THE COVERT FILE/ Duke Short's Life and Times

R. J. Duke Short

Duke Short is a treasure trove of American politics.
 
Straight from the frontlines, a man who made things happen. He is indeed a political expert summa cum laude. He kept good notes and friends during his career and has written a fascinating 459-page book, The Centennial Senator.
 
The subject is Senator J. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, his friend and boss.

Short’s sub-title is “True Stories of Strom Thurmond from the People Who Knew Him Best.” No one could write this excellent work better that Duke Short, who lives in Alexandria.. He lived the life of the indefatigable senator who served in the Senate until he was 100 and died at 101.

Among his professional traits Thurmond was well known for his exceptional constituent services, superior to anyone else in the senate except perhaps for the late Jesse Helms.

No one knew Thurmond better than Short. For 30 years, he was a staff member for the former presidential candidate, governor of his state and national guard major general. For the last 15 of Thurmond’s service, Duke was chief of staff.

The recollections are delightful, filled with personable anecdotes including a story with Ronald Reagan. Bob Dole, the former presidential candidate and senate majority leader, said, “the unforgettable anecdotes and reflections are at once touching, hilarious, and fascinating.”

The senator’s life is not sugar-coated. It’s a fun read. It’s a superb history lesson. Senator Dole said it best: “It’s a rare behind-the-scenes portrait and shows life of one of the most enduring political leaders of the 20th century.

It’s pleasant to read the comments by his friends and colleagues like Vice President Joe Biden and Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sandra Day O’Connor, Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Former Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Gerald Ford also had their say.

The Centennial Senator is in every book store and online.

Duke could have called it the “Exciting Life and Times of R. J. Duke Short.” But “The Centennial Senator” will suffice.
 
Harry Covert is an avid book reader who lives in Alexandria.

Tags: book reviews, politics, southern history, U. S. Senate