This collection contains interviews detailing the personal life and political career of U.S. Senator and Ambassador to Japan Mike Mansfield. The interviews were conducted in 1989 by Jim Caron and Geoffrey Sutton. The collection contains one interview with Mansfield, who reflects on his political career and philosophy. The rest of the interviews are with individuals who worked with Mansfield, and they discuss their political relationships with him as well as his political style and accomplishments. They also provide insight into Mansfield’s personal life including his relationship with his wife Maureen, his strong ties to Montana, and his childhood experiences. This project was conceived to teach Montana children about Mansfield’s legacy, and it was funded by the Missoula Chamber of Commerce. The interviews were used in the play Mansfield’s America, which was produced by the Missoula Children’s Theatre and performed at the Wilma Theatre in Missoula, Montana. The original interviews are held as Oral History collection 458 at Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula.
This collection includes 11 interviews.
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Alan Cranston Interview, 1989
Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston recalls his early encounters with Mike Mansfield. He talks about being a new member of the U.S. Senate and talks about how helpful and welcoming Mansfield was. Cranston discusses Mansfield’s legacy and more specifically his ability to work around political and ideological differences ... Read More
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Conrad Burns Interview, 1989
Conrad Burns
Conrad Burns discusses Mike Mansfield’s legacy as a member of the U.S. Representative, Senator, and Ambassador to Japan. He describes Mansfield as a bona fide liberal and discusses Mansfield’s abilities to work across party lines. Burns also briefly discusses a tourism bill that he proposed ... Read More
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Gerald Ford Interview, 1989
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford discusses his relationship with Mike Mansfield and talks about Mansfield’s ability to work across party lines. He talks about the role Mansfield played during the Watergate scandal as Senate Majority Leader and his tenure as Ambassador to Japan. Ford discusses Mansfield’s ambitions and ... Read More
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John Glenn Interview, 1989
John Glenn
John Glenn discusses Mike Mansfield’s legacy as a U.S. Senator and Ambassador to Japan. Glenn talks about a trip he took to China with Mike and Maureen Mansfield and explains that his relationship with Mansfield was beneficial to his own senatorial career.
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John Melcher Interview, 1989
John Melcher
John Melcher discusses the influence that Mike Mansfield had on his career and more broadly the people of Montana, the United States, and the world. Melcher talks about Mansfield’s high regard for the state of Montana and shares campaign stories that he shared with Mike ... Read More
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Max Baucus Interview, 1989
Max Baucus
Max Baucus recalls his relationship with Mike Mansfield, noting that Mansfield was one of his mentors and role models. He discusses how Mansfield encouraged him to run for political office. Baucus also talks about Mansfield’s legacy, including his prioritization of the state of Montana. Baucus ... Read More
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Mike Mansfield Interview, 1989
Mike Mansfield
Mike Mansfield discusses his childhood and his experience growing up in Great Falls, Montana. He talks about serving in the U.S. military, starting in 1917 when he was 14. Mansfield discusses working in the copper mines at Butte, Montana, and meeting his wife Maureen Hayes ... Read More
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Pat Williams Interview, 1989
Pat Williams
Pat Williams discusses Mike Mansfield’s legacy as a U.S. Representative, Senator, and Ambassador to Japan. He talks about the precedent that Mike Mansfield’s tenure as a U.S. Senator from Montana has set for future Montana senators.
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Peggy DeMichele Interview, 1989
Peggy DeMichele
Peggy DeMichele discusses how she came to work for Mike Mansfield and talks about his life and career. She recalls a time that Mansfield burned his hand while cooking and talks about the extensive media coverage that he received as a result. She speaks more ... Read More
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Ronald Reagan Interview, 1989
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan discusses his relationship with Mike Mansfield. He talks about his reasons for asking Mansfield to stay on as Ambassador to Japan during his presidency despite his political differences with Mansfield. Reagan talks about various trips he took to Japan during Mansfield’s tenure, and ... Read More
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Walter Mondale Interview, 1989
Walter Mondale
Walter Mondale discusses Mike Mansfield’s legacy in context of political debates concerning term limits for members of Congress. He states that Mansfield’s accomplishments would not have been possible had term limits been imposed. Mondale describes Mansfield as being known for his integrity and talks about ... Read More