Herbert H. Lehman: A Political Biography by Duane Tananbaum

Abstract

Reviewed by: Herbert H. Lehman: A Political Biography by Duane Tananbaum William Hogan Herbert H. Lehman: A Political Biography By Duane Tananbaum. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2016, 959 pages, $44.95, Cloth. Throughout much of the twentieth century, New York State was fortunate to have uncommonly effective political leaders. Duane Tananbaum's voluminous biography demonstrates convincingly that Herbert Lehman deserves a place in the top tier of Empire State political leaders. Tananbaum portrays Lehman as an exemplary public servant who consistently showed vision, integrity, and political courage. He notes that, "Despite his important role in American political life from the late 1920s through the early 1960s, Herbert Lehman has been largely ignored by scholars and forgotten by the general public" (xiv). Lehman has been overshadowed by more charismatic New York governors, including Al Smith, Franklin Roosevelt, Thomas Dewey, and Nelson Rockefeller. Tananbaum has produced a comprehensive scholarly work that is likely to remain the definitive political biography of Lehman. Noted historian Alan Nevins's Herbert Lehman and His Era, published in 1963, was the last full-scale biography of Lehman. Unlike Nevins who covered Lehman's early life and background in detail, Tananbaum—a professor of American History at Lehman College of the City University of New York—focuses on his subject's political career. The product of meticulous research, the book comprises 657 pages of narrative, nearly 200 pages of notes, and an extensive bibliography. Tananbaum relied heavily on Lehman's letters and speeches, oral histories, and government documents. The author effectively synthetizes a massive amount of material into a compelling biography of Lehman. By chronicling Lehman's political career against the backdrop of his times, Tananbaum is able to provide informative overviews of the Great Depression, New Deal, relief efforts during and after World War II, the Cold War, McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, and conflicts between political bosses and reformers in New York during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The author highlights Lehman's interactions with such notables as Al Smith, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Joseph [End Page 136] McCarthy, Adlai Stevenson, Lyndon Johnson, and John Kennedy. He demonstrates Lehman's influence at both the state and national levels during a period when New York State was at the pinnacle of its political power. Tananbaum identifies Lillian Wald—the founder of the Henry Street Settlement House—as a significant early influence in reinforcing Lehman's social conscience. Lehman became involved in politics as a key supporter of Al Smith and a major contributor to his campaigns. Although Lehman and Smith came from disparate backgrounds, they shared "the belief that government should help people overcome the problems resulting from industrialization, urbanization, and immigration" (14). Although Lehman was Smith's first choice to succeed him as governor, he instead ran on the Democratic ticket with Roosevelt in 1928 and won the lieutenant governorship by a mere 14,000 votes. Four years later Lehman was elected governor by 840,000 votes, which was the largest victory margin by a Democrat in New York State up until that time. Roosevelt and Lehman formed an effective partnership that developed into a lasting friendship: "Lehman's conscientious, almost compulsive, attention to detail complemented Roosevelt's focus on the big picture" (42). Roosevelt relied on his lieutenant governor's business experience to deal with bank failures and mediate labor disputes. Lehman believed that Roosevelt "was the greatest man of my time" (37). Despite his high regard for Roosevelt, Lehman did not hesitate to publicly disagree with his political mentor. Lehman aroused the ire of Roosevelt and ardent New Dealers when he publicly opposed FDR's court-packing plan. Governor Lehman's "Little New Deal" in New York State mirrored Roosevelt's New Deal. Lehman used the power of state government to assist people in coping with the Great Depression. Significant accomplishments included assistance to the unemployed, public housing, lower utility rates, and help for farmers. One of the highlights of Lehman's decade in office was turning back a strong challenge from Thomas Dewey in the 1938 gubernatorial election. In November 1942, Lehman joined the Roosevelt administration as head of the Office of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation Operations...