Prologue: The origins of Desk 88 -- Hugo Black: finding light in the shadows -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Theodore Francis Green: a traitor to his class -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Glen Taylor: the singing cowboy from Kooskia -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Herbert H. Lehman: pursuing a different family business -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Al Gore, Sr.: leading from the South -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- William Proxmire: a workhorse and a showhorse -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Robert F. Kennedy: a voice for those without a voice -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- George McGovern: feeding the hungry -- Thoughts from Desk 88 -- Further thoughts from Desk 88-about 2020 and beyond -- Epilogue: Carving a place in history