequally to their relevance. At certain points it felt like this was a dry recitation of this period rather than really zeroing in on the key issues.
Does a good job at the end of explaining the half dozen Nixon memes that are unsupported by evidence. Such as the dirty trickster, the smears against Douglas, etc. Gellmans analysis and factual command shines brightest here.
The book feels almost painful to get through.
Poorly written. It feels like too much detail. Overly detailed.
The prose does not flow.
Certain events are covered but almost unequally to their relevance. At certain points it felt like this was a dry recitation of this period rather than really zeroing in on the key issues.
Does a good job at the end of explaining the half dozen Nixon memes that are unsupported by evidence. Such as the dirty trickster, the smears against Douglas, etc. Gellmans analysis and factual command shines brightest here.
The book feels almost painful to get through.
August 6, 2014
Gellman does a fantastic job of clearly stating the myths and assumptions between "Nixonphobes" and "Nixonphiles". Outlining President Nixon's life from his parent to his vice-presidential nomination, Gellman allows no bias or opinion in this work, receiving and reporting from the valid sources that he had compiled. "The Contender" is well written and is extremely sensible in correcting and dealing with Richard Nixon's record in American history.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews