Liberal Arthur Schlesinger Dies at the Age of 89

CNN reported this morning that Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., former key insider from the Kennedy era suffered an apparent heart attack at dinner on February 28^th. He was taken to a New York Hospital where he was reported dead. The Columbus, Ohio native, served as a special assistant, close friend, and advisor to President Kennedy. He was best known as a historian, author, and a liberal.

Schlesinger was born in Columbus, Ohio on October 15^th, 1917. He graduated from Harvard in 1938. During World War II, he joined the Office of War Information after failing his medical examination for the armed services. Later in the war he moved to the Office of Strategic Services. While in this office he traveled to Europe several times. During this same time period he wrote, The Age of Jackson, which later won him his first Pulitzer prize. He then went on to become a professor of History at Harvard from 1946-1961. While there he wrote, The Vital Center, advocating a liberal political policy at home, and condemning Communism around the world.

During the 1950's Schlesinger became increasingly involved in politics. After becoming a close friend of the Kennedy family he became an advocate for the future President. He wrote speeches for Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. From 1961 to 1964 he served President Kennedy as a Latin American affairs special assistant, and continued to write political speeches. He was widely criticized for idealizing the Kennedy family, but remained a firm friend, and supporter of the Kennedy clan. He wrote speeches for Adlai Stevenson's unsuccessful bid for presidency, and Robert Kennedy's ill fated campaign.

After his days with Kennedy he wrote, A Thousand Days, a recount of his time with the Kennedy administration. This book earned Schlesinger his second Pulitzer Prize.

As a self proclaimed liberal, Schlesinger wrote several more historical political novels, including The Disuniting of America, where he discussed concern about the turn our society has taken concerning social, and ethnic issues. He also wrote, The Age of Roosevelt, a history of Roosevelt's New Deal era.

In the last several years Schlesinger became increasingly disenchanted in the direction of American politics. He was also increasingly concerned America would return to isolationism policies. In 2004 he wrote, War and the American Presidency. Which expressed his concerns over President George W. Bush's policy, and the Iraqi War. He challenged Bush in the book, calling his policies in Iraq a "ghastly mess."

Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., is survived by his second wife, Alexandra Emmet, and their one child. He is also survived by four children with his first wife, Marian Cannon.

Contributing Sources:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2024302,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/01/schlesinger.obit.ap/index.html