After two terms in the House, George Smathers defeated incumbent senator Claude Pepper in the legendary Democratic primary of 1950, going on to serve three terms in the Senate. In the Senate he chaired the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, served on the Democratic Policy Committee, and was elected secretary of the Democratic Conference. He was a member of the Committees on Commerce, Finance, and Foreign Relations. In these interviews, he also recounts his close personal friendships with John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon.
Scholarly citation: "George A. Smathers, United States Senator, 1951–1969," Oral History Interviews, August 1 to October 17, 1989, Senate Historical Office, Washington, D.C.
Disclaimer: The Senate Historical Office has a strong commitment to oral history as an important part of its efforts to document institutional change over time. Oral histories are a natural component to historical research and enhance the archival holdings of the Senate and its members. Oral histories represent the personal recollections and opinions of the interviewees, however, and should not be considered as the official views or opinions of the U.S. Senate, of the Senate Historical Office, or of other senators and/or staff members. The transcripts of these oral histories are made available by the Senate Historical Office as a public service.
