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Wyche Fowler: A Political Life in Georgia, Congress, and Abroad

By author: R. William Johnstone
Product Code: HH1054
ISBN: 9780881469691
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R. William Johnstone examines Wyche Fowler's career in winning election to and serving in the U.S. House and Senate, including his pivotal role in the Nicaragua Contra war and the 1990 budget summit. On the campaign side, the Georgia elections of 1977 (in which Fowler defeated John Lewis to succeed Andrew Young in the U.S. House), 1986 (Fowler's upset win over Republican Mack Mattingly), and 1992 (Fowler's defeat in Georgia's unique General Election runoff) are featured. Fowler's Congressional career is contextualized via briefer considerations of his early life and years in Atlanta politics and his subsequent work, especially as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. His legislative accomplishments included updating and improving the nation's historic preservation policy; reforming agricultural, forestry, and rural programs; obtaining federal funding for a large number of infrastructure and other projects throughout Georgia; jump-starting federal support for renewable energy; and promoting American leadership in space. His multi-year effort to strengthen Congressional oversight of covert operations drew attention to the subject and helped to expose the excesses ultimately revealed in the Iran-Contra affair. The Georgian served as a coalition-builder and negotiator, playing important roles in passing such landmark bills as the Social Security Amendments of 1983, the Tax Reform Act of 1986, and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. Highlighted are examples of Fowler's well-known storytelling, which has been a major part of his efforts to reach out and bond with others, including constituents and colleagues.
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Reviews

Review by: Loch K. Johnson, Regents Professor of International Affairs emeritus, University of Georgia - December 20, 2024
"In this richly detailed book, William Johnstone, one of the most talented staff members of Congress in modern times, presents an authoritative and enthralling biography of Senator Wyche Fowler. Fowler served the State of Georgia with great skill, compassion, and success in both the US House and Senate. He has always been one of the most intelligent and witty of Georgia's distinguished public servants in Congress over the years, and among the most thoughtful and ethical. This impressive study not only bring Fowler's phenomenal political career alive, but also manages to capture the essence of key policy issues that have been, and remain, front and center in the American polity. Johnstone's handling is judicious, thorough, and lively. The result is an extraordinary book, befitting a special individual who guided Georgia well during his many outstanding years in Washington, DC. Here is a book for every Georgian, and anyone else who wants to know more about Fowler's thoughtful, timeless views on domestic and foreign policy."
Review by: Raphael Warnock, U.S. Senator from Georgia - December 20, 2024
"Early in life, Wyche Fowler caught the bug--the desire to serve--and, like a stubborn cold, it never let him go. From 'night mayor' to alderman to city council president to congressman to senator to ambassador, he was driven by his belief that government can be a force for good in the lives of its constituents. Moreover, at a time when the 'dog whistle' politics of division were commonplace for Southern politicians, Fowler insisted on pursuing his work within the context of multi-racial coalitions, building together what Martin Luther King, Jr. called 'the beloved community.' This compelling political biography is not only his story, but in many ways the story of the New South coming of age and making its impact amidst the winds of change following the Civil Rights Movement on to the turn of a new century."
Review by: Mark Weston, author of THE RUNNER-UP PRESIDENCY - December 20, 2024
"WYCHE FOWLER is a pleasure to read. Sprinkled amid a full account of one of the most fun, dedicated, and hard-working politicians in Georgia's history are many of the senator's personal and often hilarious stories. Johnstone provides many details about Senator Fowler's career, including morsels about Atlanta's local government, the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings, the Persian Gulf War, and the 1986 and 1992 senate campaigns. But no matter which chapter you're reading, Fowler's sparkling personality shines through."
Review by: Frederick Allen, author of SECRET FORMULA - December 20, 2024
"This wonderful volume is actually two books in one. William Johnstone, who served as Wyche Fowler's right-hand man in his campaigns and throughout his consequential career in Congress, has written a lively textbook on the doings in Washington back when Washington did things (important things!) with our budget, taxes, social programs, and international affairs. But this is also an autobiography written by Fowler himself, a truly magnetic figure who managed to combine a wicked sense of humor with a razor-sharp intelligence and a passion for improving the lot of others. I've had the privilege of knowing Wyche Fowler for more than a half-century and I've marveled at the twinkle in his eye and the love in his heart."

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