From Blackie's Desk: Reading Finding the Third Way by Lanny Davis ’63

By Blackie Parlin, former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist 

This past April, Lanny Davis ’63 published his autobiography, Finding the Third Way: Lessons in the Politics of Civility from My Journey Through History. Blackie Parlin, NA’s beloved former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist, sat down to read the autobiography of his former student and gives us a summary of what to expect: 

Finding the Third Way by Lanny Davis is an autobiography with a philosophical moral concept running through it. (I can call him Lanny because he was my student, and we have a close friendship.) In his book, Lanny describes in some detail his middle-class upbringing in Jersey City: loving parents, public school No. 17, the Jewish Community Center, popular songs on the radio, the Giants. A reader would love to have more detail on the decision for Lanny to go to Newark Academy — was that Lanny’s initiative or a parental decision? At any rate, it established a new and solid foundation that led to Yale, Yale Law School, involvement in political life and a prestigious legal career. 

With a Yale law degree, Lanny moved into the world of Vietnam and Kennedy/ Johnson/Nixon/George Wallace. He worked on the campaigns of Democratic politicians like Edward Muskie. Ultimately, Lanny has had a distinguished career as lawyer, advisor and consultant to a number of prominent people and companies. Most famous has been his association with Bill and Hillary Clinton. He served as Clinton’s special counsel from 1996 to 1998. 

Lanny makes an interesting observation about his legal career: “I never once got to argue a case before a jury…representing either a plaintiff or defendant in a private suit. I found the ‘sweet spot’ of compromise between the two opposing positions…” This is the “third way.” 

The book’s subtitle reads, Lessons in the Politics of Civility from My Journey Through History. The lesson of compromise emanates from many sources. His father taught Lanny how to treat people who were different. Along the way, many good people expressed the “third way.” William Buckley, for example, says, “You can argue your convictions while still being civil with others who differ from you.” 

Perhaps the most interesting quotation is by Chuck Colson, Nixon’s hatchet man. Meeting Lanny years later, Colson said, “I’m the guy who put you on Nixon’s enemy list. That was wrong. Please forgive me.” Lanny’s response: “Of course I forgive you, Mr. Colson. And please forgive me and my late Dad, for we used the word ‘hate’ about you.” 

Lanny is a very talented person; he has had a distinguished career, which he describes in some detail in his autobiography. Newark Academy can take pride in its role in launching Lanny’s success. His Lessons on the Politics of Civility deserve to be widely recognized. 

Our nation has had a number of periods of sharp acrimony and division and heretofore has always seen significant spiritual unification. One hopes that this recovery of unity, aided by counsel such as that given by Lanny, will prevail again.