Interview with Janet Humphrey, February 20, 1981

Partial Transcript: Why don't we, um, begin by getting a little background information on yourself.

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey recalls when she first met Cooper.

Keywords: Bosses; Campaigning; East Coast; Family; Friends; George Ellis; John Dietrich; John Sherman Cooper; Lincoln Dinner; National committeeman; Political campaigns; Preparatory schools; Senators; Tourists; University; Widows

Subjects: Ashland (Ky.); Kentucky; Phillips Academy; Politicians; Retirement; Staff

Partial Transcript: Well, how did you end up working for Senator Cooper?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey details what it was like working for Senator Cooper. Dynamics of the staff are examined, including the background and outstanding work of lead administrative assistant Lee White.

Keywords: Adversity; Bills; Constituents; Dating; Democrats; Elections; Hoover Commission; Jackie Kennedy; Jewish people; Job offers; John Dietrich; John Sherman Cooper; Joseph Kennedy; Lee White; Lincoln Day Dinner; Lorraine Cooper; Military; Northeast; Political campaigns; Power struggles; Secretary; Senators; Thruston Morton; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; White House

Subjects: Administrative assistants; Agriculture; Ashland (Ky.); Change; Frankfort (Ky.); Friends; Kentuckians; Letters; Louisville (Ky.); Management; Politicians; Somerset (Ky.); Speeches; Staff; Washington (D.C.); Work; Yale University

Partial Transcript: Did, uh--Senator Cooper, uh, take an interest in the organization and the day-to-day running of the office?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey discusses how involved Cooper was in the daily operations of the Washington, D.C. office.

Keywords: Children; Constituents; Decorating; Decorum; Jimmy Carter; John Sherman Cooper; Lee White; Lorraine Cooper; Senators

Subjects: Inauguration Day; Interns; Kentucky; Politicians; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Let's talk for a minute about the constituents.

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey describes how much Cooper valued his constituents.

Keywords: Bosses; City government; Constituents; John Sherman Cooper; Louisville (Ky.); Reception rooms; Secretary's gallery; Senate floor; Small towns; Thruston Morton; Visitor's galleries; Workers

Subjects: Capital; Draft; Kentucky; Letters; Mountains; Politicians; Popular; Pulaski County (Ky.); Reputation; Somerset (Ky.); Staff; Travel; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: What was your role in the '60 campaign? Let's, let's talk about that for a little while.

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey illustrates her role in Cooper's 1960 Senatorial campaign.

Keywords: 1960 Senatorial campaign; Co-chairman; Finances; Headquarters; John Sherman Cooper; Keen Johnson; Kentucky politics; Louie B. Nunn; Political campaigns; Politics; Polls; Press conference; Secretary; State Central Committee; State campaigns; Unions

Subjects: Cost; Kentuckians; Politicians; Publicity; Somerset (Ky.); Speech; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: What was the strategy of the '60 campaign?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey explains the main strategy of Cooper's 1960 Senatorial campaign. Humphrey also talks of how the campaign approached getting women's votes in Kentucky.

Keywords: 1960 Senatorial campaign; Anti-Catholic; Campaign finances; Committees; Contributions; Eastern Kentucky; Friends; Fundraising groups; Henry Clay Estate; Issues; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Kickoff speeches; National committees; Political campaigns; Politics; Power struggles; Presidents; Psychology; Republican Party debts; Republicans; Thruston Morton; Young Republicans

Subjects: Debt; Kentucky; Mail; Manchester (Ky.); Patronage; Politicians; Travel

Partial Transcript: What did you try to emphasize?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey articulates the primary emphasis of Cooper's 1960 Senatorial campaign. Humphrey recalls what it felt like after Cooper won the election.

Keywords: 1960 Senatorial campaign; Campaign programs; Elections; Friends; John Sherman Cooper; John Y. Brown; Keen Johnson; Opponents; Political campaigns; Political candidates; Politics; Reports; Widows

Subjects: Absentee voting; Ashland (Ky.); Kentucky; Politicians; Views; Voting

Partial Transcript: What was it like then returning to the Senate office in, in, uh, '60, after the, after the campaign? What was the feeling in the office then?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey details what it was like to work at Senator Cooper's office after the 1960 election win.

Keywords: Administrative assistants; Administrators; Constituents; Expectations; John Sherman Cooper; Lee White; Political candidates; Republican headquarters; Running for office; Senators; Thruston Morton; Treatment; Voters

Subjects: Barbourville (Ky.); Business; Kentucky; Management; Planning; Politicians; Staff; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Washington (D.C.); Work

Partial Transcript: Did you get a feeling for the Senators that Senator Cooper was closest to during this period?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey discusses some of the more interesting visitors that came to Cooper's Washington, D.C. office. Humphrey also characterizes some of Cooper's work habits.

Keywords: Central Kentucky; Constituents; Dinner parties; Family; Fast; Georgetown (Washington, D.C.); Issues; Jane Barkley; John Sherman Cooper; Military installations; Prescott Bush; Problems; Schedules; U.S. Ambassador to India; Visitors; World War II

Subjects: Christmas; Connecticut; Death; Death threats; Holidays; India; Indians; Kentuckians; Mail; Meetings; New England; Police; Politicians; Shorthand; Speech; Swimming; Thanksgiving; Washington (D.C.); Work; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: What about his social life in Washington, that was pretty active too, wasn't it?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey talks of Cooper's social life in Washington, D.C. Humphrey also discusses Cooper's often fractured relationship with the press.

Keywords: Broadcasting company; Confidentiality; Congressional directory; Constituents; Ethics committee; Georgetown, Washington (D.C.); Jackie Kennedy; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Newspapers; Richard Harwood; Socializing; Time Magazine; Vacations; Warren Commission; Woodward & Bernstein

Subjects: Gossip; India; Journalists; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Missionaries; Native Americans; Philosophy; Politicians; Press; Social life; United States. Department of State; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Now, you worked in the '66 campaign too, right?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey briefly talks of Cooper's 1966 Senatorial campaign. Humphrey also highlights how Cooper's campaigns in the 1950s were affected by his having been married twice.

Keywords: 1966 Senatorial campaign; Bible Belt; Co-chairman; Divorce; Expectations; Federal employees; Finances; Friends; Internal Revenue Service; Issues; John Sherman Cooper; Levi Jackson State Park (Ky.); Lorraine Cooper; Marriages; Opponents; Political campaigns; Senate; World War II

Subjects: Children; Integrity; Kentuckians; Kentucky; London (Ky.); Maine; Marriage; Money; Politicians; Salaries; Smoking; Society; Speech; Staff; Travel; Washington (D.C.); Wealth; Wives; Women; Work; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: After the '66 election, Cooper announced soon after that that he wasn't gonna run again...

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey explains what prompted her to quit her position as a receptionist at Cooper's D.C. office in 1967. Humphrey describes Cooper's second wife, Lorraine.

Keywords: Chairman; Dalai Lama; Eastern Kentucky; Expenses; Family; Foreign embassies; Guest lists; John Sherman Cooper; Kentucky newspapers; Lifestyle; Lorraine Cooper; Mailing lists; Newspaper columns; Opinions; Party coordinating business; Politics; Senate; Skin conditions; State parks

Subjects: Ashland Oil & Refining Company; Brothers; Careers; Children; Friends; Gossip columnists; Interior design; Kentucky; Mail; Marriage; Mothers; Parties; Politicians; United States. Department of State; Washington (D.C.); Wives; Work

Partial Transcript: He was not an easy person, by any matter of means, to work for.

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey characterizes Cooper's Washington, D.C. office and its environment.

Keywords: Committees; Congress; Democrats; John Sherman Cooper; Legislative Research Committee; Problems; Relationships; Republicans; Requests; Senate; Senators

Subjects: Administration; Children; Education; Federal government; Frankfort (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Politicians; Press; Staff; State governments; Teachers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: How did the staffs get along between Morton and Cooper?

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey talks of the relationship between the staffs of Thurston Morton and Cooper in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Humphrey highlights the challenges and alienation of absentee voting in Kentucky.

Keywords: Anti-Catholic; Ballots; Case workers; Democrats; John Sherman Cooper; Louie B. Nunn; Political campaigns; Political candidates; Political factions; Republican primary; Republicans; Thruston Morton; Votes

Subjects: Absentee voting; Conservative; Credit; Criticism; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Liberal; Politicians; Press; Staff; Tactics; Voting; Washington (D.C.); Work

Partial Transcript: He'd given me the letter to--when he decided to officially turn down running for the governorship.

Segment Synopsis: Humphrey explains why Cooper decided not to accept a nomination to run for governor in Kentucky. Cooper's ties to Somerset are detailed.

Keywords: Beecher Hotel (Somerset, Ky.); Family; Friends; Governors; Governorship; Hometowns; John Sherman Cooper; Legal residence

Subjects: Centre College (Danville, Ky. : 1819-1901); Home; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Letters; Marriage; Mothers; Politicians; Somerset (Ky.)