When he was seven years old,
his family was forced out of their home on a legal
technicality, and he had to work to help support
them.
At age nine, his mother died.
At 22, he lost his job as a store clerk.
He wanted to go to law school, but his education
wasn’t good enough.
At 23, he went into debt to become a partner in a
small store.
At 26, his business partner died,
leaving him a huge debt that took years to repay.
At 28, after courting a girl for four years,
he asked her to marry him.
She said no.
At 37, on his third try he was elected to Congress,
but two years later, he failed to be reelected.
At 41, his four-year-old son died.
At 45, he ran for the Senate and lost.
At 47, he failed as the vice-presidential
...