No Room for Democracy: The Triumph of Ego over Common Sense

by Richard M. Rosenbaum, Henry Kissinger (Foreword)

Dick Rosenbaum, born to a Jewish immigrant family in 1930s upstate New York, first met with discrimination as a young boy. Intensifying his personal struggle was the onset of alopecia hair loss at age 8. Through his new autobiography we learn that Dick Rosenbaum not only beat the odds but actually turned his hair condition into a major asset which he used to enhance his career throughout his remarkable life. Rosenbaum traces his career as a Cornell Law student, a practicing attorney in Rochester, New York, and then head of his county s Republican Committee, which segued into a nomination as the youngest New York Supreme Court Judge in history. Quickly advancing to the pinnacle of state politics in the 1970s, Rosenbaum was appointed chairman of the New York Republican Party by millionaire Governor Nelson Rockefeller. This valuable connection would give Rosenbaum entrée into national politics when Rockefeller assumed the vice presidency under Gerald Ford. Rosenbaum's achievements are punctuated by his frank reflections on lessons learned from failed runs for the New York governorship, his return to practicing law in the private sector, and the challenges of balancing family life with public service. Dick Rosenbaum narrates each moment with his characteristic booming enthusiasm and candid anecdotes, while sharing thoughtful insights derived from witnessing the shakeups of some 45 years of American political life. Rosenbaum's journey is a unique portrait of self-made success.

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My idea of beach reading, since this was a fun, easy read. However, I'm not sure I learned anything exciting other than that Nelson Rockerfeller was impressively charismatic but had a bad marriage. Not very reflective- for example, I didn't really learn why Rosenbaum became fascinated with politics or why he became a Republican.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reread this book, written by a good friend of my father's, fourteen years after its original publication and three years after the author's death at the age of 88, because I was curious to revisit his tales from a heyday of what was once a somewhat respectable Republican party from the perspective of 2022. Things have turned so ugly in the American political landscape in the past five years that I doubt Rosenbaum's stubborn allegiance would have held up in the face of the grip extremists now hold over the party. The book now reads a bit like a eulogy -- some of the men for which he expressed admiration have since transformed into clowns that I hope Dick would now quickly dismiss as corrupted shells of their former selves. It's an interesting read from a man who, though he is very much of his (androcentric) time, is also a raconteur who can deliver a rich buffet of lively storytelling.