101 E Melrose St

Chevy Chase, MD

Tom Braden (b. February 22, 1917; d. April 3, 2009) was most recently known as co-host for the CNN show Crossfire, but his long career also included stints as a CIA operative, newspaper journalist and most notably, as the author of his autobiographical book Eight is Enough, which told of his misadventures as a father of eight children. Joan Ridley Braden started her political career working on campaigns for John and Robert Kennedy, both of whom were close friends. She later became coordinator of consumer affairs for the State Department and special assistant to the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs. She married Tom in 1948. Tom's book was the basis for the popular television series of the same name. While mixing and mingling with Washington's elite, the Bradens lived with their large brood in this house, located at 101 East Melrose St, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.