Steely, MelWagner, DonUniversity of West Georgia. Georgia Political Papers and Oral History ProgramUnited States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-20021985-07-24Herman Eugene Talmadge (1913-2002), son of former governor Eugene Talmadge, was born on August 9, 1913 in the small Telfair County town of McRae, Georgia. He earned his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1936, and practiced law for several years before joining the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he saw extensive combat in the South Pacific. In 1946, Talmadge ran his father's successful Democratic race for governor, though the elder Talmadge died before he could take office. The state legislature elected Herman to take his father's place, but the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled the move unconstitutional.Talmadge vacated the governor's mansion, but came back to win a special election in 1948, and a full four years as governor in 1950. As was common at the time, he was an ardent segregationist, but implemented the first state sales tax as a way to improve public schools. In 1956, Talmadge was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he concentrated on agricultural issues and sponsored the creation of a food-stamp program. In 1980, he lost his seat to Republican Mack Mattingly. Talmadge retired to his home in Hampton, Georgia where he died on March 21, 2002.; Interviewed by Dr. Mel Steely and Don Wagner at West Georgia College on July 24, 1985.; This interview is presented as a recollection of the Senate and senators during Herman Talmadge's time of service there. Talmadge cites the Vietnam War as the catalyst for extremism in liberal and conservative politics. He says that the biggest issues that were prevalent in Congress have been the same since World War II: communism, domestic/foreign policy, and economic/budgetary issues. Talmadge talks about the specialists on his staff and how they helped him decide which way to vote on certain issues. Talmadge gives examples of crazy things that happened to him while in office, as well as discusses some of the more interesting senate members that he served with. Talmadge states that the most important quality for a senator to have is courage, followed by character. In the second half of the interview, Talmadge talks about his participation in congressional committees and the protocol that one was expected to follow with them. He ends the interview by talking about procedures and differences between being a senator and a governor, and says that being a senator was much more frustrating due to all of the steps one must take to get anything done-- and he concludes that being governor was much more satisfactory as a political post.video/mp4engCarrollton, Ga. : University of West Georgia Special Collections in association with the Digital Library of Georgiahttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, State University of West GeorgiaGeorgia--Politics and government--1865-1950Georgia--Politics and government--1951-Governors--Georgia--InterviewsLegislators--Georgia--InterviewsUniversity of Georgia. School of Law--Alumni and alumnae--InterviewsRadicalismGovernment etiquetteDiplomatic etiquetteVietnam War, 1961-1975Watergate Affair, 1972-1974Watergate Trial, Washington, D.C., 1973Panama. Treaties, etc. United States, 1977 Sept. 7 (Panama Canal Treaty)Oral history interview with Herman Talmadge, 1985 July 24MovingImage