Watergate's Unexpected Hero: The Life of Peter W. Rodino Jr.

2024 Best Books Awards Finalist – Biography

In today’s sharply divided political culture, finding a
deliberative leader with an enduring commitment to bipartisanship
feels hopeless.

Half a century ago, in one of the United States’ most trying hours,
a relatively unknown congressman from New Jersey rose to the
occasion as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which
established the gold standard for presidential impeachment in
holding President Richard M. Nixon accountable for his
crimes.

Watergate’s Unexpected Hero: The Life of Peter W. Rodino Jr. is the
long overdue biography of a man whom many pundits thought would
shrivel as he entered the national spotlight. Instead, his calm
presence during the televised proceedings helped to reassure an
apprehensive nation, and he quickly became a household name.

Rodino remained a revered figure on Capitol Hill, lionized for his
stewardship in a crisis until he retired fourteen years later.
Author Lawrence Spinelli, who served as Rodino’s press secretary,
goes beyond Watergate to offer a meticulously researched, balanced
account of his mentor’s service.

On the fiftieth anniversary of Nixon’s resignation, Spinelli shares
new insights into historic events. Relying on primary sources and
Rodino’s personal recollections, Spinelli explores an extraordinary
life that began in the rough streets of Newark’s Little Italy and
culminated in a distinguished public career stretching from the New
Deal to the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

Along the way, Rodino worked with iconic political leaders to help
address a wide range of public policy issues that still resonate
today, including race relations, immigration, voting rights, and
economic equality.

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