On February 28th we lost one of the heavyweights in political thought, one whose work largely came to define liberal thought in the mid-20th Century.  Born in 1917, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. was a speechwriter and Presidential assistant for John F. Kennedy, and speechwriter for Presidential candidates from Adlai Stevenson to Robert F. Kennedy and George McGovern.  At this time of progressive resurgence it is worth reflecting on what Schlesinger represented and his contributions to liberal theory.