Fighting the Unbeatable Foe: Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, the Washington Years

by Tom Diemer

Howard Metzenbaum’s Senate years “Profile in Courage is only one of the profiles drawn in this striking book. It is also a profile in passion for rectitude and a profile in persistence in battling for the average American, often against great odds.” ―Daniel Schorr, Senior News Analyst, National Public Radio “Tom Diemer does a masterful job of lifting the curtain on how the senator known as ‘the abominable No man’ became the liberal conscience of the U.S. Senate. The fights are as relevant today as they were in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s―gun control, abortion rights, judicial nomination―and the deals, some unsavory, some noble, reflect the values of a man looking out for the little guy and unafraid of offending the powerful.” ―Eleanor Clift, contributing editor, Newsweek “In my experience, the Senate rewards persistence, hard work, patience, and downright cussedness. Howard Metzenbaum had them all.”
―Mike DeWine, U.S. Senator from Ohio, 1995–2007 Howard Metzenbaum, a poor Jewish kid from the inner city of Cleveland who fought his way to wealth and the United States Senate, became one of Ohio’s most dominant politicians in the second half of the twentieth century. He represented his state for nineteen years on Capitol Hill, despite being to the political left of most of his heartland constituents. Fighting the Unbeatable Foe tells his story―from his stunning upset of John Glenn to his years as a powerful and outspoken member of the U.S. Senate. Metzenbaum joined the Senate in 1974 and, despite never holding an official party leadership post or chairing a committee, fought his way to the top. He succeeded through sheer force of will and with a brilliant mind and a steely determination that drove him to take extreme measures to get his way. Though known to his colleagues as “Senator No” because of his willingness to tie up the Senate in parliamentary knots for hours on end to block legislation he didn’t like, hallmarks of conservative politicians, Metzenbaum was among the Senate’s most unabashedly liberal members. Fighting the Unbeatable Foe is the first biography of Metzenbaum, a fascinating individual who, against the odds, rose from humble beginnings to become a multimillionaire businessman and one of the most effective and powerful senators in the land. By conducting interviews with Metzenbaum’s friends, foes, political scientists, and journalists and consulting primary-source materials, Tom Diemer provides new details about Metzenbaum’s business deals, his successes on Capitol Hill, and also his embarrassing failures and miscalculations. Metzenbaum remains among the most interesting and paradoxical figures in the history of Ohio politics. His story will be enjoyed by anyone interested in Ohio history and politics.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2008

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book about a man who wouldn't be denied a seat in the Senate. Once in the senate, he was called "Senator No" for his efforts to rid bills of over reaching or expensive provisions. He was annually deemed one of the leading liberal senators, which was left of the state of Ohio citizenry. However, they kept him in office for nearly two decades.

[Vincent Lombardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is poorly written, poorly edited, and very repetitive. (In fact, a paragraph on page 222 is actually reprinted, but broken up into three paragraphs, on pages 223 and 224!) The thesis, repeated many times, is that Howard Metzenbaum was an S.O.B., but that he was the people's S.O.B.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book because I am interested in Ohio politics in general and Howard Metzenbaum in particular. But I would not recommend reading this book unless you too are interested in Ohio politics in general and Metzenbaum in particular!