Spiro Agnew and the Rise of the Republican RightThe narrative of Spiro Agnew's rise and fall has never been fully told. This compelling book tells the story of one of the most controversial, high-level politicians of recent American history and explains the importance of Agnew's life and career. Too often overlooked by students of modern conservatism, Spiro T. Agnew's political career mirrored the transformation of the Republicans from a "big tent" party to a narrower, more conservative, and ideologically purer one in the 1960s and 1970s. Spiro Agnew and the Rise of the Republican Right traces Agnew's life and career and shows how Agnew was a key figure in American politics—and documents how a powerful politician who looked to be headed to the presidency ended up having to resign from the office of the vice president in shame and fade into the shadows of political history. This political biography examines how Spiro Agnew's ideological transformation from a moderate liberal to a conservative spearheaded the rise of the Republican Right. Author Justin P. Coffey, PhD, explores the political, social, and racial aspects of Agnew's career and how he both influenced and was himself shaped by each of these parameters. This book offers an unprecedented study of Agnew's legacy in the present-day context, providing information suited for any reader interested in history or politics and filling a void in the scholarship of the rise of the conservative movement. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 7 | |
2 Agnew and the Politics of Race | 31 |
3 Governor Agnew | 47 |
4 Nixon Agnew and the 1968 Campaign | 61 |
5 Becoming Nixons Nixon | 89 |
Agnew and the Politics of Division | 109 |
7 Survival and Vindication | 125 |
8 President Agnew? | 147 |
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African American Agnew asked Agnew claimed Agnew New York Agnew told Agnew took Agnew wrote Annapolis announced April attacks attorney August Baltimore County Baltimore News American Baltimore Sun believed Buchanan campaign candidate charges civil rights Connally conservative county executive delegates Democratic Ehrlichman Eisenhower election Elliot Richardson folder George Wallace Go Quietly Goldwater governor grand jury H. R. Haldeman Haig Hammerman Ibid investigation issue John John Ehrlichman Johnson Judy Jules Witcover July Justice Department Kissinger later liberal Mahoney Maryland Matz McGovern National Nelson Rockefeller never nomination November October open housing Papers party Pat Buchanan percent Petersen political prosecutors race reelection reporters Republican resignation Richard Nixon Richardson Rockefeller running mate Senate September SMOF Sohmer speech Spiro Agnew staff subseries 3.7 tion Topkis University Press vice president vice presidential Vietnam Vietnamese voters votes Wallace wanted Washington Post Watergate White House Witcover Wolff