InDecember1967,ChuckRobbwascatapultedontothenationalscenewhenhemarriedLyndaBirdJohnson,thedaughterofPresidentLyndonB.Johnson,inanationallybroadcastWhiteHousewedding.Shortlythereafter,Robb,aU.S.Marine,deployedtoVietnam,wherehecommandedIndiaCompanyofthe3rdBattalion,7thRegiment,andwasawardedtheBronzeStar.Thesetwoexperiences--seeminglypolaropposites--illustratemuchabouttheeventualVirginiagovernorandU.S.senator,whocombinedacommitmenttofamilywithaningrainedsenseofcivicdutyonthenationalstage.IntheArenaoffersthefirstpoliticalmemoirofthenotedstatesman’sextraordinarylife,tracinghispathfromearlydaysasananonymousMarinetohisfairytalewedding,fromnightmovementsinVietnamtoengagingintheheightofDemocraticpoliticsintheVirginiastatecapitolandU.S.Senate,andfromexperiencingpersonalhighsandlowstobecomingaprincipledfighterandexemplaroftoday’smoderateDemocrat.Despiterepresentingaconservativestate,hestoodupforawoman’srighttochoose,theEqualRightsAmendment,theconstitutionalityofflagburning,gayrights,andguncontrol.Asgovernor,Robbraisedtheeducationbudgetbyover$1billionandappointedarecordnumberofwomenandminoritiestostatepositions,includingthefirstAfricanAmericantotheVirginiaSupremeCourt.In1996,inhissecondtermintheSenate,hewastheonlysouthernsenatortovoteagainsttheDefenseofMarriageAct,thelegislationbanninggaymarriage,callingthemovementtoendthisdiscriminationa“fightforcivilandhumanrights.“Progressiveonsocialissues,hewasfiscallyconservativeandpro-nationalsecurity,goingontoco-chairthe2004WMDCommissionunderGeorgeW.Bush.Lookingbackfromourdeeplypartisanera,Robb’sindependentapproachnowseemsremarkable,aswellasinstructive.Fullofhonestreflections,IntheArenapullsbackthecurtainononeofAmerica’sprovenpoliticalleadersandrevealsthesurprisinglycolorfulstoryofhiscareer,marriage,andlife.
ARENA AU JOHNSON MARINE MARRIAGE
