Big Daddy: Jesse Unruh and the Art of Power Politics

by Bill Boyarsky

Book Overview

Revealing and frank, this highly engaging biography tells the story of an American original, California's Big Daddy, Jesse Unruh (1922-1987), a charismatic man whose power reached far beyond the offices he held. Unruh, who was born into Texas sharecropper poverty, became a larger-than-life figure and a principal architect and builder of modern California--first as an assemblyman, then as assembly speaker, and finally, as state treasurer. He was also...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520219678
• ISBN13: 9780520219670
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

California's "Big Daddy" Explained in Excellent Detail

This is a biography of Jesse Unruh, California's legendary House Speaker who for years influenced national politics while towering over California politics. In the words of the author, Unruh was "the most influential pragmatist who dominated American politics in the past World War II era." The author sees Unruh as a leader during a time when government operated more effectively, compared to today, and when strong political leaders were able to achieve significant goals. Unruh is credited, as a state legislator, for directing efforts that significantly reformed and improved school financing and giving shareholders rights in the companies in which they owned stock. Unruh was an important partner in public policy efforts that helped transform California through growth in highways, schools, and infrastructure that attracted millions to settle and make California our nation's most populated state. He guided enactment of policies that improved the mental retardation and mental illness systems (including ending the nation's largest program of sterilization of the mentally ill), modernized child welfare systems, and vastly advanced civil rights laws. Unruh loved power, enjoyed playing power games, and was good at achieving power. The author admires Unruh in that while Unruh seemed obsessed with obtaining and using political power, Unruh did so because he truly wanted to help people. He was not a politician who sought influence for the sake of power. He did so with strategies to help others. Unruh's political finagling was a main factor in the successful movement to make the California legislature into a full time job. He thought this was necessary to reduce the reliance on lobbyists and state administrators as the source of information and influence. Unruh won the fight to hire full time professional legislative staffs so the legislature could develop its own expertise. The system of professional legislatures was one that was copied by many other states. Unruh had his faults, both personally and professionally. His full time legislature failed to motivate those legislators who didn't do much to do anything more. Still, the new system was regarded as a vast improvement over what existed. On a personal level, Unruh was a hard drinking, swearing, womanizer, and proud of it. Yet, he never let his personal flaws mix with his work ethic. It was Unruh was stated, and meant, the famous line that "if you can't eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women, take their money, and then vote against them, you've got no business being here." Unruh was a leader in making the school systems more accountable. He also saw a future in providing more training of students in emerging technologies, which had the benefit of setting the stage for the creation of Silicon Valley's high tech industries. Unruh both grabbed power, and kept his fellow Democratic legislators above the taint of lobbyists, by insisting that all lobbyists contribute di

A Revealing Portrait of an Important Figure

A man of huge appetites--for power, food, drink, and women--Unruh shaped a political culture that was rough around the edges but got a lot of work done for the people of California. As an AP and LA Times reporter, Boyarsky covered Unruh in Sacramento and brings a valuable, first-person perspective to this story. He resisted the temptation to produce a tome; this nifty little book (265 pages) can be read in a few sittings. As a significant political figure in a fascinating era, Unruh could support a longer work, but I like Boyarsky's decision to keep it relatively brief and moving quickly. Boyarsky's portrait jibes well with a growing list of books on California politicians of that period. These include John Jacobs's bio of Phil Burton, Lou Cannon on Ronald Reagan, James Richardson on Willie Brown, and Ethan Rarick on Pat Brown. *Big Daddy* is a solid contribution to an impressive collective portrait of mid-century California politics.

Big Daddy: Jesse Unruh and the Art of Power Politics

I have not finished the whole book; but at this point, it gives one a good feel for what it was like in Sacramento for politicians in the 50's and 60's. A most enjoyable read for a Democrat and Jesse Unruh fan, even though the book gives an objective view of Jesse and his faults.

A Political Biography Worth Reading

At last! A political biography that's also a page-turner! Bill Boyarsky's "Big Daddy, Jesse Unruh and the Art of Power Politics" is a great political biography that has everything; sex, war and larger than life personalities. Follow Jess Unruh from his roots in Depression era Texas though the turbulent sixties and seventies to the prosperous 1980s. Unruh revolutionized civil rights legislation and was instrumental in making California the great & prosperous state it is today. Bill Boyarsky has written an incredibly colorful book about the hard-drinking California politics of the 20th century, when politicians weren't expected to live like clergymen. Boyarsky brings this era to life with oral history from the principal players throughout Unruh's life. This book is great reading, and a fascinating inside look into the personalities that once ran California. Fully referenced and indexed, with lots of photographs, this book will be a welcome addition to any library and should become required reading for any student of California history or political science.