Foreword

Author's note

Prologue: The republic will survive

Part One: We did what we had to do. The coup

In a pickle

Part Two: If Mozart could do it. Maryville

Flo and Andy

'Aim for the top. There's more room there.'

Sleeping through the revolution

Part Three: Three wise mentors. Your father's moustache

Lincolnites

Rats in the barn

'The luxury of unexpressed thought'

Sliding into first

Cultural collision on Texas roads

Fifty feet from the Oval Office

If Nixon had listened to Harlow

Part Four: A walk across the state. Coming home

Losing and wallowing

My red-and-black plaid shirt

Hit by a truck

Shaking 1,000 hands a day

Part Five: A'swiveling in the Governors's chair. 'Amazing Grace for Billy Graham

The Japanese are coming

Bridge to the sun

The sniper

Best harmonica player in the world

Getting to know Reagan

'Not the same state'

Part Six: Where now? Six months now

'Find the good and praise it'

Part Seven: Back to Washington, DC. Innocent until nominated

Could Bush have been reelected?

Part Eight: The ultimate startup. Remember your ABCs

Porkburger by Porkburger

Toast

Part Nine: The most exclusive club. From 9/11 to the Senate

Running for something

Freshman orientation

Eloquent listening

Working with George W.

Learning to count

Second-term blues

The end of two-party competition

Senator or Governor?

Part Ten: Working with Obama. Marching off a cliff

A Republican chorus

The Obamacare summit

Leaving leadership

Reasoning together

Political pharisees

A ride on Air Force One

The lady might be right

A Christmas miracle

Barricade on the train track

A second Christmas miracle

Part Eleven: Finest hour or lack of spine? Shifting gear

A wild ride

Trump did it

Casting the decisive vote

'Let the people decide'

An excellent relationship

Part Twelve: Heartbreak. On my knees

Saying goodbye

January 6, 2021

Our best years

It takes builders

Acknowledgments

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Endnotes

Index.