Stephen Hess: America's Top Dynasty?
[Stephen Hess, a senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution, was on the Eisenhower and Nixon White House staffs and advised Presidents Ford and Carter. He is the author of"America's Political Dynasties" and his most recent book is"What Do We Do Now? A Workbook for the President-Elect."]
American public life is saturated with them. Kennedys. Bushes. Clintons. Powerful individuals connected to one another by blood or by marriage who, deservedly or not, take on that most paradoxical of American labels: dynasty.
The passing in August of Sen. Ted Kennedy -- and his nephew Joseph Kennedy's decision last week not to run for the vacant seat -- set off debates over whether the"Kennedy dynasty" was over, and whether the family embodied the last and greatest dynasty in American politics.
But just glance at today's Senate and count those whose parents were once members of Congress, or governors, or in a presidential Cabinet, and you'll see potential dynasties in training: Evan Bayh, Bob Bennett, Bob Casey, Chris Dodd, Judd Gregg, Mary Landrieu, Lisa Murkowski, Mark Pryor, the cousins Mark and Tom Udall; add Jay Rockefeller, nephew of a vice president.
The Constitution states that"no title of nobility shall be granted by the United States," yet it seems political nobility is as American as apple pie.
But were the Kennedys truly the greatest dynasty our nation has seen? What about the Bush or Roosevelt families? The Adamses? The Rockefellers? The Tafts? When The Washington Post's Outlook section asked me to devise a ranking of America's dynasties, an honor roll of political families, it sounded like an irresistible exercise.
My infatuation with political dynasties began in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1957, when, as a bored private in a peacetime army, I wandered into a library and discovered the"Biographical Directory of the United States Congress." Who were these Bayards, Muhlenbergs and Frelinghuysens, I wondered, with five or six names apiece in the directory? I counted 700 families in which two or more members had served in Congress. I eventually explored these questions in a book,"America's Political Dynasties," published more than four decades ago.
Since then, what has fascinated me most is the constant shifts in America's dynastic politics, with new families emerging and older ones leaving the field of combat. For instance, I didn't include the Bush family in my first book because, well, there was no Bush dynasty in 1966 -- just one former backbench senator from Connecticut. But what happened to the Stocktons, Tuckers, Lees and Livingstons?
While the study of dynasties necessarily looks back into history, it also reflects new forces in American politics, such as the rising roles of women and ethnic and racial minorities. Once a woman's route to Congress was through widowhood or, in the classic title of Diane Blair's learned article,"Over His Dead Body." Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has far exceeded the congressional career of her father. Now we see the Sanchez sisters, Loretta and Linda, daughters of Mexican immigrants, representing California districts in the House; and the Diaz-Balart brothers, Lincoln and Mario, sons of a Cuban politician, representing Florida districts...
... The Rankings
#1 Kennedy - 96 points
Key Jobs: President (1), Senator (3), Representative (4), Cabinet (1)
There is often a founding father, but there is only one paterfamilias like Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., whose demonic drive would create the nation's second Irish Catholic political dynasty. (The first was the Carrolls of Maryland, one of whom signed the Declaration of Independence.) Joe's money buried Hubert Humphrey and won the presidential nomination for son Jack. Joe decreed that the president-elect make Bobby his attorney general and demanded that Jack's Senate seat be available when young Ted was constitutionally old enough to run.
After the tragic deaths of Jack and Bobby, and his failure to win the presidential nomination in 1980, Ted became one of the great legislators in American history, perhaps exceeding his father's expectations.
The second Kennedy generation has been star-crossed. Yet Joseph P. Kennedy has 26 living grandchildren. One rule for long-term dynastic success: Have lots of children.
#2 Roosevelt - 92 points
Key jobs: President (2), Vice President (1), Governor (2), Representative (4)
When it comes to impact, the Roosevelts deserve to rate at the top, with Theodore and Franklin jointly creating the modern presidency. However - dynastically speaking - they were only fifth cousins. A writer in 1936 computed that there were 17,000 living persons whose relationship to TR was at least as close as that of FDR.
The bridge between TR and FDR was Eleanor - niece of TR, wife of FDR - who might have catapulted the dynasty to first place if she had agreed to accept the Democratic Senate nomination from New York after FDR's death.
Otherwise, there was nothing notable about the Roosevelts in politics except the failure of the next generation, which suggests this rule: Voters give the children of important dynasts one free pass, a step up the political ladder before they must prove themselves. For FDR's sons, Jimmy and Frank, this meant going from election to the House of Representatives to defeat, with Jimmy losing a nomination for mayor of Los Angeles and Frank losing a nomination for governor of New York.
#3 Rockefeller - 81 points
Key jobs: Vice President (1), Governor (3), Senator (2), Representative (2)
The 19th-century"robber barons" did not seek public office. After all, the business of America was business. But it was useful to connect their children to politicians. Thus John D. Rockefeller Jr. married Abby Aldrich, daughter of powerful Sen. Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island. Their son was named Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, and he would become vice president of the United States.
As with other wealthy politicians, the Rockefellers' riches relieve them of the effort to raise campaign money - a big plus. There are also some voters who prefer to elect politicians who assuredly will not need to have their hand in the till. And for these to-the-manner-born"rich as Rockefeller" dynasts, seeking votes must be fulfilling work because it is one pursuit in which they have to earn their successes...
Read entire article at The Washington Post
American public life is saturated with them. Kennedys. Bushes. Clintons. Powerful individuals connected to one another by blood or by marriage who, deservedly or not, take on that most paradoxical of American labels: dynasty.
The passing in August of Sen. Ted Kennedy -- and his nephew Joseph Kennedy's decision last week not to run for the vacant seat -- set off debates over whether the"Kennedy dynasty" was over, and whether the family embodied the last and greatest dynasty in American politics.
But just glance at today's Senate and count those whose parents were once members of Congress, or governors, or in a presidential Cabinet, and you'll see potential dynasties in training: Evan Bayh, Bob Bennett, Bob Casey, Chris Dodd, Judd Gregg, Mary Landrieu, Lisa Murkowski, Mark Pryor, the cousins Mark and Tom Udall; add Jay Rockefeller, nephew of a vice president.
The Constitution states that"no title of nobility shall be granted by the United States," yet it seems political nobility is as American as apple pie.
But were the Kennedys truly the greatest dynasty our nation has seen? What about the Bush or Roosevelt families? The Adamses? The Rockefellers? The Tafts? When The Washington Post's Outlook section asked me to devise a ranking of America's dynasties, an honor roll of political families, it sounded like an irresistible exercise.
My infatuation with political dynasties began in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1957, when, as a bored private in a peacetime army, I wandered into a library and discovered the"Biographical Directory of the United States Congress." Who were these Bayards, Muhlenbergs and Frelinghuysens, I wondered, with five or six names apiece in the directory? I counted 700 families in which two or more members had served in Congress. I eventually explored these questions in a book,"America's Political Dynasties," published more than four decades ago.
Since then, what has fascinated me most is the constant shifts in America's dynastic politics, with new families emerging and older ones leaving the field of combat. For instance, I didn't include the Bush family in my first book because, well, there was no Bush dynasty in 1966 -- just one former backbench senator from Connecticut. But what happened to the Stocktons, Tuckers, Lees and Livingstons?
While the study of dynasties necessarily looks back into history, it also reflects new forces in American politics, such as the rising roles of women and ethnic and racial minorities. Once a woman's route to Congress was through widowhood or, in the classic title of Diane Blair's learned article,"Over His Dead Body." Today House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has far exceeded the congressional career of her father. Now we see the Sanchez sisters, Loretta and Linda, daughters of Mexican immigrants, representing California districts in the House; and the Diaz-Balart brothers, Lincoln and Mario, sons of a Cuban politician, representing Florida districts...
... The Rankings
#1 Kennedy - 96 points
Key Jobs: President (1), Senator (3), Representative (4), Cabinet (1)
There is often a founding father, but there is only one paterfamilias like Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., whose demonic drive would create the nation's second Irish Catholic political dynasty. (The first was the Carrolls of Maryland, one of whom signed the Declaration of Independence.) Joe's money buried Hubert Humphrey and won the presidential nomination for son Jack. Joe decreed that the president-elect make Bobby his attorney general and demanded that Jack's Senate seat be available when young Ted was constitutionally old enough to run.
After the tragic deaths of Jack and Bobby, and his failure to win the presidential nomination in 1980, Ted became one of the great legislators in American history, perhaps exceeding his father's expectations.
The second Kennedy generation has been star-crossed. Yet Joseph P. Kennedy has 26 living grandchildren. One rule for long-term dynastic success: Have lots of children.
#2 Roosevelt - 92 points
Key jobs: President (2), Vice President (1), Governor (2), Representative (4)
When it comes to impact, the Roosevelts deserve to rate at the top, with Theodore and Franklin jointly creating the modern presidency. However - dynastically speaking - they were only fifth cousins. A writer in 1936 computed that there were 17,000 living persons whose relationship to TR was at least as close as that of FDR.
The bridge between TR and FDR was Eleanor - niece of TR, wife of FDR - who might have catapulted the dynasty to first place if she had agreed to accept the Democratic Senate nomination from New York after FDR's death.
Otherwise, there was nothing notable about the Roosevelts in politics except the failure of the next generation, which suggests this rule: Voters give the children of important dynasts one free pass, a step up the political ladder before they must prove themselves. For FDR's sons, Jimmy and Frank, this meant going from election to the House of Representatives to defeat, with Jimmy losing a nomination for mayor of Los Angeles and Frank losing a nomination for governor of New York.
#3 Rockefeller - 81 points
Key jobs: Vice President (1), Governor (3), Senator (2), Representative (2)
The 19th-century"robber barons" did not seek public office. After all, the business of America was business. But it was useful to connect their children to politicians. Thus John D. Rockefeller Jr. married Abby Aldrich, daughter of powerful Sen. Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island. Their son was named Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, and he would become vice president of the United States.
As with other wealthy politicians, the Rockefellers' riches relieve them of the effort to raise campaign money - a big plus. There are also some voters who prefer to elect politicians who assuredly will not need to have their hand in the till. And for these to-the-manner-born"rich as Rockefeller" dynasts, seeking votes must be fulfilling work because it is one pursuit in which they have to earn their successes...