- Collection:
- Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program
- Title:
- Oral history interview with Rogers Wade, 1987 December 7
- Creator:
- Wade, Rogers
- Contributor to Resource:
- Steely, Mel
University of West Georgia. Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program - Publisher:
- Carrollton, Ga. : University of West Georgia Special Collections in association with the Digital Library of Georgia
- Date of Original:
- 1987-12-07
- Subject:
- Georgia--Politics and government--1865-1950
Georgia--Politics and government--1951-
Legislators--Georgia--Interviews
Political corruption--United States
Wade, Rogers--Interviews - People:
- Wade, Rogers
Conner, H. L. (H. Lowell), 1922-
Darden, George, 1943-
Long, Russell B.
Nunn, Sam
Stennis, John C. (John Cornelius), 1901-1995
Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002
Talmadge, Betty - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
sound recordings - Type:
- Sound
- Format:
- audio/mpeg
audio/ogg - Description:
- Rogers Wade has been active in the Georgia business and political community for more than 40 years. He served as chief of staff to Senator Herman E. Talmadge in Washington, from 1973 through 1980. Upon returning to Georgia, he was named vice president of Watkins Associated Industries, a national company with major holdings in transportation, development, seafood processing, insurance and communications.; A founding member of Leadership Georgia, Wade is currently active on the boards of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the U.S.O. and the Georgia Motor Trucking Association, and is a trustee of the Richard B. Russell Foundation. He has also been active on the boards of the Gordon College Foundation, the P.A.G.E. Foundation and the Fanning Leadership Institute at the University of Georgia. He has a B.S. and M.B.A. and is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. Wade and his wife, Marcia, are longtime residents of Sandy Springs.; Interviewed by Mel Steely on December 7, 1987 at an unknown location.; This interview begins with Rogers Wade telling of his being born and spending the first part of his life in Chattanooga, Tennessee.Wade shares that his entire family is from northwest Georgia and eastern Tennessee, his father ran an auto parts store in Chattanooga, and his family moved to Atlanta while Wade was in high school.He also tells of his educational background and attendance at both John Marshall Law School and the University of Georgia where he studied law and journalism because neither degree required math.Wade tells that he got involved in politics due to his participation in a fraternity that was highly involved in campus politics and of his initial alignment as a Democrat during 1960 but switching to Barry Goldwater and the Republicans by 1964.; Wade announces that he began his political career when Earl Leonard convinced him to work for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He got involved with the campaign of Sam Nunn in 1972 and met Herman Talmadge while an intern in Washington, D.C.Wade was eventually hired to work in the office of Herman Talmadge where he stayed from 1973-1980.; Much of the remaining parts of the interview focus on Rogers Wade's experiences in the Talmadge office. The first experience centers on the 1974 campaign and having to turn people away from giving cash donations. Wade tells that they did not spend all of the donation money and that they sent supporters back 42 cents for every dollar contributed along with a letter opener. Many of these checks were sent back to the Talmadge campaign or went uncashed. Wade shares experiences with early members of the Talmadge office including his relationship with Gordon Roberts, Ken Turner, and Lowell Conner.; The next topic discussed is the death of Talmadge's son and his divorce. Wade says that Betty Talmadge had a split personality and after the death of her son disappeared from home for weeks before eventually being found living with a friend. He shares that Herman Talmadge would be caught "shacking up" with a woman and dragged out by Betty. Wade also mentions that Betty Talmadge did not expect the divorce and that Talmadge did not feel there was anything in their marriage worth saving.; The final topic centers on a 1979 Ethics Committee investigation into improper fundraising by Herman Talmadge. This story surfaced when Ed Pound, a reporter for the Washington Star, stopped by Atlanta to look into Talmadge's divorce after a failed investigation into Russell Long. The reporter discovered Talmadge's "Walking Around Money" which was given when supporters handed the senator money while out in public. The admission by Talmadge of this fund resulted in rumors of large piles of cash being in possession of the senator's office and large amounts of back taxes that were owed on this money. Finally, Rogers Wade tells of the investigation and the findings that led to Herman Talmadge being forced to pay nearly $13,000 in penalties because of monies funneled through an unknown bank account.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:uwg_phc_wade19871207
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/uwg/phc/do:wade19871207
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [interview title], Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, University of West Georgia
- Extent:
- 1 interview (circa 190 mins.)
- Original Collection:
- Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, State University of West Georgia
- Holding Institution:
- University of West Georgia. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
