"Honor in the House: Speaker Tom Foley"

Paper Summary:

The paper shows that as Tom Foley's former press agent, Jeffrey Briggs is able to write an informative and interesting biography of the former Speaker of the House. Briggs combines his memories and experiences with Foley's reflections to provide the reader with a history of the workings of the institution of the House of Representatives. The paper shows that although there are occasional anecdotes about famous figures, such as Lyndon Johnson, this book focuses primarily on giving an insider's view of how Congress works. In the process, the author reflects on most of the significant political subjects since the 1960s.

From the Paper:

"When Tip O'Neal selected Foley as the Democratic Majority Whip in 1983, many thought it was a bad choice. It was believed that the gentlemanly Representative from Washington could not be "hard-nosed" enough to carry out the duties of his position. But he proved that he was the right man for the job. Even though he was respectful of the opinions of others, he could also be forceful in expressing his own opinion. "He had the essential quality of a good leader, of being willing to risk losing when he was pretty sure he was right" (76)."

More papers on "Honor in the House: Speaker Tom Foley":

• Book Review # 122433 : "Lily Bart in "The House of Mirth"
• Book Review # 145145 : "Symbolism in "The House on Mango Street"
• Book Review # 116503 : "Allegory in "The House of the Seven Gables"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: