Shapiro, Walter - One Car Caravan - On the Road with the 2004 Democrats Before America Tunes In
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If authors could award oak-leaf clusters, there is a small group of people whose exploits beyond the call of duty merit medals. Dotty Lynch, the political editor of CBS News, was the first outside reader of this manuscript and offered invaluable corrections and suggestions. Alan and Susan Patricof graciously provided me with the opportunity to watch the candidates make their appeals to would-be fund-raisers in a setting normally off-limits to reporters. Yael Kohen's ability and enthusiasm as a research assistant was matched by her ability to find time for these labors away from her real job as a reporter with the New York Sun. Jere Coutere provided me with the best possible legal advice (good news) at the beginning of this project. And former Bill Clinton speechwriter Michael Waldman deserves recognition as the first person to suggest to me that I should write an early book about the 2004 Democratic race.
During this journalistic ordeal, I have been blessed by the steadfast support of friends who combined encouraging words with an understanding of my uncharacteristic need to abandon the social ramble for long days at the computer. In so many ways, large and small, I am grateful to Jenny Allen, Ann Banks, Bruce Buschel, Victoria Clark, Matt Cooper, Dennis Cowley, Tom Curley, Christine Doudna, Anita Dunn, Alan Ehrenhalt, Tricia Enright, Jules Feiffer, Howard Fineman, Julie Glass, Rick Grand-Jean, Mandy Grunwald, Jane Hartley, Rita Jacobs, Elaine Kamarck, Victoria Kaunitz, Joe Klein, Orin Kramer, Swoosie Kurtz, Alicia Lehner, Urban Lehner, Nancy Leonard, Karen McCarthy, Jayna Maleri, Judy Miller, Peter Petre, Jonathan Prince, Steve Rattner, Betsey and Stone Roberts, Christine and Jeff Rosen, Ralph Schlosstein, Mark Starr, Michelle and Steve Stoneburn, Michael Walsh, David Weisbrod, Jim Wetzler, Lucy White and Maureen White.
Neither a book dedication nor an acknowledgments page offers me a large enough canvas to express how much I owe to my wife, Meryl Gordon. Beyond her constant encouragement, beyond her shrewd editing, beyond her laughter at my jokes, she is also the ideal reader whom I had in mind as I typed every word. It is faint praise to say that this book only exists because of Meryl. For, in truth, my entire life exists because of Meryl.
I also want to thank Meryl's parents, Adelle and David Gordon, for their devoted support to my writing. History should also note that they were probably the first readers to buy an advance copy of this book from amazon.com. Jesse and Nate Gordon have provided a welcome cheering section from the trendy, cross-river confines of Brooklyn.
Every elder brother can understand how much I owe to my sister, Amy Shapiro, who shares my enthusiasm for politics. At so many times during my writing marathon she offered welcome praise and sympathetic understanding of the pressures that I faced. My father, Salem Shapiro, who shares the dedication page with Meryl, was my other target audience and it is hard to find words to express my pleasure at hearing his single word, "Wow!" after reading the manuscript. While I realize that this may not have been a totally objective review, I cannot think of one that mattered more to this author.
My only regret as I come to this final paragraph is that my mother, Edith Shapiro, did not live to see this day. My love of politics and my love of words are all her handiwork. (She would particularly appreciate the two William Wordsworth references in this book.) I vividly remember accompanying her to Hartford to watch her play a spear-carrier role as a delegate to the 1962 Democratic state convention. So many national conventions, starting in 1956 with the second-ballot vice-presidential battle between John Kennedy and Estes Kefauver, I viewed on the sofa by her side. Even though she regarded The Making of the President 1960 as a tragedy since Adlai Stevenson was not nominated, she put that life-changing volume in my hands. And the rest is history.
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