Chapter summaries Glorious Rivals Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Chapter 10 Conclusion: Two Hands on the Wheel — Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens in March 2012 at the BPC gala honoring Senators Howard Baker and Bob Dole in the Mellon Auditorium. The event features warm tributes from Vice President Joe Biden and other former senators, highlighting the bipartisanship and bravery of the honorees. A humorous high point occurs when Senator Pat Roberts leads the crowd in singing “Sweet Robert Dole” to the tune of “Sweet Caroline.” The mood deflates when Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell each argue that the Founders designed the Senate to be slow and gridlocked, implying dysfunction is inevitable. The authors reject that excuse, insisting the Founders envisioned engaged, courageous legislators, not paralysis. They then diagnose the root problem: the breakdown of personal relationships among members. They argue that the conventional scapegoats—hostile media, ideological sorting, money—have always existed and cannot explain modern gridlock. Instead, they propose rebuilding collegiality through concrete steps: more time in session, more committee deliberation, fewer cameras, reformed campaign finance, and simpler election rules. The chapter references the Watergate Babies of 1974 as a generation that sought reform but warns against overcorrection into excessive transparency and rigidity. The conclusion urges readers to “grab the wheel” and restore a working democracy.

Key Events

  • The BPC gala honoring Howard Baker and Bob Dole takes place in the Mellon Auditorium in March 2012.
  • Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks praising Dole’s respect for political adversaries.
  • Former senators (Pete Domenici, Bill Frist, Tom Daschle, Lamar Alexander) share stories of Baker’s courage, especially regarding the Panama Canal Treaty.
  • Senator Pat Roberts leads an audience sing-along of “Sweet Robert Dole,” which unites the crowd in lightheartedness.
  • Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell each speak, attributing current gridlock to the Founders’ design.
  • The authors rebut the Reid-McConnell view, asserting that the Founders intended an energetic system of checks, not paralysis.
  • The chapter outlines a new diagnosis: the loss of personal relationships and community in Washington.
  • The authors propose specific reforms, such as more in-session time, committee work, and reduced campaign finance influence.
  • The reference to the Watergate Babies (1974 class) illustrates a past reform movement whose unintended consequences have contributed to today’s dysfunction.
  • The final call to action: “It is time to grab the wheel. Our democracy depends on it.”

Character Development

  • Howard Baker and Bob Dole – Depicted as exemplars of principled bipartisanship, willing to take unpopular stands for the national good. Their careers are held up as models of effective, respectful political leadership.
  • Joe Biden – Portrayed as a sincere participant whose remarks highlight Dole’s habit of treating all individuals with dignity, reinforcing the theme of personal respect.
  • Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell – Presented as frustrated realists who use the Founders’ intentions as an excuse for gridlock. The authors critique their resignation and contrast it with the collaborative spirit of the evening.
  • Watergate Babies (Max Baucus, Tom Harkin, George Miller, Henry Waxman, Patrick Leahy) – Referenced as a generation that successfully pushed for transparency and ethics reforms but whose legacy now shows the unintended side effects of excessive constraints on deliberation.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

  • Two Hands on the Wheel – The title symbol reminds readers that democracy is a shared responsibility; citizens and leaders must actively steer the ship of state rather than accept drift.
  • Collegiality vs. Gridlock – The core tension of the chapter. The gala represents what Washington could be; Reid and McConnell’s speeches represent the current reality. The authors argue that rebuilding personal relationships is the antidote to institutional paralysis.
  • The “Sweet Robert Dole” Sing-Along – A motif of silliness and joy that momentarily breaks partisan barriers, showing how shared humanity can cut through political animosity.
  • The Founders’ Intent – Used by Reid and McConnell as a defensive argument, but reinterpreted by the authors as a charge to embrace energetic debate, not avoidance.
  • The Watergate Reform Legacy – A cautionary tale that well-intentioned reforms (transparency, ethics rules) can, when taken to extremes, hinder governance and discourage collaboration.

Why This Chapter Matters

This concluding chapter delivers the book’s central prescription: fixing Washington requires restoring the social and professional bonds among lawmakers. It rejects the fatalism that has become common in political discourse and instead offers a practical, incremental path forward. By contrasting the spirit of the Baker-Dole gala with the dysfunction of ordinary Senate business, the authors make an emotional as well as logical case for reform. The chapter also provides a historical anchor by examining the Watergate Babies’ reform legacy, showing that today’s problems are not entirely new but have been shaped by previous well-meaning attempts to improve government. The call to action is urgent but hopeful: democracy can be repaired if citizens and leaders take responsibility.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How do Reid and McConnell’s speeches at the gala conflict with the event’s spirit, and what argument do the authors offer in response?

Reid and McConnell each suggest that Senate dysfunction is baked into the Founders’ design—Reid cites the slow, obstacle-course structure, while McConnell says the Senate was “designed to be slow and painful.” The authors counter that the Founders envisioned an “energetic system of checks, balances, and debate,” not near-paralysis. They argue that using the Founders as an excuse for gridlock ignores the original intent of engaged, courageous governance.

2. What does the chapter identify as the true cause of Washington gridlock, beyond common scapegoats?

The authors argue that the conventional scapegoats—hostile media, ideological sorting of voters, and the influence of moneyed interests—have always existed and cannot explain the current crisis. The true cause is the erosion of personal relationships and community among members of Congress. Many lawmakers today do not even know each other’s names, let alone spend time debating or socializing, which prevents the trust needed for compromise and cooperation.

3. What specific reforms does the chapter propose to rebuild collegiality and functionality?

The authors propose a set of incremental changes: members should spend more time in session, deliberate in committees, take trips together, and occasionally turn off cameras. Campaign finance rules should direct money away from Super PACs and back to political parties. Election rules that discourage participation and reward rigidity should be changed. And restrictions preventing good people from entering public service should be undone. The goal is to spark a virtuous cycle where collegiality leads to legislative achievement, which rebuilds public trust.

Navigation