Interview with Katharine Graham, July 14, 1993

Partial Transcript: I think that only the fact that he was going to be ambassador to India made John get married, to be honest.

Segment Synopsis: Katharine Graham talks about meeting Lorraine Cooper and her first impressions. She talks about later becoming friends with Lorraine, Lorraine's background growing up in the Vatican, and her personality.

Keywords: Ambassadors' wives; Appearance; Attitudes; Clothing; Embassies; Embassy; Friendship; India; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Married; Money; Orcini family; Papal families; Personality; Vatican

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Marriage; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: And then she wrote the columns for the Kentucky papers that were just wonderful.

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks about Lorraine Cooper's newspaper columns and how they affected John Sherman Cooper's political career. She talks about Lorraine's other duties as a political wife.

Keywords: Congressmen; Help; John Sherman Cooper; Kentucky; Lorraine Cooper; Newspaper columns; Parties; Political campaigns; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives; Roles; Support; Washington (D.C.); Writing

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Newspapers.; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: And, in, in, um, East Germany I went to see them.

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks about Lorraine Cooper's role during John Sherman Cooper's time in Germany.

Keywords: Butlers; Decorating; Design; East Berlin (Germany); East Germany; Embassies; Embassy; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: And her role in India was simply--

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks about Lorraine Cooper's role during John Sherman Cooper's time in India. She talks about John Sherman Cooper's tendency to make his own decisions regardless of political party lines.

Keywords: Attitudes; Embassies; Embassy; Husbands; Independent; India; John Sherman Cooper; Krishna Menon; Lorraine Cooper; Personality; Philip Graham; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives; Relationships; Republican Party; Ted Kennedy; V. K. Krishna Menon; William Howard Taft

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: And, uh--but wa--there were three friends of mine who knew Jack Kennedy really well.

Segment Synopsis: Graham mentions a dinner party hosted by Lorraine Cooper at which John F. Kennedy was a guest.

Keywords: Dinner parties; JFK; Jack Kennedy; Lorraine Cooper; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians' spouses; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: Um, what I thought was really sad was his ending.

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks about John Sherman Cooper's health and mental deterioration at the end of his life.

Keywords: Attitudes; Correspondence; Death; East Berlin (Germany); Health; John Sherman Cooper; Letters; Lorraine Cooper; Memories; Relationships; Speaking engagements

Subjects: Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Let's see. What else about India?

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks more about Lorraine Cooper's role during John Sherman Cooper's time in India, including her knowledge of Russian during a visit from Russian ambassadors. Graham and the interviewers have a conversation about various photographs and letters from the Coopers, interspersed with other bits of conversation.

Keywords: Articles; Films; India; Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru; John Sherman Cooper; Kennedy Center; Letters; Lorraine Cooper; Misspellings; Names; Photographs; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives; Public appearances; Receptions; Russia; Russian (Language); Soviet Party Chairman Nikita Khrushchev; Speaking engagements

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: Well you saw him pretty often after Lorraine died.

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks more about John Sherman Cooper's health and mental deterioration at the end of his life.

Keywords: Attitudes; Friendship; Health; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Personality; Relationships; Visits

Subjects: Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Politicians--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: He's a--I have been interested in him since I was a boy

Segment Synopsis: Graham talks about John Sherman Cooper as a politician and his endorsement of other candidates from the Republican Party. She talks about Lorraine Cooper writing songs for political campaigns.

Keywords: Attitudes; Barry Goldwater; Books; Campaigning; Endorsements; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Political candidates; Political spouses; Political wives; Politicians' wives; Recognition; Recording; Relationships; Republican Party; Republicans; Richard Nixon; Sacrifices; Songs; Songwriting

Subjects: Ambassadors' spouses; Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Political campaigns; Politicians; Politicians' spouses; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government

Partial Transcript: Are there enough--have you interviewed Ted Kennedy and some of these people who knew him in the Senate?

Segment Synopsis: Graham and the interviewer Harry Merritt discuss other people he has interviewed for this collection, as well as people he could potentially interview in the future. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Interviews; John Sherman Cooper; Mike Mansfield

Subjects: Ambassadors.; Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Politicians; Politicians--Kentucky; Politics and government