T. Harry
Williams Center for Oral History Collection
INTERVIEWEE
NAME: Joe Ticheli COLLECTION: 4700.1178
IDENTIFICATION: Gillis Long's
Administrative Assistant
INTERVIEWER: Gary Huey
PROJECT:
Gillis
Long Biography
DATES: 14 August 1986 FOCUS DATES:
1963-1986
ABSTRACT:
Tape
1717
Taking
a job on Gillis Long's staff; Long's charisma; reasons Long ran for governor in
1963; poverty of Long's family; Gillis becoming LSU student government
president and making contact with Russell Long; Earl Long giving Gillis's
father a job at Central State Hospital; Russell Long getting Gillis job in
Washington; Gillis's belief that he was heir-apparent to the Long legacy in
Louisiana; relationship between Gillis and Russell Long; reasons Gillis decided
not to run for governor in 1978; Gillis's fear of dying and dependence on
others; Ticheli's duties; Gillis's need for praise; Gillis's ability to
delegate duties among staff members; the two personas of Gillis Long –
Washington persona and Louisiana persona; Long's intelligence; describes Long's
heart condition; Long's relationship with his mother; patriotism of Gillis and
Cathy Long; relationship between Gillis and his brother Floyd; Aunt Delia
Sanders's impact on Gillis's career choice; discounts story of Gillis living in
a chicken coop; impact of Gillis's diet as a child on his health as an adult;
discusses Depression; Gillis's support for the expansion of the Rules Committee
to insure passage of civil rights legislation; animosity between Gillis and
Speedy Long after Speedy defeated him for congress; Gillis's admiration for and
emulation of Earl Long; heroism of
Gillis Long; Long's concern for minorities and the poor; conservative whites in
Gillis's district; importance of constituency service
Tape
1718
Gubernatorial
race of 1971 and reasons Gillis lost; Gillis's relationship with the Kennedy
family; Governor Edwin Edwards redrawing the 8th Congressional
District to insure Gillis's victory; power of the governor in Louisiana; Long's
ability to attract loyal supporters; Long's honesty and morality and commitment
to his principles; Don Quixote as a role model for Gillis Long; Gillis's
religious beliefs and problems with fundamentalist groups; Long's dislike of
hunting; describes Long's funeral; Richard Nixon; Gerald Ford; Jimmy Carter;
Ronald Reagan equating running the government with shooting a movie; Long
advocating diversification of Louisiana's economy; Long's farsightedness; Long
as chairman of the Democratic Caucus and blueprint to revitalize the Democratic
Party; Long's intellectual curiosity; Long's charisma; Long's idealism;
Ticheli's decision to stop working for Gillis Long and Long's attempts to
convince him to stay; describes the last day he spent with Long; describes most
embarrassing moment while working for Long
Tape
1718
describes
the resource book he created and maintained while working for Long; decision to
remain on Cathy Long's staff after Gillis's death; Gillis Long's headstone
TAPES: 1717; 1718;
1719 TOTAL PLAYING
TIME: 2.25 hours
#
PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 86
RESTRICTIONS: None