Robert S. Strauss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert S. Strauss
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| United States Ambassador to Russia | |
| In office December 26, 1991 – November 19, 1992 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Tom Pickering |
| United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union | |
| In office August 24, 1991 – December 26, 1991 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Jack F. Matlock Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| United States Special Envoy for the Middle East |
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| In office May 4, 1979 – November 25, 1979 |
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| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Sol Linowitz |
| 6th United States Trade Representative | |
| In office March 30, 1977 – August 17, 1979 |
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| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Frederick B. Dent |
| Succeeded by | Reubin Askew |
| Chair of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office December 9, 1972 – January 21, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Jean Westwood |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Curtis |
| Treasurer of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office March 5, 1970 – December 9, 1972 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick O'Connor |
| Succeeded by | Donald Petrie |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Schwarz Strauss
October 19, 1918 Lockhart, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 19, 2014 (aged 95) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Helen Jacobs |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Annette Strauss |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA, LLB) |
Robert Schwarz Strauss (born October 19, 1918 – died March 19, 2014) was an important person in American politics, law, and diplomacy. He worked with many presidents and helped shape the country's direction for decades. He was known for his amazing skills in negotiation and for always telling the truth, even when it was hard to hear.
Strauss started his career helping Lyndon B. Johnson in his first political campaign in 1937. He later became the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1972 to 1977. He also served under President Jimmy Carter as the top trade official and a special helper for peace in the Middle East. Later, he became the last United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union and then the first Ambassador to Russia under President George H. W. Bush.
Besides his government work, Strauss was a successful lawyer. He co-founded a law firm called Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in 1945. This firm grew to be one of the largest in the world. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981, which is the highest award a civilian can get in the U.S.
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Early Life and Education
Robert Strauss was born in Lockhart, Texas, a town south of Austin. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany. When he was a baby, his family moved to a small town called Hamlin, and later to Stamford. His father owned a small general store there.
Strauss went to the University of Texas at Austin. While studying, he volunteered for Lyndon B. Johnson's first campaign for Congress in 1937. He also worked part-time for the Texas State Legislature. After finishing law school, he became a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) during World War II.
After the war, Strauss moved to Dallas. He and another FBI agent, Richard A. Gump, started their own law firm. This firm, which began as Gump and Strauss, eventually became the big international law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.
Texas Politics and Fundraising
Strauss and his wife, Helen Jacobs, were very active in charities and community events. Strauss became excellent at raising money for the Democratic Party. In the 1950s, his law school friend, John Connally, worked for Lyndon B. Johnson, who was then a powerful leader in the Senate.
When John F. Kennedy became President and Johnson became Vice President in 1960, Connally was appointed Secretary of the Navy. Strauss encouraged Connally to return to Texas and run for governor. Strauss's skills in advising campaigns and raising money were key to Connally's victory.
Connally's election helped Strauss connect with important business people in Dallas. Governor Connally appointed Strauss to the Texas Banking Commission, and Strauss's law firm grew bigger and more successful.
In November 1963, President Kennedy was shot in Dallas while riding with Governor Connally. Connally was also hurt but recovered. Johnson then became President. Strauss was not part of Johnson's closest team, but his connection to Connally brought him closer to the President. Strauss learned a valuable lesson: always tell a president the honest truth, even if it's not what they want to hear.
National Political Roles
The 1968 election was won by Republican Richard Nixon, leaving the Democratic Party divided. Strauss opened a law office in Washington, D.C. and became the Treasurer of the Democratic Party in 1970.
In 1972, the Democrats chose George McGovern as their candidate, but he lost badly to Nixon. After this big loss, Strauss was elected Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He worked hard to rebuild the party's money and planned a very organized national convention in New York City. He wanted to make sure the convention was smooth, unlike the chaotic ones in 1968 and 1972.
By the time of the 1976 convention, Jimmy Carter, a former Georgia Governor, unexpectedly won the nomination. Strauss managed the convention perfectly. He made sure Carter's speech was shown during prime time on TV. The convention ended with a powerful image of the party's leaders, from different viewpoints, standing united with Carter. Everyone gave credit to Chairman Strauss for this success. Carter then asked Strauss to lead his election campaign.
Carter won the election, and Strauss was seen as a very important political strategist.
Serving President Carter
After becoming president in 1977, Carter made Strauss the U.S. Trade Representative. This job was like being a cabinet member. Strauss used his great negotiation skills to improve America's trade relationships with other countries. He helped complete a major trade agreement called the Tokyo Round and got it approved by the US Congress.
Then, Carter asked Strauss to take on an even bigger challenge: to be his special helper for peace talks in the Middle East. Carter had already achieved the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. Carter hoped Strauss could build on this success.
In 1980, Strauss again led Carter's re-election campaign, but Carter did not win. Before leaving office, President Carter gave Robert Strauss the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award for a civilian in the U.S. Strauss then went back to his law firm in Washington.
Working with President Reagan
After Carter, Ronald Reagan became president. Reagan also faced challenges, including the Iran-Contra affair. Some of Reagan's advisors believed his Chief of Staff, Donald Regan, was making things worse. Nancy Reagan, the First Lady, and an advisor, Michael Deaver, quietly asked Strauss for help.
Strauss told Reagan the honest truth: Donald Regan was causing problems, and the White House needed a new Chief of Staff who could fix relationships, especially with Congress. Strauss suggested former Senator Howard Baker, a Republican respected by everyone. Reagan was annoyed at first, but a few days later, Regan resigned, and Baker was appointed. Baker helped Reagan recover from the controversy, and Reagan left office very popular.
Strauss was later appointed to co-chair the National Economic Commission, which worked on solving the large federal budget deficit.
Serving President Bush
When George H. W. Bush became president in 1988, he also sought Strauss's advice. The Soviet Union was changing, with President Mikhail Gorbachev trying to reform the country's communist system. Bush appointed Strauss as the Ambassador to the Soviet Union. He hoped Strauss's negotiation skills would help with this big change. It was said that Bush chose Strauss because Strauss had voted against Bush and planned to do so again, showing Bush valued honest advice.
In August 1991, some hard-line communists tried to take control in the Soviet Union. The attempt failed, but Gorbachev's power was weakened. Strauss presented his official papers to Gorbachev just hours after Gorbachev resigned as head of the Communist Party.
While Strauss was in Moscow, Boris Yeltsin became the most powerful leader in Russia. The Soviet Union officially broke apart and was replaced by a loose group of countries called the Commonwealth of Independent States. In December, Gorbachev resigned as president of a country that no longer existed. Strauss was quickly reappointed as Ambassador to the new Russian Federation. With Strauss's help, Yeltsin quickly built good relationships with the United States. Strauss resigned after the 1992 presidential election and returned to his law firm.
Later Years and Legacy
In his later years, Robert Strauss continued to be a popular public speaker and lecturer. He wrote articles about law, business, and public affairs for many publications. He also served on the boards of large companies like Xerox. He held a special teaching position at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught students about law, business, and public affairs. He also chaired the U.S.-Russia Business Council.
His sister-in-law, Annette Strauss, served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 1987 to 1991.
Robert Strauss passed away on March 19, 2014, at his home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 95. He left behind a legacy of dedicated public service and skillful diplomacy.
See also
- List of U.S. political appointments that crossed party lines
