The New York Times Book of Politics: 167 Years of Covering the State of the Union

by Andrew Rosenthal

For 167 years, The New York Times has been in the forefront of political reporting—from memorable campaigns and elections to controversial legislation, scandals, and issues ranging from immigration, race, and gender to the economy and war. In today’s turbulent times, the newspaper’s political coverage is more relevant than ever; not only for the news itself, but because of the paper’s leadership in defending the freedom of the press. Compiled by noted New York Times editor Andrew Rosenthal, this anthology explores the newspaper’s broad scope of unparalleled political coverage and examines what has changed over the decades and what remains the same. Covering stories from 1856 to 2018, it features presidential the astounding 1860 triumph of Republicanism with Abraham Lincoln’s election and Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory as racial barriers seemed, perhaps prematurely, to fall. the start of the atomic age, the fall of Saigon, the conflict in Iraq. Important legal issues like the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, the 2000 Florida presidential recount, and same-sex marriage. The course of the country’s economy, such as the 2008 financial disaster and President Donald Trump’s tax overhaul. Momentous protests, like the 1963 March for Civil Rights, Kent State, the takeover of Wounded Knee, Black Lives Matter, and the MeToo movement. Political scandals and investigations, from Watergate to the firing of F.B.I. director James B. Comey. And so much more. With 60 photographs as well as reproductions of front-page stories, here are the noteworthy political articles from The New York Times archives that are sure to engross readers. Included are stories on tumultuous campaigns and surprising elections, scandals that rocked the world, the waging of war—from “good” wars (World Wars I and II) to “bad” wars (Vietnam), groundbreaking legislation, important protests, and hot button issues like feminism, LGBTQ rights, and DACA. The 81 articles

Genres: History, Politics

368 pages, Hardcover

Published October 2, 2018

Reviews

[John Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superb collection of articles outlining major historical political events and issues during the last century and a half, with a concentration in the latter half of the 1900’s and more recent history. War, civil rights for African Americans, women and LGBTQ, the economy, hot button issues like immigration and guns, and a few political scandals were all covered. It would be a good book for those who have an interest in politics but know little history. It’s a good primer for a future student of politics.

Even as a nerd of political history, it was interesting reading stories as presented by a premium newspaper at the time – reading how President Roosevelt’s death was unexpected, despite him being ill, since family and his doctor were not with him; what wasn’t written was that his long-time mistress was with him, thanks to his daughter’s arranging it or the story covering the U.S. Supreme Court deciding that counting the ballots had to stop immediately, allowing Bush, Jr. become president; what was missing in that story was the total disgust many of us felt at that time, after weeks of being glued to our television sets. The headline saying “Racial Barrier Falls” when Obama was elected president in 2008 didn’t predict that rise in a wholly racist president who even pays homage to Nazi’s.

Stephen Engelberg’s January 14, 2001’s long article on Osama bin Laden begs the question on how the Bush Administration missed his future 9-11 attack on our country that forever changed so many people’s lives – and the feeling of safety in our large country.

It was interesting to read that the NYTs did not endorse Roosevelt for his third term, especially in part due to a few that Roosevelt would not make a good war-time president and be able to beef up production necessary for freedom. History was not kind to that endorsement. But history was kind to the NYTs coverage of the sickening force used against African Americans protesting for their liberties in Alabama and elsewhere. Many history books shared that the coverage – from the Times and on television – moved the politicians to finally move. It was a good lesson to read the actual stories.

The raw stories covering LBGT rights was also remarkable. The fact that Senator McCain, the guy often labeled as a “maverick” was against the appeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” when 14,000 Americans were kicked out of serving our nation was sad to read. Equally interesting was how today’s politicians like former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Senator Marco Rubio opposed the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling.

Goldwater’s public concerns about the tactics of the “new right” remind the reader just how far the Republican party has gone since Goldwater and Reagan; neither could be elected on their platforms in today’s Republican Party – or the party that existed even before Trump took it to a new, bizarre level.

The small footnotes at the end of some segments were instructional for those who were newer to learning about politics but perhaps the book would have been stronger – or different, at least – had it given some more history to those who stand out like Senators Wayne Morse of Oregon and Ernest Gruening of Alaska, the only two members of Congress to vote against, essentially authorizing the Viet Nam War. Brave men for sure, but also very unusual people who had distinct lives of their own.

My favorite article was by Walter Rugaber. On June 26, 1972, he reported on the Watergate break-in. Four months before Nixon’s landslide victory, the NYTs reported on more details of the break-in that occurred just eight days earlier. Police, with guns drawn, caught James Walter McCord who was actually on the payroll of the president’s re-election effort and had been with the CIA. Cash, cameras and microphones and transmitters were seized by the police. Yet, it took so much longer to connect the break in and coverup to the president and caused his fall. And two other reporters. What ever happened to Mr. Rugaber? A footnote would have been interesting.

Missing was also perhaps the most serious violation of civil rights every in our country – imprisoning Japanese along with some Italian and German Americans at the start of WW II. That was disappointing. Still, R. W. Apple’s articles alone made this book worth reading, especially his detailed account of Viet Nam in 1967 saying we were at a stalemate, a war that ran through another president’s administration with the cost of so many lives and tax dollars.

[Tony Mistretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of news articles written by NY Times authors over a span of the last 150 years, although most were in the later of those years. I learned some things about what happened in those times, some before I was born and many during my lifetime which I hadn't paid as much attention to at those times. The book is very much like reading a newspaper. You can scan the headlines, read some articles in depth, skim over some others, in no particular order.

[hails · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super interesting, but it's much more like a news archive than educational on politics. I just picked it up at the library while I was browsing, and I thought it was literally going to be about politics and the political spectrum, but it wasn't. It's a bunch of NYT articles going way back to Lincoln, but either way, it was a super cool read, especially as a journalism major.

[Nick Vantangoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

[Liam Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.8/10