Pat Schroeder: A Woman of the House

Note on Sources

Key resources in researching this book were Pat Schroeder’s two published memoirs,  Years of House Work . . . and the Place Is Still a Mess (Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, ), and Champion of the Great American Family (New York: Random House, ). I also interviewed Schroeder and submitted follow-up questions, which she graciously answered. Several of Schroeder’s former aides also were willing to share their recollections with me, including her administrative assistant, Dan Buck; district director, Louis X. “Kip” Cheroutes; her first administrative assistant, Michael Cheroutes; press secretary, Andrea Camp, and retired navy Capt. Jim Bush, a defense aide. Several Colorado journalists who covered Schroeder over the years were also helpful, including Leonard “Buzz” Larsen and Ann Schmidt, both of the Denver Post, and Charlie Roos of the Rocky Mountain News. Other interviews included Dee Dukehart, a campaign aide in the  race; Kathy Bonk, a campaign aide in the  presidential exploratory campaign, and Gary Ruskin of the Ralph Nader–founded watchdog groups CongressWatch and Commercial Alert, who worked with Schroeder’s staff on issues related to congressional ethics. When Schroeder retired from office in January , her staff estimated that the congresswoman had given , media interviews over the course of her twenty-four years in public life. That may actually be an underestimate. There is a rich body of contemporary news reporting on issues and events in which Schroeder was involved and on the congresswoman herself.This book has drawn on hundreds of those news accounts for information, background, and quotes. Among the most informative newspaper and magazine articles about Schroeder are: Rhea Becker, “Pat Schroeder RecountsTales of Congressional Strum und Drang,” Harvard University Gazette, April , ; Adriel Bettelheim, “Audacious Schroeder Lashes GOP; Lawmaker Leads the ChargeWhile Others Seek Cover,”Denver Post, June , ; “Schroeder Bows   Note on Sources: Out; House Career to End at Years,”Denver Post, November , ; Kathy Bonk, “The CampaignThat NeverWas,”Los AngelesTimes, November , ; John Brinkley, “Schroeder to Step Down,”Rocky Mountain News, November , ; “Schroeder Looks Back on  Terms,” Rocky Mountain News, November , ; “Pat Answers: Highs and Lows of Congress Never Got Schroeder Down,” Rocky Mountain News, December , ; “A BraveWoman Leaves Her Mark; Pat Schroeder Exits Congress,” Scripps Howard News Service, December , ; Fred Brown and Robert Kowalski, “Schroeder Kept Fighting Spirit,” Denver Post, September , ; Marian Christy, “Conversations; Schroeder— Without Tears,” Boston Globe, February , ; Marie Cocco, “No Ship Is Named for Pat Schroeder,” Plain Dealer (Cleveland), December , ; Diane Duston, “Longest-Serving Woman Leaving Congress,” Palm Beach Post, November , ; and Martha Ezzard, “Gutsy Schroeder Has Made Her Mark,” Atlanta Journal and Constitution, December , . Also, Susan Ferraro, “The Prime of Pat Schroeder,” New York Times Magazine, July , ; Phil Gailey, “Schroeder Considers Running for President,” NewYorkTimes, June , ; Michelle Green and David Chandler, “Pat Schroeder’s Ambition To Be First Lady in the Oval Office Nears the Moment of Truth,” People, September , ; Jane Gross, “Out of the House, but Still Focused on Family,” New York Times, April , ; Lloyd Grove, “Laying Down Her Quip; For Rep. Pat Schroeder, A Hard-Hitting Decision,” Washington Post, December , ; Douglas Harbrecht and Richard Fly, “Can Pat Schroeder Be More Than the ‘Women’s Candidate’?” Business Week, October , ; Melissa Healy, “Patricia Schroeder, Fighting for  Years to ExpandWomen’s Role in Government,” Los AngelesTimes, December , ; Karen Hosler, “Schroeder Announces Retirement from Office; House Liberal Leaves after -year Fight forWomen’s Rights,” Baltimore Sun, December , ; Karen Elliott House, “That’s No Pretty Young Thing . . .That’s Congresswoman Pat Schroeder,”Family Circle, July ;Tamar Jacoby, Howard Fineman, Sue Hutchison, and Michael Reese, “Women: A New Politics,” Newsweek, September , ;Tamara Jones, “‘IWon’t BeTinkerbell of Campaign’; Schroeder Seeks Answers in A Question-Mark Effort,” Los AngelesTimes, August , ; Guy Kelly, “How Pat Decided to Call it Quits,” Rocky Mountain News, December , . And further, Diane Mason, “Pat Schroeder: A Presidential Bid?” St. PetersburgTimes, July , ; Rudy Maxa, “TheVery Happy Signature of Rep. Pat Schroeder,” Washington Post Magazine, September , ; Winzola McLendon, “This Woman’s Place is in the House,” McCall’s, January ; Jane O’Reilly and Gloria Jacobs, “Watch Pat Run,” Ms., February ; T.R. Note on Sources   Reid, “Schroeder, Talking Tough; Message for ’ Tested on Whirlwind Tour,” Washington Post, August , , and “Schroeder Rules Out ’ Bid, Citing Time, Political Process,” Washington Post, September , ; Charles Roos, “PatWill Be Remembered for a Lot MoreThan Quips,”Rocky Mountain News, December , ; Roger Simon, “Schroeder’s Tears Make Women Cry,” Chicago Tribune, October , ; Paul Taylor, “Schroeder Pitches Families’ Plight; New Chair of Panel on ChildrenVows ItWill Be Seen and...