Defining Moments

by Brown, Robert L.; Mclarty, Mack

• ISBN13: 9781557289445
• ISBN10: 1557289441
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-11-01
• Publisher: Univ of Arkansas Pr

Summary

Defining Moments explores how all Arkansas governors since Sid McMath (a group that has produced a president, two U.S. senators, and two presidential contenders) acted in times of crisis. These ten exceptional leaders stand out in Arkansas history and politics for having had their personal and political mettle tested by issues concerning education, the environment, social justice, the conduct of politics, race, and more of the nation's defining debates. The governors and situations covered include Sid McMath's bout with the Dixiecrats; Francis Cherry's ploy to label his opponent a Communist; Orval Faubus's decision to block integration at Little Rock Central High; Winthrop Rockefeller's tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. on the State Capitol steps; Dale Bumpers's battle against political corruption; David Pryor's veto of the U.S. Corps of Engineers's Bell Folley Dam; Frank White's endorsement of Creationism; Bill Clinton's decision to test public school teachers; Jim Guy Tucker's bold solution for the Medicaid program and his resignation; and Mike Huckabee's quest to consolidate the state's high school districts. Robert Brown, who knew nine of the ten governors personally and worked as an aide for Dale Bumpers and Jim Guy Tucker, tells these stories with an unusual combination of historical research and personal familiarity. He crystallizes the difficult choices faced by these memorable leaders, showing how their decisions at crucial points shaped their tenures, molded their legacies for good or bad, and shaped history.

Author Biography

Robert L. Brown is an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court and has been involved with Arkansas politics for forty years. Mack McLarty has a distinguished record of business leadership and public service, having served as advisor to three presidents of both parties and as White House Chief of Staff for President Clinton.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Prologue	p. xv
Sid McMath: 1949-1953	p. 3
Francis Cherry: 1953-1955	p. 15
Orval Faubus: 1955-1967	p. 21
Winthrop Rockefeller: 1967-1971	p. 37
Dale Bumpers: 1971-1975	p. 49
David Pryor: 1975-1979	p. 63
Frank White: 1981-1983	p. 75
Bill Clinton: 1979-1981, 1983-1992	p. 89
Jim Guy Tucker: 1992-1996	p. 109
Mike Huckabee: 1996-2007	p. 121
Epilogue	p. 137
Interviews	p. 139
Notes	p. 143
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