Democratic Repairman

<p> As governor of Rhode Island J. Howard McGrath oversaw the passage of social legislation aimed at improving the lives of his constituents during the dark days of World War II. As a Rhode Island senator he served as the Democratic National Committee Chairman during the contentious 1948 presidential election when few believed Harry Truman could defeat New York governor Thomas R. Dewey.</p><p> Following Truman's victory McGrath could easily have written his own ticket to further political success--but his career was cut short in 1952 when he was forced to resign as Attorney General amid a cloud of scandal. This biography traces the rise and fall of a politician who achieved notable success yet ultimately fell victim to his appetite for power fame and fortune.</p>