"Examines the political career of Reubin Askew, whose election as governor in 1970 marked the beginning of a golden age in Florida's politics"--

The 57 Club was the self-assigned name of the thirty-nine legislators first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1956. Karl's fascinating autobiography not only recalls those years, when Florida was in the midst of a transformation away from its rural, racially segregated, Deep South roots, but also offers intimate details into a half century of public service. By sharing his own experiences and reactions, describing what he witnessed or heard along the way, and telling stories about friends and colleagues, Karl gives readers a front row seat to some of the most captivating and turbulent moments in twentieth-century Florida politics. His insights into how the legislature functions--from the politics of committee assignments to the usefulness of lobbyists, from the savvy use of rules on the floor to debating skills, from polite ways of punishing unethical colleagues to the use of humor to calm angry exchanges, and much more--all make for an absorbing tale.

Likely to raise hackles among Democrats and Republicans alike, this dynamic history of modern Florida argues that the Sunshine State has become the political and demographic future of the nation. David Colburn reveals how Florida gradually abandoned the traditions of race and personality that linked it to the Democratic Party. The book focuses particularly on the population growth and chaotic gubernatorial politics that altered the state from 1940, when it was a sleepy impoverished southern outpost, to the present and the emergence of a dominant Republican Party.

Reubin Askew, governor of Florida at the time of this interview, describes his approach to politics and comments on the political character of Florida and the American South. Askew was running for reelection at the time of this interview (he won), and he uses it to celebrate his agenda, pointing to successes and burnishing his image as a straight-shooter. While he denies an interest in national politics, he sees the South, strengthened by economic growth, and southern politicians playing an increasingly important role in the US.