Robert L.“Bob” Livingston Jr. was born to an American middle-class family. His father left when he was very young, but Livingston and his sister were raised by a strong mother who gave them both a good education and a vigorous work ethic. From an early age, he was blessed with a sense of humor that would carry him through good times and bad.
After a successful career as a prosecutor in New Orleans, Livingston was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1977. In addition to overseeing the only balanced budget in recent memory, Livingston, as Speaker-elect, oversaw the House proceedings that led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998. In his memorable last speech to Congress, he maintained that Clinton had inflicted irreparable damage on the country by lying under oath. Having been threatened with the exposure of his own personal indiscretions, Livingston famously shocked the country and stunned his colleagues and constituents by abruptly resigning his seat in Congress, while challenging President Clinton to resign as well.
The story of Bob Livingston is an American story. He began with little, worked hard, and made a lasting impact on American politics. The story of his successes and his failures is compelling and instructive. He tasted fame and fortune. He learned from his mistakes and survived. He found redemption in a successful and vibrant career and in the love of his children and wonderful wife of fifty-two years. Today, he is a happy man.
Tabela de Conteúdo
Table of Contents
Foreword by Newt Gingrich ix
Prologue 3
Heritage 5
Dennis Sheedy 8
Childhood 11
Adolescence 15
High School 17
College 21
Navy 23
College (again) 29
Summer, 1965 34
Marriage & Law School 37
Young Lawyer 39
Assistant U.S. Attorney 41
Civil Law (again) 50
Assistant District Attorney 53
Louisiana Attorney General’s Office 67
Congressional Vacancy 71
Campaign #1 75
Campaign #2 85
Congress 94
Campaign, 1978 104
Dave Treen for Governor 113
Reagan in 1980 117
Appropriations Committee 123
Governor’s Race, 1987 145
Presidential Race, 1988 151
Golf 162
Clinton Presidency 165
The New Majority 170
Appropriations Chairmanship 177
1998 210
The American Dream Becomes a Nightmare! 220
Wednesday, December 16, 1998 249
Thursday, December 17, 1998 252
Friday, December 18, 1998 256
Saturday, December 19, 1998 258
January 6, 1999 265
Postscript 282
Awakening 286
Appendix 289
Acknowledgments 295
Index 297