The Life and Times of Richard J. Hughes: The Politics of Civility

Introduction

1 R ichard J. Hughes, the only person to serve as both governor and chief justice of New Jersey, was also the state’s first Catholic governor. He was also the first truly modern governor to lead the state. Known on both the national and international political stage, Hughes won widespread praise for chairing the Credentials Committee at the contentious 1968 Democratic National Convention, and he was one of Hubert Humphrey’s finalists as vice-presidential running mate. Hughes was a close and trusted friend to President Lyndon Baines Johnson, leading to his involvement in the historic Glassboro Summit, during which President Johnson and Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin engaged in crucial diplomatic talks in the wake of the Six-Day War. In addition to his governorship, Hughes’s multifaceted career included six years as chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, ten years as a superior court judge on both the trial court and the Appellate Division, four years as an Assistant United States Attorney, and many years in private practice. During his eighty-three years, he met hundreds of thousands of people, decided thousands of cases, signed innumerable bills into law, gave thousands of speeches, and appointed hundreds of judges, prosecutors, and other government officials. In addition to Johnson and Humphrey, Hughes forged relationships with many U.S. leaders including John F. and Robert F. Kennedy, and Nelson Rockefeller, and he traveled the world as a U.S. emissary, even monitoring the 1967 South Vietnam elections. Born to a working-class family with strong commitments to the Democratic Party and the Catholic Church, Hughes did not particularly excel in school; however, he greatly expanded his knowledge as a result of his love of Introduction The LIFE and TIMES of R ICHARD J. HUGHES 2 reading. From an early age, he was inspired by his father’s deep involvement in Democratic politics, and this homegrown political education impelled the young Hughes to pursue a political path. His admiration for Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt convinced him of the importance of government and its role in helping the less fortunate in society. Devoted both to his Catholic faith and his Irish heritage, Hughes became an Irish politician of the best kind. A great storyteller, he could win over an audience with wit and humor—much of which was self-deprecating. The father of ten, he was devoted to his family, devastated by the loss of both his wives, and deeply concerned about the futures of his children. Richard J. Hughes was a man of strong convictions and ideals, but also a man who knew how to compromise. He could argue fiercely with an opponent and immediately afterward enjoy a friendly drink with the same person. There was hardly a person who disliked Hughes, and he was always able to find the good in others. For him, political disagreements were never personal. While he was a strong and dedicated Democrat, he had deep personal friendships with many Republicans. Early on, Hughes gained the nickname “two buckets.” This name reflected his ability to satisfy both sides of a dispute. As one student of his style put it, the name captured his capacity to balance two pails of water on his shoulders without spilling a drop.1 His son Robert recalled: “He was nicknamed two buckets, given that name by the late New Jersey Congressman Frank Thompson because of Dad’s instinctive practice of trying to bring about compromise between warring factions of a political party, or two sides of a litigation. . . . [H]e understood that, in the world of politics, the finding of common ground would enable the party to do the most good for the most people.”2 People who knew Hughes refer to him as a “great guy,” a “considerate person,” a “caring individual.” They rarely bring up his brilliance or keen intellect. However, one of the lawyers who worked most closely with Hughes throughout his career described him as the smartest person in any room, even though he never projected that image. Hughes was never one to flaunt his intelligence and preferred to be seen as a man of the people. Late in his life, when asked how he wanted to be remembered, Hughes said: “I don’t want to be remembered as a great governor. I don’t think I was. I’d like people to say, ‘He was a good man and he tried his best.’ ”3 Hughes had an extraordinary zest for...