That Perlstein review is terrible. There is no need to refute it point by point, just read it closely to see how Perlstein's arguments do not agree with the evidence he provides. And I'll let Hamby's grasp of the historiography stand for itself, just check the notes at the back of "For the Survival of Democracy." The big issue is that Perlstein misses the point entirely. Hamby admires FDR generally, but thinks he deserves some criticism, and not for being too conservative. Perlstein's kneejerk reaction is exactly what Hamby is hoping to move beyond. His review reminds me of a story I heard from a teacher friend who had a student who accused him of "showing his politics" [conservative] for saying the New Deal didn't end the Great Depression. Whose politics?