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Sometimes history needs a person standing like a rock in the stream, altering the flow.

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I saw McCarthy's quote and I wondered, 'What did he win?' He seemed to have lost more than he gained, especially in terms of respect ... of his peers, of his country. Sadly, his second loss includes us all. So he marches forward without the key to it all: His heart.

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That's exactly how Henry Clay felt. He didn't want the presidency if it meant compromising his values. He was the first speaker of the house and though he came close he never became president. He was one of the most influential men of his time and in the end was the mentor of Abraham Lincoln. He figures strongly in the adult historical novel I'm currently working on. I really like him.

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