The President and the Power Broker

The President and the Power Broker examines the complex relationship between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. during the lead-up to World War II. Their connection began with Kennedy's support of Roosevelt's 1932 presidential campaign and evolved through Kennedy's roles as SEC chairman and Ambassador to Great Britain. Ronald draws on extensive research and newly uncovered documents to track Kennedy's transformation from Roosevelt ally to opponent. The narrative follows their parallel paths as Kennedy pushed for American neutrality in Europe while Roosevelt worked to support Britain against Nazi Germany. The book reconstructs the behind-the-scenes tensions between these two powerful figures during a pivotal period in American foreign policy. It reveals their clashing worldviews and Kennedy's eventual fall from Roosevelt's inner circle. The work raises broader questions about loyalty, power, and leadership during times of international crisis. Through this focused lens of two influential men's relationship, it illuminates the larger forces that shaped America's entry into World War II.

Many readers found the book provided insight into political dynamics between Robert Moses and JFK, though some felt the premise promised more direct conflict than the book delivered. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of complex urban development projects - Details about Moses' methods of accumulating power - Context about Kennedy's early political career Common criticisms: - Limited direct interaction between the two main figures - Spends too much time on background information - Writing style can be dry and academic - Several factual errors noted by NYC history buffs Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (41 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (32 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Expected more about actual clashes between JFK and Moses" - Goodreads reviewer "Good research but gets bogged down in minutiae" - Amazon review "Fills an important gap in understanding Moses' later years" - LibraryThing review "Too much focus on well-known aspects of Kennedy's story" - Amazon review

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🌟 FDR first met Joseph P. Kennedy in 1917 during WWI, while Kennedy worked at the Fore River Shipyard and Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 🌟 Though appointed by FDR as the first chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Kennedy had previously engaged in many of the manipulative Wall Street practices the SEC was created to prevent. 🌟 During his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1938-1940), Kennedy's defeatist attitude and sympathetic views toward Nazi Germany ultimately led to his political downfall. 🌟 Author Susan Ronald spent three years researching in the Kennedy Library archives, uncovering new details about the complex relationship between these two powerful figures. 🌟 Despite their eventual falling out, FDR initially valued Kennedy's business acumen so much that he called him "the best chairman of the SEC I ever had."