INTERVIEWEE NAMES: Robert d'Hemecourt and Cecil Warren

COLLECTION: 4700.1181

IDENTIFICATION: Gillis Long Supporters

INTERVIEWER: Gary Huey

PROJECT: Gillis Long Biography

DATES: 8/15/86

FOCUS DATES: 1970s - 1980s

ABSTRACT:
Tape 1725

d'Hemecourt meeting Gillis Long in 1977; reasons that Long decided not to run for governor in 1979; reasons voters supported Long; Warren describes Long's energy and his compassion for his constituents; d'Hemecourt discusses the loyalty of Long=s staff; Long=s illness; Gillis=s relationship with Russell Long while a student at LSU; d=Hemecourt describes Gillis=s fund raising talent; Long=s ability to make time to meet with people; Long=s personal phone directory; arranging a luncheon with President Jimmy Carter to $100,000 for Jesse Bankston; Henson Moore; arranging for Long to stay on a houseboat shortly before his death; monitoring his heart while staying on the houseboat; Long=s involvement in the 1980 reapportionment; 1972 gubernatorial election; harm done to Gillis=s political career because he was a Long; Gillis losing the 1963 gubernatorial election to John McKeithen; reaction of Louisianians to the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Gillis Long=s moral convictions; Long running for Congress in 1972; Long=s black supporters; d=Hemecourt discusses fishing trip that he took with Long and several friends; Long=s relationship with his brother Floyd; Long=s phone calls to his staff and friends to get their views on issues; Long=s impact on the oil industry in Louisiana; Warren discusses his job as the director of Federal Affairs and International Affairs for Louisiana under Edwin Edwards; Economic Development Districts; Long=s compassion for the poor; Long=s opposition to deregulation of the airlines; Richard Nixon=s obsession with the power of the presidency; Long=s support for Walter Mondale for president in 1984; Gillis Long winning the Caucus Chairmanship by losing unanimous decision by two votes; Buddy Roemer; Long=s friendship with Jesse Bankston; Long=s opposition to Louisiana=s open primary; Long=s devotion to the Democratic Party; Long=s seniority in Congress; Long=s friendship with Lindy Boggs; Long and Boggs voting with the Black Caucus a majority of the time; the Long family=s home life; Cathy Long; Kathy Long=s chairmanship of the Special Olympics; Mardi Gras tea hosted by Gillis Long; d=Hemecourt=s friendship with Long; discuss Long=s doctor Arnold Lupin; Long=s eating habits

Gillis Long=s death; Long=s influence over his supporters; Long=s decision not to run for governor in 1979 and returning the money in his campaign fund to the donors; d=Hemecourt running for city office in 1981 and Long=s advice to him; Long=s influence in the Edwards administration; Long gauging price charged at fund raisers to the wealth of the population of a particular district; diversity of Long=s supporters; Carson Killen=s experience and potential for being a good congressman; discusses prosecution of Edwin Edwards by John Volz B calls it a political prosecution; populism of Long and Edwards; Long=s and Edwards=s desire to win over their enemies B d=Hemecourt sees this as their weakness; congressional race between Joe McPherson and Ned Randolph; Long getting the endorsement of the Times-Picayune in his last race; Cathy Long running for congress; Long grooming Carson Killen to take over his seat; Killen doomed to lose the election