Shooting from the Lip

The Life of Senator Al Simpson

Biography & Memoir, Political
Cover of the book Shooting from the Lip by Donald Loren Hardy, University of Oklahoma Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Donald Loren Hardy ISBN: 9780806182803
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press Publication: November 3, 2011
Imprint: University of Oklahoma Press Language: English
Author: Donald Loren Hardy
ISBN: 9780806182803
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Publication: November 3, 2011
Imprint: University of Oklahoma Press
Language: English

Shortly before Wyoming’s Alan K. Simpson was elected majority whip of the United States Senate, he decided to keep a journal. “I am going to make notes when I get home in the evening, as to what happened during each day.” Now the senator’s longtime chief of staff, Donald Loren Hardy, has drawn extensively on Simpson’s personal papers and nineteen-volume diary to write this unvarnished account of a storied life and political career.

Simpson gave full authorial control to Hardy, telling him, “Don, just tell the truth, the whole truth, as you always have. Leave teeth, hair, and eyeballs on the floor, if that results from telling the truth.” Taking Simpson at his word, Hardy shows readers a thrill-seeking teenager in Cody and a tireless politician who has thoroughly enjoyed his work. Full of entertaining tales and moments of historical significance, Shooting from the Lip offers a privileged and revealing backstage view of late-twentieth century American politics.

Hardy’s richly anecdotal account reveals the roles Simpson played during such critical events as the Iran-Contra scandal and Clarence Thomas’s confirmation hearings. It divulges the senator’s candid views of seven American presidents and scores of other national and world luminaries. Simpson is a politician unfettered by partisanship. Among President George H. W. Bush’s closest compatriots, he was also a close friend and admirer of Senator Ted Kennedy and was never afraid to publicly challenge the positions or tactics of fellow lawmakers, Democratic and Republican alike.

Simpson’s ability to use truth and humor as both “sword and shield,” combined with his years of experience and issue mastery, has led to an impressive post-Senate career. In 2010, for example, he co-chaired President Barack Obama’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Shooting from the Lip portrays a statesman punching sacred cows, challenging the media, and grappling with some of the nation’s most difficult challenges.

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

Shortly before Wyoming’s Alan K. Simpson was elected majority whip of the United States Senate, he decided to keep a journal. “I am going to make notes when I get home in the evening, as to what happened during each day.” Now the senator’s longtime chief of staff, Donald Loren Hardy, has drawn extensively on Simpson’s personal papers and nineteen-volume diary to write this unvarnished account of a storied life and political career.

Simpson gave full authorial control to Hardy, telling him, “Don, just tell the truth, the whole truth, as you always have. Leave teeth, hair, and eyeballs on the floor, if that results from telling the truth.” Taking Simpson at his word, Hardy shows readers a thrill-seeking teenager in Cody and a tireless politician who has thoroughly enjoyed his work. Full of entertaining tales and moments of historical significance, Shooting from the Lip offers a privileged and revealing backstage view of late-twentieth century American politics.

Hardy’s richly anecdotal account reveals the roles Simpson played during such critical events as the Iran-Contra scandal and Clarence Thomas’s confirmation hearings. It divulges the senator’s candid views of seven American presidents and scores of other national and world luminaries. Simpson is a politician unfettered by partisanship. Among President George H. W. Bush’s closest compatriots, he was also a close friend and admirer of Senator Ted Kennedy and was never afraid to publicly challenge the positions or tactics of fellow lawmakers, Democratic and Republican alike.

Simpson’s ability to use truth and humor as both “sword and shield,” combined with his years of experience and issue mastery, has led to an impressive post-Senate career. In 2010, for example, he co-chaired President Barack Obama’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Shooting from the Lip portrays a statesman punching sacred cows, challenging the media, and grappling with some of the nation’s most difficult challenges.

More books from University of Oklahoma Press

Cover of the book The Sooner Story by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Blood of the Prophets by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Small Boats and Daring Men by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book The Rise and Fall of the Voting Rights Act by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Violence and Crime in Latin America by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Shot at and Missed by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Verne Sankey by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book They Died With Custer by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Serving the Nation by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Finding Sand Creek by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Bound Like Grass by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Black Cowboys in the American West by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book William F. Cody's Wyoming Empire by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book The Roseto Story by Donald Loren Hardy
Cover of the book Discovering Texas History by Donald Loren Hardy
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