I consider John Tower a tragic figure (even if the tragedy was of his own making). I covered him as a reporter and producer in Texas back in the day.
He was short - albeit bereft of a "Napoleon Complex."
"My name's Tower - but I don't" was his favorite introductory line when addressing constituents on the rubber chicken circuit. As a reporter in some of Texas' smallest TV markets - and later as a producer in the state's largest market I found his response to my requests for a statement or interview to be the same - regardless of my station in the journalistic pecking order - even when I was very much a small fish in an even smaller pond - (which was not my experience with others in power who ignored me until I took a job in Dallas).
I can vouch for his well-deserved reputation as a drinker - although I never saw him incapacitated. I'll leave others to confirm (or deny) his reputation as a "womanizer" (which is quaint by today's political "standards.")
I don't know what sort of Secretary of Defense he might have become had he survived confirmation - but based upon his military service record - and his reputation as a "defense hawk" in the Senate I have no doubt he would have taken the job seriously had he been confirmed (and would have celebrated that achievement with a drink or two -- or three).
I consider John Tower a tragic figure (even if the tragedy was of his own making). I covered him as a reporter and producer in Texas back in the day.
He was short - albeit bereft of a "Napoleon Complex."
"My name's Tower - but I don't" was his favorite introductory line when addressing constituents on the rubber chicken circuit. As a reporter in some of Texas' smallest TV markets - and later as a producer in the state's largest market I found his response to my requests for a statement or interview to be the same - regardless of my station in the journalistic pecking order - even when I was very much a small fish in an even smaller pond - (which was not my experience with others in power who ignored me until I took a job in Dallas).
I can vouch for his well-deserved reputation as a drinker - although I never saw him incapacitated. I'll leave others to confirm (or deny) his reputation as a "womanizer" (which is quaint by today's political "standards.")
I don't know what sort of Secretary of Defense he might have become had he survived confirmation - but based upon his military service record - and his reputation as a "defense hawk" in the Senate I have no doubt he would have taken the job seriously had he been confirmed (and would have celebrated that achievement with a drink or two -- or three).
Jack, Thanks for sharing that perspective....very interesting.