The Other Fellow May Be Right: The Civility Of Howard Baker -- by William H. Haltom, Jr.

 

 It’s very hard to evaluate something that hits close to home. Howard Baker was a cousin.

I never got to meet him, but I could identify with some of his personality traits, and I can see some resemblance in my daughter, so a little more mind-setting was necessary before I was ready to write my review.

Author William Haltom is a Memphis attorney from my late maternal grandfather’s hometown. Baker grew up in Huntsville, Tennessee, but he was directly related to the Memphis group on my mom’s side of the family.

Haltom notes that he is an attorney: not a journalist, biographer, or any of the usual backgrounds attached to such works. However, I thoroughly appreciated his artistic use of brevity, contributing to the clarity the book enjoyed.

Haltom might have been a little too jingoistic in favoring Baker, but he accomplished many things in his working life. Haltom often noted Baker’s civility and strategic civility, which helped him cement some important deals and relationships. Baker served in the U.S. Senate as minority and majority leader; White House Chief of Staff under Ronald Reagan, and Ambassador to Japan. He also ran for president briefly in 1980.

Political followers might find the actions and people involved in Baker’s time as refreshing, and nostalgic fresh air. Very different from several of today’s office holders.

A return to Baker’s kind of politics was suggested as something possibly very good, but it would have to be a clear campaign centerpiece from the start. I found The Civility of Howard Baker to be personally rewarding, and politically educational. I might read it again someday, and share it with someone.