Chapter 3, The Making of a Politician Summary and Analysis

Housed at the Dodge Hotel with all other legislative secretaries, he had, within two days of conversation, selected the five who were the brightest and most knowledgeable—those five he would use to master an understanding of the informal power structures. Adding to this, he established a regimen of reading to include three daily newspapers, a local Texas paper, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the daily Congressional Record, copies of pending legislation, and a variety of pamphlets, newsletters, and committee reports.

It was 1931, and the public had come to realize that the Depression was not a temporary blip on a radar screen, but rather a long-term pervasive illness. It was a time for younger politicians with new ideas and ambitions to inspire the nation.

Richard Kleberg was...