The Highest Calling, page 53
Mr. Rubenstein is a member of the American Philosophical Society, Business Council, Harvard Global Advisory Council (Chairman), Madison Council of the Library of Congress (Chairman), Advisory Board of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University (former Chairman), and Board of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community.
Mr. Rubenstein has served as chairman of the boards of Duke University and the Smithsonian Institution, co–chairman of the board of the Brookings Institution, and as a fellow of the Harvard Corporation.
Mr. Rubenstein is an original signer of the Giving Pledge, a significant donor to all of the above-mentioned nonprofit organizations, and a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, and the Museum of Modern Art’s David Rockefeller Award, among other philanthropic awards. He is the recipient of 8 honorary degrees, including from Brown University, Dartmouth College, American University, Washington College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Mr. Rubenstein is a leader in the area of Patriotic Philanthropy, having made transformative gifts for the restoration or repair of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Monticello, Montpelier, Mount Vernon, Arlington House, Iwo Jima Memorial, the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, the National Archives, the National Zoo, the Library of Congress, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mr. Rubenstein has also provided to the U.S. government long-term loans of his rare copies of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, the first map of the U.S. (Abel Buell map), and the first book printed in the U.S. (Bay Psalm Book).
Mr. Rubenstein is the host of The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations on Bloomberg TV and PBS, Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein on Bloomberg TV, and Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein on PBS; and the author of The American Story: Conversations with Master Historians, published by Simon & Schuster in October 2019; How to Lead: Wisdom from the World’s Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers, published by Simon & Schuster in September 2020; The American Experiment: Dialogues on a Dream, published by Simon & Schuster in September 2021; and How to Invest: Masters on the Craft, published by Simon & Schuster in September 2022.
Mr. Rubenstein, a native of Baltimore, is a 1970 magna cum laude graduate of Duke University, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Rubenstein graduated in 1973 from the University of Chicago Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review.
From 1973 to 1975, Mr. Rubenstein practiced law in New York with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. From 1975 to 1976, he served as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments. From 1977 to 1981, during the Carter administration, Mr. Rubenstein was deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. After his White House service and before cofounding Carlyle, Mr. Rubenstein practiced law in Washington with Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman).
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Previous books by David M. Rubenstein
How to Invest
The American Experiment
How to Lead
The American Story
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INDEX
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Acheson, Dean, 183, 184
Adams, Abigail, 42, 51, 52
Adams, John, 26, 27–46 Alien and Sedition Acts and, 40–41, 55
background and wealth, 33–34
beliefs about equality and American exceptionalism, 32–33
death on July 4, 1826, 28, 30, 44
as diplomat to France, 35, 37
eulogies for, 44–45
as a Federalist, 39, 40
French threat and peace treaty, 40–41
Hamilton hated by, 38
Jefferson and, 27–28, 30, 31, 34, 35, 39–44, 46
Massachusetts Constitution and, 36
midnight presidential appointments, 42
as minister to Great Britain, 36
proposes Washington as commander in chief, 11
as public speaker, 34
in Quincy, Massachusetts, 41
reelection lost to Jefferson, 28, 40
Revolutionary War and, 27, 31, 34, 35
as second U.S. president, 27, 39
slavery opposed by, 45
as successful lawyer, 34
Thoughts on Government, 36
as Washington’s vice president and president of the Senate, 20, 38–39
as a writer and diarist, 34
Adams, John Quincy, 33, 41, 71, 436
Afghanistan War, 321, 351, 361 Biden’s withdrawal, 403, 426–28
Agnew, Spiro, 246, 250, 254, 260
Akerman, Amos, 98
American Battlefields of France, The (Eisenhower), 195
American exceptionalism, 32–33, 127, 282
American presidency American Dream and, xvi, xxii
Articles One and Two of the Constitution and, 1
cabinet of, 20
campaign financing reform, 437
campaigning and, 436–37
challenges of the job, xvi
conflicts of interest rules for, 438–39
Congress and, xvi
Constitutional requirements, xiv, 435
debates recommended, 440–41
disclosure rules recommended, 438
eligible voters and voting, 442
ex-presidents as advisors, 441–42
ex-presidents as diplomats, 99, 441
ex-presidents’ financial rewards, xiv–xv, 441
ex-presidents whose reputations changed over time, 88, 120–21, 272
fates of presidents, xiii, xiv
first activist First Lady, 126
First Lady’s traditional role, 305
first lawyer First Lady, 305–6
first major-party female presidential candidate, 304
first president to go to Europe, 135
first president to remain in Washington after his term, 135
on the global stage, xi, xii
gold standard for speeches, 68
greatest president, 68
as the highest calling, xi
idea that anyone can run, xv–xvi
inaugural address as a speech, 41
inauguration date, 72
last president born in a log cabin, 103
last president to write his speeches, 122
longest serving president, 148
longshots who won, xiv
media recommendations, 440
media scrutiny and exposure, xvi
motivations for running, xiii
obstacles to running, xiv, xv, 435–37
oldest former president, 269
only former First Lady to run for president, 307
only PhD president, 126
only president never elected to the office or vice presidency, 253
pardon power of, 251, 254, 255, 261–62, 270, 439–40
the “petticoat presidency,” 122
as pinnacle of a career for some, but not all presidents, 47
presidential aides and staff, 71–72
presidential pension, 100
presidential traditions/precedents, 2, 22
presidents without a vice president, 253
recommended changes to attract talented candidates, 437–41
spending on the 2020 campaign, 437
as the symbol of the country, xxii
three-person races, 131, 287, 302
top inaugural addresses, 228
traditional qualifications for, xv
transition protocol recommended, 439
Twenty-Fifth Amendment and, 254
two-term limit, 2
Washington’s model for, 26
Around the World with General Grant (Young), 99
Arthur, Chester, 102, 107–8, 115
Articles of Confederation, 28, 30, 35, 36, 68
Babcock, Orville, 98
Baker, James A., III, 255, 265, 285, 293, 297, 330, 336
Baker, Peter his understanding of Obama, 352–53
main message of his book, 349
as NYT White House reporter, 349
Obama: The Call of History, 349
Obama’s legacy, 350
question he would ask Obama, 353–54
reason for writing about Obama, 349
Rubenstein interview with, 349–66
Bannon, Steve, 381–82, 384, 385
Barkley, Alben, 185
Barrack, Tom, 379, 396
Bayh, Birch, xvii
Becoming FDR (Darman), 148
Bedell, Grace, 77–78
Being Nixon (Thomas), 237
Bell, Alexander Graham, 102, 113–16
Bell, Thomas, 57
Bentsen, Lloyd, 293
Berg, A. Scott, 121 question he would ask Wilson, 136
Rubenstein interview, 121–36
Wilson, 121
Bernacke, Ben, 338, 360
Biden, Hunter, 391, 430
Biden, Jill, 430
Biden, Joseph R. “Joe,” Jr., ix, 5, 400–434 accomplishments as president, 321, 402, 404–5, 432
Afghanistan withdrawal, 372, 403, 426–28
ageing and, 412, 430–31, 433–34
approval ratings, 403
Asian policy, 317
on being president, 405, 408
Bork confirmation and, 400–401, 417
Build Back Better plan, 403, 423–24
cabinet picks, 421–22
Carter administration and, 402
chief advisors and staff, 429–30, 431
chiefs of staff, 421, 425, 429
conspiracy theory about, 434
COVID and, 402, 404, 420, 421, 422
COVID stimulus program, 321, 422–23
death of son Beau, 401, 406
debates with Trump, 393, 421
decision-making style, 410–11
decision to run in 2020, 406–7, 419
enjoyment of negotiation, 432
environmental policy and Kerry, 432
fairer tax system advocated, 409
foreign policy, 403–4, 408, 417, 425
on the Founding Fathers and the Constitution, 408–9
Harris as his vice president, 420
Hunter and, 391, 430
inflation and, 374, 404–5
Inflation Reduction Act, 321, 403, 407, 422, 424–25, 432
infrastructure bill and CHIPS act, 321, 403, 407, 408, 423, 425, 432
Iraq War vote, 339
lack of White House leaking, 431
legacy of, 434
Obama and, 364, 366, 410, 411, 418, 441
as Obama’s vice president, 362, 363, 400, 406, 410, 411, 418, 425
opinion of Trump, 406–7, 409
parents of, 409–10, 413
Penn Biden Center and, 406, 419
personality and character, 416, 417, 418, 420, 421, 433–34
personal tragedy of, 400, 415
plagiarism and, 416–17, 433–34
plans for a second term, 409
political economy and, 432
presidential ambitions, 416, 419
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 411, 419
presidential nomination (2020), 401, 419–20
presidential race (2016) and, 419
presidential race (2020), xiii, 393, 395, 401–2, 403, 420–21
presidential reelection race (2024), 432–33, 434
presidential runs attempted (1988, 2008), 400–401, 416, 417–18
presidential style, 429
presidential transition and, 402, 421–22
proudest presidential accomplishment, 407
public service and, 412
public speaking, stutter and, 415, 416
on the Republican Party, 406–7
Rubenstein’s interview, 402, 405–14
Rubenstein’s relationship with, 402
Thomas confirmation and, 417
Trump’s letter to, 398
Ukraine energy company and, 391
Ukraine War and, 403, 404, 428
U.S.-China relations, 404, 425–26
U.S.-Israel relations, 403–4, 408, 428–29
U.S.-Russia relations, 404, 428
U.S. Senate career, 400, 411, 415–16
view of the presidency today, 406
wife Jill, influence of, 430
Biden Institute, 419
bin Laden, Osama, 318–19, 331, 337, 350, 351, 362
Bird, Kai access to Kirbo papers, 273
appraisal of Carter, 283–84
biography of John J. McCloy, 272
interviews with Carter, 273
The Outlier, 272, 273
Rubenstein interview, 272–84
Blinken, Tony, 428
Bliss, Doctor Willard, 102, 111–18
Booth, John Wilkes, 83, 86
Borglum, Gutzon, 144
Bork, Robert, 401
Bradburn, Douglas, 1–26 as director of Mount Vernon, 2, 3, 26
former director, Washington Library, 2
questions he would ask Washington, 26
Rubenstein interview, 3–26
Braddock, Edward, 8
Bradford, William, 45
Bradlee, Ben, 224
Bradley, Omar N., 199
Brandeis, Louis, 132, 146
Brezhnev, Leonid, 248
Brown, Pat, 245
Brubeck, Dave, 354
Bryan, William Jennings, 131
Brzezinski, Zbigniew, 276, 278, 279, 281
Buchanan, James, 73, 74, 88
Buchanan, Pat, 246
Buckner, Simon, 93
Burke, Sheila, 324
Burleson, Albert, 132–33
Bush, Barbara, 285, 302–3, 326, 343
Bush, George H. W. (Bush ‘41), 285–303 abortion issue and, 297
ascent to the presidency, 286
attributes of, 289
Berlin Wall falls, Soviet Union collapses and, 299
birth, background, and family, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 330
chair, Republican Party, 286, 293–94
character of, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291
China ambassadorship, 286, 294
CIA directorship, 288, 294–95
civil rights and, 292
Cold War ending, 288, 299
death of daughter, Robin, 291
debates with Reagan, 296
diplomatic gifts, 293
economy and taxes, 288, 289, 298, 300–301
Ford’s vice president and, 265, 294
Graves’ disease and, 300–301
greatest disappointment, 289
House run in 1966, 292
Inaugural Address, 303
Kennebunkport and, 285, 291, 326
Kuwait invasion and Persian Gulf War, 287–89, 299–300, 339
legacy of, 288
marriage to Barbara, 302–3
as moderate Republican, 289, 292
Nixon appointments, 286, 293–94
political courage, 288, 303
presidential accomplishments, 287
presidential nomination fight (1980), 286, 295
presidential nomination fight (1988), 297–98
presidential race (1988), 286, 298–99
presidential reelection loss (1992), xiii, 287, 288, 301–2
public service as primary to, 289
as Reagan’s vice president, 267, 286, 297, 298, 336
relationship with Clinton, 326, 328
relationship with son George, 342–43
relationship with the Reagans, 297
Rubenstein and, xxi, 285–86, 332
savings-and-loan bailout, 300–301
secretary of state Baker and, 255
Senate runs by, 291–93
as Texas oilman, 291
UN ambassadorship, 286, 293, 300
unification of Germany and, 299
vice president for, Dan Quayle, 298
World War II heroic service, 290
Yale and, 287–88, 290
Bush, George W. (Bush ‘43), 326, 330–45 administration’s personnel, 342, 344
Afghanistan War, xiii, 331, 337
approval ratings, 331
areas of weakness, 330–31
background and early years, 333–34
Camp David and, 343, 344
Cheney as vice president, 330–31, 336
Christian faith of, 344
Clinton and, 328–29
daughters’ reactions to his presidential run, 343–44
debates of, 393
drinking problem, 344
graduation speech at Yale, 333
Great Recession and, 331, 332, 338–39
hunt for bin Laden, 331, 337
on institutional stability, 345
Iraq War, xiii, 331, 339
on leadership traits, 344
name of, 330
9/11 attack and, 327–28, 331, 336–37
nuclear reduction with Russia, 341
Obama and, 365–66
painting as a pastime, 332–33
PEPFAR program, 328–29, 332, 339
post-presidency life, 332–33, 344-45
on power corrupting, 344
presidential election (2000) and Bush v. Gore, 330, 336, 436
