Interview with Wilson W. Wyatt, March 17, 1994

Partial Transcript: Saint Patrick's Day.

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt discusses his friendship with Cooper over the years. Wyatt details Cooper's loyalty to the Republican Party, especially during election years.

Keywords: Barry Bingham Sr.; Charles I. Dawson; Classmates; Constituents; Democrats; Earle Clements; Election night; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Friends; George Norton III; Governors; Jane Norton; John Sherman Cooper; Lawrence Wetherby; Lorraine Cooper; Louisville Courier-Journal; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Presidents; Principles; Republicans; Senate; Wife

Subjects: Elections; Ethics; Harvard Law School; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Politicians; Washington (D.C.); Yale University

Partial Transcript: . . .He was somewhere between moderate and a liberal Republican.

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt considers Cooper's overall political philosophy. Wyatt also describes Cooper's personality.

Keywords: Democrats; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Liberal Republicans; Norton family; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Political strategy; Principles; Public servants; Senate; Senators; U.S. Ambassador to India; Voting records

Subjects: Conservative; India; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Liberal; Louisville (Ky.); Politicians; Republicanism; Somerset (Ky.); Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Well in that--um--famous 1962 Wyatt-Morton race. . .

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt recalls his 1962 Senatorial campaign against Thruston Morton. Wyatt reflects upon the opposition of doctors to Medicare. Cooper's position on Medicare is briefly mentioned.

Keywords: 1962 Senatorial campaign; Bert Combs; Democrats; Finances; Friends; Funds; Governors; Harry Truman; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Lieutenant governors; Medical care; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Principles; Republicans; Socialized medicine; Taxpayers; Thruston Morton; Universities

Subjects: Budgets; Education; Lexington (Ky.); Liberal; Medicaid; Medicare; Morton, Thruston Ballard, 1907-1982; Politicians; Presidents; Publicity; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: One other thing that--that came up in that '62 race. . .

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt discusses the controversy over his position as the chair of Americans for Democratic Action that was brought up during his 1962 Senatorial campaign.

Keywords: Arthur Schlesinger Jr.; Barry Bingham Sr.; Communism; Eleanor Roosevelt; Election day; Hubert Humphrey; John Sherman Cooper; Lee Nunn; Political candidates; Red Scare; Republicans; Ronald Reagan; The New Republic

Subjects: Americans for Democratic Action; California; Elections; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Loyalty; Politicians; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: I remember when Thruston first returned from his military service in the war.

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt talks of his interactions with both Thruston Morton and Earle Clements.

Keywords: Albert "Happy" Chandler; Bert Combs; Congress; Dwight Eisenhower; Earle Clements; Friends; John Sherman Cooper; Louisville Courier-Journal; Political parties; Public service; Republicans; Thruston Morton; Two-party system; World War II

Subjects: Clements, Earle C. (Earle Chester), 1896-1985; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Morton, Thruston Ballard, 1907-1982; Politicians; Republican National Committee (U.S.); Washington (D.C.); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: Happy, on the other hand. . .

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt briefly recalls Happy Chandler and his grandson, Ben Chandler. Wyatt considers how much contact he had with Cooper in his later years.

Keywords: Albert "Happy" Chandler; Ben Chandler; Century Club (Washington, D.C.); Democrats; Governors; Grandfathers; Grandsons; Gray Construction Company; Jim Gray; John Sherman Cooper; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Public issues; Shakertown Round Table

Subjects: Chandler, Ben, 1959-; Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Legacy; Politicians; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: . . .Was the almost universality of the high regard that leading Democrats had for John Sherman Cooper.

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt details Cooper's reputation for decency and class, even with Democrats.

Keywords: Brothers; Character; Controversy; County judges; Democrats; Elections; Friends; Jane Norton; John Sherman Cooper; Kentucky politics; Party loyalty; Personality; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Political opponents; Politics; Principles; Public life; Republicans; Richard Cooper; Thruston Morton

Subjects: Divorce; Integrity; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Marriage; Mental health; Politicians; Reputation; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: What did you think of Lorraine?

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt shares his impressions of Lorraine Cooper. Wyatt also briefly talks of Cooper's divorce and how it was well known in Kentucky political circles but rarely mentioned.

Keywords: 1946 Senatorial campaign; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Politicians' spouses; Politics; Senate; Social connections; World War II

Subjects: Divorce; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Michigan; Politicians; Washington (D.C.); World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: What is his legacy--what is Cooper's legacy if any to the Republican Party in Kentucky?

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt articulates what Cooper's political legacy is to the Kentucky Republican Party.

Keywords: 80th U.S. Congress; Bills; Federal judges; Governors; Influence; John Sherman Cooper; Kentucky Republicans; Larry Forgy; Law firms; Laws; Local issues; National issues; Parks; Patronage; Political candidates; Principles; Republicans; Roads; Senate; Senators; State offices; Votes

Subjects: Conservative; Contracts; Frankfort (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Kentucky. General Assembly; Loyalty; Politicians; Popularity; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Well, I don't wanna take up a lot of your time--.

Segment Synopsis: Wyatt describes some of Cooper's habits, including being disorganized.

Keywords: Bill Clinton; Congress; Daniel Patrick Moynihan; Governors; John Sherman Cooper; Political appointments; Senate; State government

Subjects: Kentuckians; Kentucky; Personality; Politicians; Respect; Washington (D.C.)