Spiro Agnew's America [Loose Leaf]

Theo Lippman (Author)

Product Details

• Loose Leaf: 256 pages
• Publisher: Norton; 1st edition (1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393074706
• ISBN-13: 978-0393074703
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,441,098 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Spiro Agnew in Real Time, June 24, 2008

By 

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spiro Agnew's America (Loose Leaf)

Written in 1972, "Spiro Agnew's America" is a real time, journalistic study of this colorful, controversial and, for the young, largely unknown vice-president. Its theme is that Spiro Agnew was the first suburban politician to rise to national leadership.

The book begins with a rather superficial rendition of Agnew's early life and legal career. My father identified with Agnew who was, like him, a World War II veteran of the Third Army and who began his legal career at about the same time. As I read that portion of this book I could understand Dad's feelings.

This book portrays an Agnew unknown to may. To most who remember him only from his vice-presidential days, Agnew is remembered, both by those who loved him and those who hated him, as a hard core conservative. Author Theo Lippman, Jr. shows that such was not always the case. During his career in Maryland politics, Agnew ran as the moderate, or even liberal candidate, against fractured Democratic parties. In his 1966 race for governor, Agnew took many Democratic endorsements and votes from George Mahoney, a conservative and, arguably, a racist Democrat.

In the national arena, the early Agnew staked out his position in the liberal wing of the Republican Party, opposing Barry Goldwater in 1964 and being a supporter of Nelson Rockefeller then and early in the 1968 campaign. Only after feeling betrayed by Rockefeller, did he switch to Nixon, to whom he became a valuable liaison to the governors and the liberal wing of the party.

This book relates Agnew's selection for vice-president as not a hasty decision made after the presidential nomination was won, but as a reflection of Nixon's respect for Agnew. Lippman suggests that Nixon was leaning toward Agnew long before the convention.

In the '68 campaign Agnew drew unwanted attention by comments about not seeing "a Pollock" in the crowd, about a "Fat Jap" on the campaign plane and that "if you`ve see one slum you've seen them all." Despite these slips, Agnew remained an asset with some portions of the electorate.

Agnew's contributions to the formulation of Nixon Administration policies and his support for the policies once they were adopted are documented. His role as an International Goodwill Ambassador is covered.

The advantage and weakness of this book is that it was written before Agnew's re-nomination, reelection and criminal investigations into his actions occurred. This is a weakness because it does not tell the whole story, excluding what many consider to be the big story. The strength is that it gives the reader a view of Spiro Agnew before his name was linked with corruption and while he was a serious presidential contender. I believe that Lippman provides a balanced view of Agnew, neither covering up his weaknesses nor focusing on his faults. I am sure that there are newer, more complete biographies of Spiro Agnew, but for those wanting to remember, or learn for the first time, how Spiro Agnew was viewed in his day, "Spiro Agnew's America" is a good place to start.