Summary of Booknotes+ Podcast: Troy Senik, "A Man of Iron"

00:00:00 - 00:55:00

In his book "A Man of Iron," Troy Senik tells the story of Grover Cleveland's life and presidency. Cleveland was a highly successful lawyer and politician, but he lost ground in the Democratic party during his time. In 1894, Cleveland's political enemies used a biased media to defeat him in the midterms, one of the largest defeats in American history. However, Cleveland was a man of principle who was not corrupted by politics, and he is considered one of the greatest presidents in American history.

• 00:00:00 Troy Senik's book, A Man of Iron, discusses the life and career of Grover Cleveland, who was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Cleveland was a highly successful lawyer and politician, and is often considered one of the greatest presidents in American history. However, Cleveland's two terms as president were not consecutive, and he lost ground in the Democratic party during his time. In 1894, Cleveland's political enemies used a biased media to defeat him in the midterms, one of the largest defeats in American history.
• 00:05:00 Troy Senik was hired as a speechwriter for George W. Bush in 2007 and worked with him until the end of the administration in 2009. He discusses his experience writing speeches for Bush, which ranged from the limits of presidential rhetoric to the Iraq War.
• 00:10:00 Troy Senik discusses how Cleveland's second term was marked by economic instability due to market turmoil caused by the population wanting inflation.
• 00:15:00 In the book "A Man of Iron," Troy Senik tells the story of Grover Cleveland's improbable rise to the presidency, from humble beginnings in Buffalo to a three-year period of unparalleled success. One of the reasons for Cleveland's success was his refusal to be corrupted by politics, and his steadfast dedication to principle.
• 00:20:00 In "A Man of Iron," Troy Senik tells the story of how, in 1884, rumors circulated that President Grover Cleveland had raped Maria Halpin. These rumors led to a decade of sensationalized press coverage, culminating in the 2016 book Who Came From The Daily Beast declaring the Cleveland rape allegation the most despicable on American political history. Senik provides an in-depth analysis of each of the sources used to propagate this story, and explains why they are unreliable.
• 00:25:00 Troy Senik started Kite and Key Media to produce videos that would bridge the gap between scholarly rigor and the public's understanding of complex public policy issues.
• 00:30:00 Troy Senik's book "A Man of Iron" discusses the relationship between Grover Cleveland and Francis Cleveland, which was not what many people believe. Cleveland was waiting for Francis to grow up so that they could get married.
• 00:35:00 Troy Senik discusses Grover Cleveland's relationship with Francis Folsom's mother, Oscar. Cleveland was apparently very close to her father and loved her very much, even though they were not related. Francis Folsom was quite attractive and Cleveland pursued her, but she eventually married someone else.
• 00:40:00 Troy Senik tells the story of Cleveland's 1893 surgery to remove a tumor from his mouth. The surgery goes off without a hitch, but the after effects are disastrous, as Cleveland's speaking is labored and he can't understand what is being said. A dentist from New York is enlisted to create a prosthesis, which restores the president's speech and allows him to communicate roughly how he had before the surgery.
• 00:45:00 In the 1800s, President Cleveland had surgery that went wrong. A dentist who was a part of the surgery tells the Attorney General and Vice President, but they don't tell the President. The dentist then shows up in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he was supposed to have performed the surgery, and tells the guy he's working with what happened. A political reporter writes the story and it almost blows up when Cleveland returns to Washington. However, because the surgery was done in a way that Cleveland didn't have to remove his mustache, the shape of his face, and one of the stewards on the boat, it's not clear whether this was prompted or not or whether he was just trying to be a team player. Eventually, the story is knocked off the front pages by other stories.
• 00:50:00 Troy Senik discusses Grover Cleveland's record of vetoing legislation, which is second only to Franklin Roosevelt. Cleveland's record shows that even as a northeastern Democrat, he understood the importance of fiscal responsibility.
• 00:55:00 Troy Senik's book, "A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland," chronicles the life and presidency of Grover Cleveland. Cleveland's vetoes of expensive bills and his protection of the taxpayer's money are some of the reasons he is seen as a man of iron.