Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation

When former UPI bureau chief and political columnist Farris lost a 1998 race for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district, he was prompted to examine the role losers play in democracy. Farris notes that some unsuccessful White House aspirants have had a far greater impact on American history than many who became president: “They created, transformed, and realigned our political parties. They broke barriers and taboos around religion and gender, ushered in new political movements….” Moving chronologically through 184 years, he finds past/present linkages as he profiles Henry Clay, Stephen Douglas, William Jennings Bryan, Al Smith, Thomas E. Dewey, Barry Goldwater, George McGovern, Ross Perot, Al Gore, John Kerry, and John McCain. In an in-depth essay on “egghead” Adlai Stevenson, the candidate’s “soaring rhetoric” is contrasted with presidents who believed in “cultivating an everyman image.” An appendix provides brief coverage of 22 more, including Hubert H. Humphrey, Walter Mondale, and Bob Dole. Documenting changes in the face of America and the impact of such issues as race, religion, and workplace reform on elections, Farris writes with a lively flair, skillfully illustrating his solid historical research with revelatory anecdotes and facts. (Jan.)