No Room for Democracy: The Triumph of Ego Over Common Sense

Dick Rosenbaum, born to a Jewish immigrant family in 1930s upstate New York, first met with discrimination as a young boy. Intensifying his personal struggle was the onset of alopecia hair loss at age 8. Through his new autobiography we learn that Dick Rosenbaum not only beat the odds but actually turned his hair condition into a major asset which he used to enhance his career throughout his remarkable life. Rosenbaum traces his career as a Cornell Law student, a practicing attorney in Rochester, New York, and then head of his county's Republican Committee, which segued into a nomination as the youngest New York Supreme Court Judge in history. Quickly advancing to the pinnacle of state politics in the 1970s, Rosenbaum was appointed chairman of the New York Republican Party by millionaire Governor Nelson Rockefeller. This valuable connection would give Rosenbaum entrée into national politics when Rockefeller assumed the vice presidency under Gerald Ford. Rosenbaum's achievements are punctuated by his frank reflections on lessons learned from failed runs for the New York governorship, his return to practicing law in the private sector, and the challenges of balancing family life with public service. Dick Rosenbaum narrates each moment with his characteristic booming enthusiasm and candid anecdotes, while sharing thoughtful insights derived from witnessing the shakeups of some 45 years of American political life. Rosenbaum's journey is a unique portrait of self-made success.

Richard M. Rosenbaum is senior counsel in a prominent American law firm in upstate New York, and has been a central figure in New York and national Republican politics for decades. He served as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, and subsequently held the chairmanship of the New York State Republican Committee. Judge Rosenbaum was also elected to several terms as a Republican National Committeeman for New York, and ran twice for governor of that state. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He has written extensively on Middle Eastern policy and his articles have been published in a variety of newspapers. He holds degrees from Cornell Law School and Hobart College.