Madam Chairman

Mary Louise Smith and the Republican Revival after Watergate

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Gender Studies, Women&, Biography & Memoir, Political
Cover of the book Madam Chairman by Suzanne O'Dea, University of Missouri Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Suzanne O'Dea ISBN: 9780826272942
Publisher: University of Missouri Press Publication: October 26, 2012
Imprint: University of Missouri Language: English
Author: Suzanne O'Dea
ISBN: 9780826272942
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
Publication: October 26, 2012
Imprint: University of Missouri
Language: English

For much of her career Mary Louise Smith stood alone as a woman in a world of politics run by men. After devoting over two decades of her life to politics, she eventually became the first, and only, woman chairman of the Republican National Committee. Suzanne O’Dea examines Smith’s rise and fall within the party and analyzes her strategies for gaining the support of Republican Party leaders.

Smith’s leadership skills grew from the time she worked in rural precincts. During her twenty-eight months as chairman, Smith dealt with highs and lows as she blazed not only a trail of her own but also one for the Republican Party, including assembling the team that kept the party intact following the devastation of Watergate. She was present during the party’s shift from moderate leadership, as exemplified by Ford, to the increasingly conservative leadership still seen today. Smith was an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, a supporter of the pro-choice movement, and a proponent of gay rights.

Though handpicked by President Ford, Smith still found herself struggling against the party and at times even against the president himself. At one point Smith lost months of fundraising opportunities as a result of a disagreement with the president. She and her staff developed innovative strategies, still used in the party today, to attract desperately needed dollars from major donors. Even so, people within the administration as well as unnamed party leaders regularly intimated that Smith’s days as chairman were numbered. Even after leaving the chairmanship, Smith remained loyal to the party from which she felt increasingly alienated.

O’Dea uses extensive personal interviews with Smith and her staff at the RNC to recount not only Smith’s and the GOP’s changing fortunes but also the challenges Republican women faced as they worked to gain a larger party presence. These behind-the-scenes perspectives show the tactics and strategies of the Republican Party’s power struggles along with Smith’s own opinions about leadership style. With relevance to today’s political strategies and conservative shift, O’Dea highlights Mary Louise Smith’s mark on Republican history.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

For much of her career Mary Louise Smith stood alone as a woman in a world of politics run by men. After devoting over two decades of her life to politics, she eventually became the first, and only, woman chairman of the Republican National Committee. Suzanne O’Dea examines Smith’s rise and fall within the party and analyzes her strategies for gaining the support of Republican Party leaders.

Smith’s leadership skills grew from the time she worked in rural precincts. During her twenty-eight months as chairman, Smith dealt with highs and lows as she blazed not only a trail of her own but also one for the Republican Party, including assembling the team that kept the party intact following the devastation of Watergate. She was present during the party’s shift from moderate leadership, as exemplified by Ford, to the increasingly conservative leadership still seen today. Smith was an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, a supporter of the pro-choice movement, and a proponent of gay rights.

Though handpicked by President Ford, Smith still found herself struggling against the party and at times even against the president himself. At one point Smith lost months of fundraising opportunities as a result of a disagreement with the president. She and her staff developed innovative strategies, still used in the party today, to attract desperately needed dollars from major donors. Even so, people within the administration as well as unnamed party leaders regularly intimated that Smith’s days as chairman were numbered. Even after leaving the chairmanship, Smith remained loyal to the party from which she felt increasingly alienated.

O’Dea uses extensive personal interviews with Smith and her staff at the RNC to recount not only Smith’s and the GOP’s changing fortunes but also the challenges Republican women faced as they worked to gain a larger party presence. These behind-the-scenes perspectives show the tactics and strategies of the Republican Party’s power struggles along with Smith’s own opinions about leadership style. With relevance to today’s political strategies and conservative shift, O’Dea highlights Mary Louise Smith’s mark on Republican history.

More books from University of Missouri Press

Cover of the book New Political Religions, or an Analysis of Modern Terrorism by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Challenge of Religion by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book A Gallery of Harlem Portraits by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Lloyd Gaines and the Fight to End Segregation by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book The Patience of Pearl by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Private Aid, Political Activism by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Entering the Fray by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Strong Advocate by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book From SWEETBACK to SUPER FLY by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Amazons by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Sky Pilots by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book The Final Mission of Bottoms Up by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book America's First Olympics by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book The First Infantry Division and the U.S. Army Transformed by Suzanne O'Dea
Cover of the book Voodoo Priests, Noble Savages, and Ozark Gypsies by Suzanne O'Dea
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy