and attempts to defund Obamacare, 232
and bipartisanship, 2, 237, 252
and budget negotiations, 209, 216, 232
and candy desk, 139
and chairmanships, 107
and Clay, 27
committee process in, 238, 239, 255
and compromise, 254
deliberative work of, 2
Democratic supermajority in, 189, 201
Democrat majority in, 128, 158–59, 161, 165, 168–69, 183–84, 187, 232
Democrat majority leaders, 128, 237–38 (see also Reid, Harry)
and elections of 1984, 68
and elections of 2000, 120, 123
and elections of 2010, 204
and executive office appointments, 237
and freshmen, 42–43, 70, 72
imperfect outcomes and long-term goals in, 252–53, 254
importance of, to country, 2
and judicial nominations, 237
legislative accomplishments, 255–56
and Medicare Part D, 144
minority leader of, 158–59, 183, 212
and minority parties, 99, 238
moderating effect of, 2, 237
offices of, 145–46
parliamentary rules of, 93, 94
patience required for, 1–2
personalities and dynamics in, 166–67
and presidential aspirations, 73
and priorities of McConnell, 239, 252
and Reid’s leadership, 158–59, 194–95, 237–38, 239
Republican majority in, 71, 94–95, 123, 132, 225–26, 236–37, 239, 252, 255–56
and Rules Committee, 98–99, 107
rules of, 191–92, 237, 238, 239
seats in, 70–71
Senate Republican leader, 160, 168, 176, 184, 227
and seniority, 70
show/messaging votes in, 2, 165
and supermajority, 187, 188, 189, 237, 252
and terrorist attacks of 2001, 128–29
tough votes in, 237–38
unrest in, 110
See also majority leader position of Senate; whips of the Senate
US Supreme Court, 115, 150–52
Vietnam War, 38, 41
VoteVets.org, 177
Voting Rights Act (1965), 38, 194, 199
Wall Street Journal, 136
Ward, Bernie, 17, 89
war on poverty, 36
war on terror, 177
Washington Post, 99, 256
Watts, J. C., 110
weapons of mass destruction, 130–31, 149
Webb, Jim, 163
Weinberg, Lois Combs, 132
whips of the Senate
Cornyn as, 212
Lott as, 146, 160
McConnell as, 132–34, 139, 140, 241
offices of, 145–46
role of, 146, 147
Will, George, 136, 232
Wilson, Roger, 117
Wolfowitz, Paul, 155
World Trade Center terrorist attacks, 128–29, 130
World War II, 10–12
youth of McConnell, 7–14
and baseball, 15–18, 20, 177
and congressional internship program, 29–32
early interest in politics, 20–22
and fighting spirit, 13–14
goals of, 227
and higher education, 26–29
move to Kentucky, 18–19, 22
and polio, 7–8, 10–11, 15, 177, 226–27
and racial segregation, 30–31
and student elections, 22–25
Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!
The Long Game Page 30