Morris "Mo" Udall, Arizona's Democratic congressman for thirty years, was as well known for his sense of humor as for his dedication to environmental causes. And it was during his 1976 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, when he claims he drew more laughter than votes, that James K. Kilpatrick pronounced him "too funny to be president." Udall kept four black notebooks of jokes that he had collected throughout his public life. Some he heard in the courtroom or on the floor of the House; others he found in old speeches and newspaper articles; still others he swiped on the rubber-chicken circuit. This book, a memoir of Udall's career, collects many of those jokes to create a citizen's guide to the lighter side of politics.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A long-time congressman from Arizona, Udall ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 and, finishing second in any number of primaries, ultimately lost out to Jimmy Carter. One of the reasons for his defeat, he implies here, may have been his irrepressible sense of humor, and he presents examples of it in this lighthearted autobiography. There is serious information about his life and political career, but the book begins and ends with scores of anecdotes, most of them political, from such diverse sources as Leo Tolstoy and Will Rogers. Some of the most telling stories are credited to Mark Twain, Abe Lincoln and Adlai Stevenson, and almost all of them are trenchant and amusing. The editing is haphazard, however, for several of the jokes are repeated.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Noting that "we live in a country where public figures and a free press can laugh together," Udall writes on the value of wit. Drawing on his upbringing in small-town Arizona and years as a Congressman, this statesman contends that "humor is possibly the most potent tool a politician can wield." He discusses his defeat in the 1979 presidential primaries, his legislative triumphs, and his misguided battle to dam up the Grand Canyon, and encourages public speakers to borrow jokes and stories from his "black notebooks." Contemporary, anecdotal, and highly readable; recommended for those weary of political antics. Kimberly G. Allen, Supreme Court Lib., Washington , D.C.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Warm, witty, and wonderful,
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This review is from: Too Funny to Be President (Paperback)
Until forced to retire by the onset of Parkinson's Disease, Morris Udall represented his Arizona district in the U.S. House for several decades and in that time, the tall, one-eyed, unrepentantly liberal Mormon cut one of the most distinctive and respected figures in the U.S. politics. As well as being a skillful politician and a hard-working legislator, Mo Udall was also one of the most genuinely witty men to ever hold public office. In 1976, Udall was one of the major candidates for the Democratic Presidential nomination and when he lost, he did it in a way that only a true wit like himself could properly appreciate. He managed to finish second in almost every primary he entered. His status as apparently everyone's "second choice" led more than one commentator to wonder if Udall, who by the campaign's end would regularly great crowds with "Hello, I'm Ronald Reagan," was actually just "too funny to be President." Appropriately, when Udall wrote his memiors, he chose this question for his title. What sets Udall's autobiography apart from other political memoirs? The answer is quite simply Mo Udall, himself. Udall had a gift for never giving into the pompous self-importance that seems to end up infecting the majority of men who spend most of their lives in government. Even when recounting his '76 presidential run, Udall keeps the mood nicely light. This is one of those rare political bios that I think would actually entertain someone with absolutely no interest in politics. The only time that Udall allows himself to grow overly serious is in his discussion of the censure of Harlem's flamboyant Congressman Adam Clayton Powell and Udall's account of that still-controversial event reads like a thriller. Instead of allowing himself to get murked down in insider boasts, Udall wrote a book where he basically just told some interesting stories from his past and he wrote those stories not for political insiders but for the everyday Americans that he obviously loved so much. I'm a Republican so even if Udall ever had won the presidential nomination, I probably wouldn't have voted for him. But after reading this bio, you can't help but wish there were more men like Morris Udall in both political parties -- men who never let their pursuit of political power purge them of their own essential human decency. Also to be treasured is the book's final half which simply consists of some of Morris Udall's favorite jokes. He also spends a great deal of time explaining the best way to deliver a joke in a speech. In a time when so many people seem to find "Whasssup!?" to be the height of wit, Udall's advice and genuiness is greatly appreciated. Morris Udall may have been too funny to be President but obviously, he wasn't too funny to write one of the most heart-warming bios I've ever had the pleasure to read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even better tahn advertised,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Too Funny to Be President (Hardcover)
This book came faster than expected and was in better shape than advertised. I especially appreciate the extra care given to the packaging. Thank you - I'd buy from this vendor again in a heartbeat!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Too Funny to be President,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Too Funny to Be President (Hardcover)
This book is a gift for a friend who is seeking political office. Mo Udall puts politics in its proper perspective. The book arrived in good time, in good condition.
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