Gentlemen of the Senate

Orrin Hatch: A Portrait of Character
Lee Roderick

The 21st century finds the United States of America at a critical moment: prosperous at home, at war abroad. Is America’s sun rising or setting? That depends in good part on who leads us into the future.

Recent White House occupants have left many citizens deeply skeptical of public officials. But most men and women in government deserve our trust, says journalist and author Lee Roderick. Notable among them is Orrin Hatch, a giant in the U.S. Senate and one of the most accomplished legislators of our time. In an era when character counts more than ever, the Utah Republican is a model of courage, compassion, and integrity who offers hope for America’s future.

Like Jimmy Stewart’s portrayal in Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Senator Hatch arrived in the capital with absolutely no political experience. He often has been a David to political Goliaths—conservative on fiscal and security issues, but moderate on such social issues as providing health insurance for children of poor families, facilitating the generic drug industry, funding AIDS research, and protecting religious freedom.

Gentleman of the Senate builds on Roderick’s critically acclaimed biography Leading the Charge: Orrin Hatch and 20 Years of America. Gentleman brought Senator Hatch’s story up to date in 2000.

Author Lee Roderick is a former Washington, D.C. news bureau chief and former president of the National Press Club. (click here for more on Roderick)