Conversations with History: Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley

See the Conversations with History Blog See a webcast of this interview: Simpson

This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.

Welcome to a "Conversation with History." I'm Harry Kreisler of the Institute of International Studies. Our distinguished guest today is Alan K. Simpson, the former U.S. senator from Wyoming who holds the Lombard Chair at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Senator Simpson is the 1997 Jefferson Lecturer on the UC Berkeley campus. In 1980 Ward Sinclair wrote in the Washington Post, "A senator who finds renewal in Thurber and Mencken, keeps western originals by Russell and Remington on his walls, and sees the Senate as something of a funny farm deserves a closer look."

1. Background ... choice of public service ... family ... lessons learned ... defeat ... knowing yourself ... humor
2. The Art of Legislating ... drafting the bills ... laws with simple language ... becoming master of the issue
3. The Immigration Bill ... the Presidential Commission ... the issues ... obstacles to change ... Barbara Jordan ... the internment of Japanese U.S. citizens
4. Politics, the Press, and Public Disclosure ... what is politics? ... distortion of goals ... tone of suspicion
5. Advice and Consent ... Robert Bork ... Clarence Thomas ... Peter Arnett
6. Unfinished Agenda ... taking on the AARP ... nuclear waste ... overpopulation
7. Conclusion ... humor ... courage ... admired leaders ... career ... lessons learned ... advice to students

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