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Garner of Texas - A Personal History
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- GenresBiography
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 22, 2018
Franklin D. Roosevelt's first Vice President was John Nance Garner a rather salty character, but a man
who knew and studied the ways and methods of power. After some time in the Texas State Legislature, Garner entered the House of Representatives in 1903 and served for 30 years the last two
as Speaker. That position made him a creditable candidate for president, but some wise heads prevailed in the Democratic party that year and he took what he considered a demotion running as
Vice President with FDR. 1932 was their election to blow and they didn't.
Garner rarely spoke on the floor, he was no orator and he knew it. But in those smoke filled rooms
with a little libation nobody ever got more accomplished. His room as minority leader and Speaker
was known as the 'Board of Education'. He educated many, even in Prohibition.
Even though he personally disagreed with some of FDR's proposals, no one knew Congress like he
did. Garner worked prodigiously behind the scenes to enact a lot of what was the New Deal. When
it came however to Roosevelt's Supreme Court packing plan Garner broke with FDR. He made a half hearted run for President in 1940 and then retired to Texas where he was the leading citizen
and no doubt the richest man in Uvalde, Texas.
He married Etta Mae Rheiner who died in 1948 around the same time this book came out. They were a devoted couple, she put up with his cigars and whiskey for nearly 50 years. They had one
son Tully Garner.
My favorite story in the book had to do with Tully. When America declared entry into World War I
Garner came home and his son Tully broke the news that he had enlisted in the army. Garner's
reply was something like good for you son, but if you hadn't I would frogmarched you down to the
recruiting station to enlist you. I would be damned if I was going to vote to send young men to war
that my own son wouldn't participate. Can you imagine that in today's world?
Bascom Timmons was a noted Washington reporter who had the trust of a lot in power who knew
when to report and when to be discreet. Garner did a thorough job of burning his papers so a biographer has one daunting task. He was going to control what history thought of him. So he
gave a series of interviews to Timmons who fashioned this book from that and from his own knowledge of the Washington scene.
You'll find no footnotes, no bibliography, but you will find a work chock full of colorful anecdotes
and the personality of John Nance Garner definitely one of our most interesting Vice Presidents.
who knew and studied the ways and methods of power. After some time in the Texas State Legislature, Garner entered the House of Representatives in 1903 and served for 30 years the last two
as Speaker. That position made him a creditable candidate for president, but some wise heads prevailed in the Democratic party that year and he took what he considered a demotion running as
Vice President with FDR. 1932 was their election to blow and they didn't.
Garner rarely spoke on the floor, he was no orator and he knew it. But in those smoke filled rooms
with a little libation nobody ever got more accomplished. His room as minority leader and Speaker
was known as the 'Board of Education'. He educated many, even in Prohibition.
Even though he personally disagreed with some of FDR's proposals, no one knew Congress like he
did. Garner worked prodigiously behind the scenes to enact a lot of what was the New Deal. When
it came however to Roosevelt's Supreme Court packing plan Garner broke with FDR. He made a half hearted run for President in 1940 and then retired to Texas where he was the leading citizen
and no doubt the richest man in Uvalde, Texas.
He married Etta Mae Rheiner who died in 1948 around the same time this book came out. They were a devoted couple, she put up with his cigars and whiskey for nearly 50 years. They had one
son Tully Garner.
My favorite story in the book had to do with Tully. When America declared entry into World War I
Garner came home and his son Tully broke the news that he had enlisted in the army. Garner's
reply was something like good for you son, but if you hadn't I would frogmarched you down to the
recruiting station to enlist you. I would be damned if I was going to vote to send young men to war
that my own son wouldn't participate. Can you imagine that in today's world?
Bascom Timmons was a noted Washington reporter who had the trust of a lot in power who knew
when to report and when to be discreet. Garner did a thorough job of burning his papers so a biographer has one daunting task. He was going to control what history thought of him. So he
gave a series of interviews to Timmons who fashioned this book from that and from his own knowledge of the Washington scene.
You'll find no footnotes, no bibliography, but you will find a work chock full of colorful anecdotes
and the personality of John Nance Garner definitely one of our most interesting Vice Presidents.
September 7, 2009
Interesting chronicle of the life and political career of John Nance Garner, a larger-than-life Texan who served as House Majority Leader (Democrat) and later Vice President (FDR).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews