Two for the Cabinet

Two for the Cabinet focuses on the lives of two neighbors growing up in the smal rural township of Worcester, Pennsylvania. Senator Richard Schweiker was the second son of a businessman in the eastern region of the Pennsylvania Dutch area of Pennsylvania. Growing up next door to Richard during his teenage years, was Andrew (Drew) Lewis, the son of another businessman and golfing partner of Richard's father.

The relationship of Richard Schweiker and Drew Lewis had a significant impact on our national history. Senator Schweiker was selected by Reagan as his Vice-Presidential running mate in Reagan's 1976 attempt to wrestle the Republican nomination away from President Ford. Drew Lewis was Ford's man in Pennsylvania, and Schwieker's former campaign manger for 3 Congressional and one Senatorial camapigns.

The interaction of these three has never been told before. Through personal interviews and access to the private papers of both, the story can now be revealed. The Dutch culture that surrounded them as they grew with the their Christian backgound had significant impact.

In discovering their heritage and their political history we can understand their decisions which had such impact at the national level. We can understand why President Reagan valued both sufficiently to appoint them to the cabinet. That decision tells us a significant amount about Reagan's character and the nature of the individuals who surrounded him when he went to Washington.