Interview with Clifford P. Case, June 10, 1980

Interview Summary

Case begins the interview by discussing how he met John Sherman Cooper, as well as Cooper's position in the 80th U.S. Congress in 1947-1949. Case remembers having no doubt about John Sherman Cooper's abilities as ambassador to India and that there was no trouble in confirming him to this position by the Senate, despite his lack of diplomatic experience in 1955. Case reflects upon Cooper's role in the UN General Assembly. The interviewee also talks of Cooper's position on Joseph McCarthy. Case compares Cooper to Senator Thruston Morton, claiming that despite their differences the two seemed to work well together in the Senate. Case explains that Cooper was always a strong supporter of civil rights legislation in the Senate but that he was no extremist or demagogue on any issue. Even though it appears that Cooper voted on issues which would seem to have been against the wills of the majority of Kentuckians, people were still convinced that he was the best candidate to protect their interests and therefore, Cooper gained popularity. Cooper's failed attempt at becoming the lead Republican in the Senate is examined. Case talks of a poll conducted about Cooper's character. One of Cooper's faults is said to be punctuality in making decisions and arriving at appointments. Case characterizes the friendship between Cooper and John F. Kennedy. After discussing Cooper's thoughts on the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, Case details Cooper's work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Case weighs in on the working relationship between Cooper and Lyndon Johnson. Case describes Cooper's efforts in opposing the creation of an anti-ballistic missile system. Subsequently, in 1967 Cooper took a more leading role in urging an end to the Vietnam War. Case then shares his perspective on the Vietnam War. The interviewee considers Cooper's personality and then outlines the primary differences between Democrats and Republicans. To conclude the interview, Case articulates a few of Cooper's accomplishments throughout his career and also shares some stories of Cooper.

Interview Keyword

Alben Barkley Assistant Majority Leader Charles A. Halleck Civil Rights Bill Colonel Sanders Cooper-Hart Amendment Dean Acheson Earle Clements Foreign Relations Committee Harry S. Truman John F. Kennedy Anti-ballistic missile system Dwight Eisenhower Frank Church Robert Taft James William Fulbright Thruston Morton Ted Water Tonkin Gulf Resolution Virgil Chapman U.S. Senate

Interview LC Subject

Case, Clifford P. (Clifford Philip), 1904-1982 Case, Clifford P. (Clifford Philip), 1904-1982--Interviews Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991 Politicians Politicians--United States Politics and government United States--Politics and government Washington (D.C.) United Nations India Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Weapons of mass destruction

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All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.