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The Dutch Prime Minister Is a Big Fan of Robert Moses The Dutch Prime Minister Is a Big Fan of Robert Caro
(about 1 hour later)
The last time Robert Caro set foot in Robert Moses’ office, Moses abruptly ended their interview and never spoke to him again. On a bright morning last week, Mr. Caro, 80, climbed into the back seat of a rented Toyota Camry to visit that office for the first time in 48 years.The last time Robert Caro set foot in Robert Moses’ office, Moses abruptly ended their interview and never spoke to him again. On a bright morning last week, Mr. Caro, 80, climbed into the back seat of a rented Toyota Camry to visit that office for the first time in 48 years.
In the interim, Mr. Caro’s biography of the public works titan, “The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York,” which he wrote for an advance of $5,000, has had 49 printings and was recently bought for publication in China, where it has been available in unauthorized editions.In the interim, Mr. Caro’s biography of the public works titan, “The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York,” which he wrote for an advance of $5,000, has had 49 printings and was recently bought for publication in China, where it has been available in unauthorized editions.
In the front seat of the car sat the prime minister of the Netherlands.In the front seat of the car sat the prime minister of the Netherlands.
“Hi, I’m Mark,” said the prime minister, Mark Rutte.“Hi, I’m Mark,” said the prime minister, Mark Rutte.
Mr. Rutte and his friend Koen Petersen, a historian and coffee company executive, had invited Mr. Caro to lunch last year and asked if he would someday show them some sights from the book. They said they visited the city every year with a copy of “The Power Broker.”Mr. Rutte and his friend Koen Petersen, a historian and coffee company executive, had invited Mr. Caro to lunch last year and asked if he would someday show them some sights from the book. They said they visited the city every year with a copy of “The Power Broker.”
“We’re like groupies,” Mr. Rutte said.“We’re like groupies,” Mr. Rutte said.
Now the day had arrived. Mr. Petersen drove the Camry. Prime Minister Rutte wore jeans and a blue blazer, the top two buttons of his shirt open.Now the day had arrived. Mr. Petersen drove the Camry. Prime Minister Rutte wore jeans and a blue blazer, the top two buttons of his shirt open.
Mr. Caro, who had overslept that morning because he was unsatisfied with something he was writing for the fifth volume of his biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, pointed out Moses handiwork, which was basically everything in sight: the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, the northern extension of the F.D.R. Drive, the massive public housing projects in Queens and Upper Manhattan.Mr. Caro, who had overslept that morning because he was unsatisfied with something he was writing for the fifth volume of his biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, pointed out Moses handiwork, which was basically everything in sight: the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, the northern extension of the F.D.R. Drive, the massive public housing projects in Queens and Upper Manhattan.
“Every building you see here was built by Robert Moses,” Mr. Caro said, gesturing toward the projects. “And there’s not a single architectural element to make them look better. Moses wanted the people living in them to feel poor.”“Every building you see here was built by Robert Moses,” Mr. Caro said, gesturing toward the projects. “And there’s not a single architectural element to make them look better. Moses wanted the people living in them to feel poor.”
We were bound for Randalls Island, where Moses based the Triborough Bridge Authority and built an office for himself, even though he already had four others — each with a lavish dining room and staff on duty, in case he chose to eat there, Mr. Caro said. Eventually, Moses had 12 offices, but he preferred this one because people had to work hard to reach him, and because they had to pay a toll to his agency, Mr. Caro said. The price of admission today was a short talk by Mr. Caro.We were bound for Randalls Island, where Moses based the Triborough Bridge Authority and built an office for himself, even though he already had four others — each with a lavish dining room and staff on duty, in case he chose to eat there, Mr. Caro said. Eventually, Moses had 12 offices, but he preferred this one because people had to work hard to reach him, and because they had to pay a toll to his agency, Mr. Caro said. The price of admission today was a short talk by Mr. Caro.
As soon as we left Manhattan we were lost. Which was fitting, Mr. Caro said. “I’m laughing because Moses didn’t want anyone coming here,” he said. “It’s still hard to find.”As soon as we left Manhattan we were lost. Which was fitting, Mr. Caro said. “I’m laughing because Moses didn’t want anyone coming here,” he said. “It’s still hard to find.”
Mr. Rutte for his part noted the generosity of people who gave directions, even when they were wrong. “It’s amazing how kind everyone is here in the U.S.,” he said.Mr. Rutte for his part noted the generosity of people who gave directions, even when they were wrong. “It’s amazing how kind everyone is here in the U.S.,” he said.
When we finally found the building, practically underneath the bridge, it brought back memories for Mr. Caro. “To visit Moses in that office was not pleasant,” he said. At the same time, the scale of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge — which Mr. Caro still calls the Triborough — was a testimony to Moses’ genius, Mr. Caro said, likening it to Picasso’s.When we finally found the building, practically underneath the bridge, it brought back memories for Mr. Caro. “To visit Moses in that office was not pleasant,” he said. At the same time, the scale of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge — which Mr. Caro still calls the Triborough — was a testimony to Moses’ genius, Mr. Caro said, likening it to Picasso’s.
“The impression you had was a guy shaking the city from this place in the center of the city, but no one could see him there,” he said.“The impression you had was a guy shaking the city from this place in the center of the city, but no one could see him there,” he said.
The Triborough Bridge Authority is now part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller created to force Moses from power, Mr. Caro said. “It was the only way to get him out. Moses didn’t think it could be done.”The Triborough Bridge Authority is now part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller created to force Moses from power, Mr. Caro said. “It was the only way to get him out. Moses didn’t think it could be done.”
Upstairs, Mr. Rutte squeezed into a cluttered room that had once been part of Moses’ office.Upstairs, Mr. Rutte squeezed into a cluttered room that had once been part of Moses’ office.
“And this is where you had your meeting with him?” Mr. Rutte asked Mr. Caro. “And the whole atmosphere was power?”“And this is where you had your meeting with him?” Mr. Rutte asked Mr. Caro. “And the whole atmosphere was power?”
It was, Mr. Caro said. “He had one telephone, and everyone who came to see him, even if you were the governor or the mayor, had to wait until he got off the phone.”It was, Mr. Caro said. “He had one telephone, and everyone who came to see him, even if you were the governor or the mayor, had to wait until he got off the phone.”
The prime minister said he was not tempted to emulate Moses. “You could never do that in the Netherlands,” he said. “It’s too egalitarian of a country. I hasten to add that that’s a good thing.”The prime minister said he was not tempted to emulate Moses. “You could never do that in the Netherlands,” he said. “It’s too egalitarian of a country. I hasten to add that that’s a good thing.”
Mary Hedge, the archivist for the authority, wore a button that read “I Finished The Power Broker.” Near the end of the visit she gave it to Mr. Rutte.Mary Hedge, the archivist for the authority, wore a button that read “I Finished The Power Broker.” Near the end of the visit she gave it to Mr. Rutte.
Soon it was time to see another of Moses’ works, the Cross-Bronx Expressway, whose construction devastated a mile-long swath of the Bronx, uprooting a stable low-income neighborhood and leaving urban misery in its place.Soon it was time to see another of Moses’ works, the Cross-Bronx Expressway, whose construction devastated a mile-long swath of the Bronx, uprooting a stable low-income neighborhood and leaving urban misery in its place.
When Mr. Caro was working on that part of the book, he said, it made him depressed and angry. He’d track down people who had been displaced, and the word they used to describe their lives afterward was “lonely.”When Mr. Caro was working on that part of the book, he said, it made him depressed and angry. He’d track down people who had been displaced, and the word they used to describe their lives afterward was “lonely.”
“‘Lonely’ is a word that you never use unless you’re really lonely,” Mr. Caro said.“‘Lonely’ is a word that you never use unless you’re really lonely,” Mr. Caro said.
In that period, he said, he was also struggling to pay his own bills. He had long since spent his advance, and when he delivered a half-million words to his editor in hopes of shaking loose some more money, the response was not good. The editor took him to a cheap Chinese restaurant. “He said, ‘Everybody loved it, but no one’s going to read a book about Robert Moses, so you have to brace yourself for a small printing,’” Mr. Caro said. “I just couldn’t see a way forward.”In that period, he said, he was also struggling to pay his own bills. He had long since spent his advance, and when he delivered a half-million words to his editor in hopes of shaking loose some more money, the response was not good. The editor took him to a cheap Chinese restaurant. “He said, ‘Everybody loved it, but no one’s going to read a book about Robert Moses, so you have to brace yourself for a small printing,’” Mr. Caro said. “I just couldn’t see a way forward.”
Finally he found one, with another publisher and four long excerpts in The New Yorker. When his agent, Lynn Nesbit, told him how much the magazine would pay, he said, “I asked, ‘How long does a check like that take to clear?’ She said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because we’ve always wanted to go to France.’” The next day Mr. Caro and his wife, Ina, were on an airplane. They asked the stewardess on board to recommend an inexpensive hotel.Finally he found one, with another publisher and four long excerpts in The New Yorker. When his agent, Lynn Nesbit, told him how much the magazine would pay, he said, “I asked, ‘How long does a check like that take to clear?’ She said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because we’ve always wanted to go to France.’” The next day Mr. Caro and his wife, Ina, were on an airplane. They asked the stewardess on board to recommend an inexpensive hotel.
At lunch on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, Mr. Caro apologized for repeating several anecdotes during the morning. “I’m going to shut up now,” he said. Then he told some more. “Now you see why my books take so long,” he said.At lunch on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, Mr. Caro apologized for repeating several anecdotes during the morning. “I’m going to shut up now,” he said. Then he told some more. “Now you see why my books take so long,” he said.
The restaurant was called Mario’s, and it was nearly a century old. Mr. Caro and his wife had been going there for decades. A 94-year-old woman sat in the corner with a serious martini, which she recommended for others who hoped to see 94. She had white hair and a lively smile.The restaurant was called Mario’s, and it was nearly a century old. Mr. Caro and his wife had been going there for decades. A 94-year-old woman sat in the corner with a serious martini, which she recommended for others who hoped to see 94. She had white hair and a lively smile.
“Amsterdam is a very liberal city,” she chided the Dutch visitors, wagging a playful finger.“Amsterdam is a very liberal city,” she chided the Dutch visitors, wagging a playful finger.
The West Side Highway was next, with two perspectives on Moses: the visionary beauty of Riverside Park, and the ugliness of a Harlem playground that Moses had built under duress. On the trellises of the playground’s comfort station, Moses had ordered wrought-iron monkeys, a commentary on the people who might be using it.The West Side Highway was next, with two perspectives on Moses: the visionary beauty of Riverside Park, and the ugliness of a Harlem playground that Moses had built under duress. On the trellises of the playground’s comfort station, Moses had ordered wrought-iron monkeys, a commentary on the people who might be using it.
“He was the most racist person I ever met,” Mr. Caro said. The trellises have since been removed.“He was the most racist person I ever met,” Mr. Caro said. The trellises have since been removed.
The playground now looked modest but lively, a survivor of Moses’ ill will. Much has changed since “The Power Broker” came out in 1974, when it earned its subtitle about “The Fall of New York.”The playground now looked modest but lively, a survivor of Moses’ ill will. Much has changed since “The Power Broker” came out in 1974, when it earned its subtitle about “The Fall of New York.”
Mr. Caro said the subtitle reflected the city as Moses left it: crime rising, schools decaying, the city’s finances crumbling. Now the verdict feels premature.Mr. Caro said the subtitle reflected the city as Moses left it: crime rising, schools decaying, the city’s finances crumbling. Now the verdict feels premature.
For Mr. Rutte, a lesson of the intervening years was that “leadership does matter,” he said, adding: “I used to walk in the Bowery in the early 1980s and it was not safe. It went from this to Disneyland under Giuliani and Bloomberg. This is now one of the best-run big cities in the world.”For Mr. Rutte, a lesson of the intervening years was that “leadership does matter,” he said, adding: “I used to walk in the Bowery in the early 1980s and it was not safe. It went from this to Disneyland under Giuliani and Bloomberg. This is now one of the best-run big cities in the world.”
Mr. Caro wondered. “I don’t know if people would say that now,” he said.Mr. Caro wondered. “I don’t know if people would say that now,” he said.
“New York has been coming back from Moses for 40 years,” he said. “Is it starting to tip in the other direction?” He let the question hang. And we were off to another destination, this one as ambivalent in its import as the last.“New York has been coming back from Moses for 40 years,” he said. “Is it starting to tip in the other direction?” He let the question hang. And we were off to another destination, this one as ambivalent in its import as the last.