(Encyclopedia) Bolton, John Robert, 1948–, U.S. government official, b. Baltimore, grad Yale (B.A., 1970; J.D., 1974). A conservative Republican who has supported hardline, unilateral approaches to…
(Encyclopedia) Bentsen, Lloyd Millard, Jr., 1921–2006, American political leader and U.S. secretary of the treasury (1993–94), b. Mission, Tex. He received a law degree from the Univ. of Texas in…
(Encyclopedia) Murray, Joseph Edward, 1919–2012, American surgeon, b. Milford, Mass., M.D. Harvard, 1943. Trained as a plastic surgeon, Murray became interested in organ transplants, performing the…
(Encyclopedia) Rebecca or RebekahRebeccaboth: rēbĕkˈə [key], wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob. One day, as was her custom, she drew water at the city well; while there she showed kindness to Eliezer…
(Encyclopedia) Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor Barnum)Barnum, P. T.fĭnˈēəs, bärˈnəm [key], 1810–91, American showman, b. Bethel, Conn. As a youth Barnum worked at diverse sales jobs and managed a…
(Encyclopedia) Gates, Robert Michael, 1943–, American government official, U.S. secretary of defense (2006–11), b. Wichita, Kans. A circumspect and pragmatic career intelligence officer, he joined (…
(Encyclopedia) Alito, Samuel Anthony, Jr. Alito, Samuel Anthony, Jr. əlēˈtō [key], 1950–, U.S. government official and judge, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (…
(Encyclopedia) Iran-contra affair, in U.S. history, secret arrangement in the 1980s to provide funds to the Nicaraguan contra rebels from profits gained by selling arms to Iran. The Iran-contra…
(Encyclopedia) Eagleburger, Lawrence Sidney, 1930–2011, U.S. government official, b. Milwaukee. A career diplomat, he joined the Foreign Service in 1957 and held a series of embassy, State Dept.,…
(Encyclopedia) Dukakis, Michael StanleyDukakis, Michael Stanleyd&oomacr;käkˈĭs [key], 1933–, American political leader, b. Brookline, Mass. He was a Democratic member of the Massachusetts house…