The Principled Politician: The Story of Ralph Carr [Hardcover]

Adam Schrager (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2008

The inspiring story of Governor Ralph Carr and his fight for Japanese-American rights.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a readable and fascinating story...about a public figure few remember who lived at a time we'd like to forget." -- Rocky Mountain News, February 16, 2008

"...an outstanding biography of a governor who is little known today, even in Colorado." -- The Denver Post, February 16, 2008

About the Author

Adam Schrager covers politics for KUSA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Denver, Colorado. In more than 15 years in the business, he has won numerous broadcast journalism accolades, including more than a dozen Emmy awards. He teaches an introductory class on broadcast journalism at the University of Denver.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing (January 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555916546
• ISBN-13: 978-1555916541
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #463,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Adam Schrager covers politics for KUSA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Denver, Colorado. In more than 15 years in the business, he has won numerous broadcast journalism accolades, including more than a dozen Emmy awards. He teaches an introductory class on broadcast journalism at the University of Denver and has conducted dozens of seminars on the impact of the media on politics. He is also a regular contributor to 5280 magazine and has freelanced articles for many publications around the country. Schrager has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University where he won the Harrington Award, the Medill School of Journalism's highest honor. He began his career in 1991 with CBS News in London, then moved back to the United States. After working in various capacities for TV stations in Lacrosse, Madison, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he moved to Denver in 1999. Schrager lives in the Denver metro area with his wife, Cathy. They will soon be expanding their family to include two daughters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great , timely history of a until-now unearthed historical gem, February 18, 2008

By 

A. Barkow (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Principled Politician: The Story of Ralph Carr (Hardcover)

I couldn't put this book down. First ,it's a story that had to be told. Carr is an amazing person and has an incredible, until-now untold story. I feel like I unearthed a historical gem by reading about him. Second, Carr's story is incredibly timely in this era of partisanship and the breakdown of politics. It's inspiring that a significant elected official like him could take a principled stand on such an important issue, and he has lessons for politicians today on all issues. Third, Schrager is a terrific writer. It was like reading fiction in a good way, in that I felt like I was reading a novel even though I wasn't. The combination of dialogue and quotes and events, in an accessible but not at all condescending style, was great. Fourth, Schrager obviously poured his heart and soul and time into this -- the amount of work reflected by it ,both in the sources and the care with which he writes, is evident.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PRINCIPLES ABOVE POLITICS, July 2, 2008

By 

Sue M. Nagamoto "snagamoto" (Richland, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Principled Politician: The Story of Ralph Carr (Hardcover)

In June/08, I was privileged to hear a speech presented to our family by Adam Schrager. The topic was his book: The Principled Politician - The Ralph Carr Story. Mr. Schrager's resonant voice would hold one's interest on any topic, but his presentation and his words were most important and captivating. He began his speech by quoting Gov. Carr:
"Never speak beyond the bladder capacity of your audience." The hour long talk extended to a question and answer period. None would admit that bladders were about to burst, but none would leave before the presentation was ended.

We bought all the books available to us that day.

The Principled Politician is a thoroughly researched, objectively written, long overdue book. Often, insincere plaudits are heaped upon deceased persons, most especially on noted politicians, but Schrager tells a different story. "Principled" is an accurate description of Ralph Carr, Governor of CO from 1939 to 1943. His entire life and political career were guided by sound moral principles from which he never backed down. Mr. Schrager convinces the reader of the truth behind the character label by revealing hundreds of facts, incidents, and quotations seldom or never before stated in complete form.

We learn about Mr. Carr's early life in the mining villages of CO and his days studying law at the Univ of CO, but the emphasis of the book is on the years he served as CO's Gov - the WW2 years when most all politicians and most of the country denounced "yellow bellied Japs" in the US. Carr stood virtually alone in voicing the rights and the honor of the Japanese in America. When evacuation and incarceration of all Japanese - non-citizens and native born US citizens alike - living on the west coast, were ordered, Carr did not "invite" the Japanese to CO, but he "welcomed" them, unlike any other politician in all the states. Concentration camps were not welcomed in any state or neighborhood even though decreed by the US gov't and guarded behind barbed wire. Carr listened to his inner voice, heeded his principles and followed gov't rules and demands with a sincere welcome to the "dirty Japs."

Carr's vociferous opponents and the anti-Carr press were overwhelmingly in the majority. His civil rights stance and friendliness to the Japanese in America assured his defeat for a run in the US senate. Nevertheless, he never caved in.

Japanese Americans owe much to this incredible man. In reality, all Americans benefited by his courage and stubborn defiance of what he knew was wrong. Some say we need politicians like him today. The truth is, we ALWAYS need politicians like Ralph Carr.

Thanks to Mr. Adam Schrager to whom we also owe much. I believe, he, like Mr. Carr, is a principled man. Six years of his life were devoted to the research and writing of this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "If you harm them, you must harm me first", April 2, 2008

By 

S. Saunders (Rocky Mountains USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Principled Politician: The Story of Ralph Carr (Hardcover)

Ralph Carr was the governor of Colorado when the United States entered World War II. A rising star in national Republican circles, he was also a man with strong personal principles. And he was steadfast in adherence to the rule of law - including the United States Constitution.

Carr's stubborn adherence to his principles brought him into conflict with the tide of anti-Japanese hysteria that swept across the US after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, and was at its worst in the Western US. Carr welcomed Japanese-Americans to his state - the only governor in the US to do so.

When Carr was deluged with letters, telegrams and phone calls from citizens urging him to lock up all "Japanese" people including American citizens, to call up the National Guard and turn them away from the borders, and to do even worse things, he didn't call out his pollsters or convene a focus group. He searched his mind and heart and followed his understanding of the legal, and the right, thing to do. And did it. He said, "If you harm them, you must harm me first."

Adam Schrager has done a service to American history with this book. He explains Carr as a man, a lawyer, and a politician, and chronicles his refusal to be stampeded - by misinformed and scared citizens, by angry bigots, or by the federal government. Carr's principled stand on this issue earned him a barrage of threats and insults and ended his political career. It also earned him the respect and gratitude of many for his calm voice among the hysteria. This was a shameful chapter in US history: thousands of loyal citizens of Japanese descent were rounded up into internment camps, even as their relatives were fighting and dying for the United States.

Emotions cooled after the war ended, and Carr was beginning to regain respect and standing with the public when he died from complications of diabetes.

I highly recommend this book.