0:13 - Difficulties in laying off employees
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Partial Transcript: . . . Knowing that I was gonna have to recommend that they lay off some employees . . .
Segment Synopsis: Greene recalls making a tough decision to layoff several hundred employees at a business in eastern Kentucky. Greene was conflicted because Combs was from the Appalachian region and it may have hurt him politically to call for layoffs at a large business in the area. Greene decided that it was in the best interest of the company to go ahead with the layoffs as planned and he wrote a report to Combs recommending layoffs. Greene also remembers the negotiations between different company stakeholders, including a banker.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Layoffs; Business; Eastern Kentucky; Agreement; Negotiations; Recommendations; Report
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Breathitt County (Ky.); Employees; Bankers; Clay County (Ky.)
4:38 - Building U.S. 15 in Jackson
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Partial Transcript: Another right interesting--episode I guess you'd call it . . . when they built 15--route 15, they built a spare from Route 15 over into Jackson.
Segment Synopsis: In 1962, a dispute arose in Jackson over the proposed site of a U.S. Route 15 extension that would allow for school buses to pass through the area. The property owners refused to accept the cash settlement they were offered by the Breathitt County government. Once Green got involved on behalf of the Combs administration, the dispute had been going on for over a year. Ultimately, it was determined that the county had the authority to condemn the property and the homeowners were taken to jail for staying in a residence that was deemed uninhabitable.
Keywords: U.S. Route 15; Bert Combs; Local government; Negotiations; House; Demolition; County attorney; Report; Property rights; Jail; Condemned
Subjects: Governors; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Jackson (Ky.); Breathitt County (Ky.); Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Infrastructure; Roads; State governments; School buses; Homeowners; Eminent domain; Hazard (Ky.); Engineers; Lawyers; Maps; Kentucky State Police; Threats; Shotguns; Money
12:38 - Differences in state politics over the years
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Partial Transcript: I can remember when Happy Chandler was elected governor the second time, some families divided, and I'm talking about fist fights right in the family, it was just that bitter.
Segment Synopsis: Greene believes that Kentucky politics (especially in the Democratic Party) was more contentious during the 1930s and 1940s compared to the 1980s. Greene says that even families were divided along political lines. Greene prefers the older style of politics, explaining that his mother was on the local school board and his father in the local courts. One key difference between 1940s and 1980s Kentucky politics is that people in the 1940s were more willing to vote for candidates based on their principles even if they did not have a good chance of winning the election. Green says that the Kentucky Democratic Party was divided into several factions, which led to political power being concentrated in the hands of three or four politicians. Using the political convention system of selecting party candidates rather than the more modern method of primary elections within a party was also a factor in the divisiveness of Kentucky politics during the 1930s and 1940s. Greene believes that there are too many political factions in the Kentucky Democratic Party in the 1980s. Greene adds that many politicians benefitted from Earle Clements' efforts to bring the democrats together and weaken the power of the factions. Greene briefly discusses the election of Simeon Willis in 1943, who was the first Republican to serve as governor since Flem Sampson in 1927. In Greene's view, Willis won because of the abnormal economic conditions in the post-WWII years, including rising unemployment rates. Greene also mentions that Combs liked to model his political philosophy after Harry Truman and admired Franklin Roosevelt's ability to bring the Democratic Party together.
Keywords: Politics; Bert Combs; Political factions; Happy Chandler; Tension; Fighting; John Ed Pearce; Democrats; Republicans; Divide and Dissent: Kentucky Politics, 1930-1963 (book); Control; Ben Johnson; Earle Clements; Unemployment rate; Simeon Willis; Franklin Roosevelt; Harry Truman
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Change; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; Families; Parents; Mother; School boards; Pearce, John Ed; Elections; Voting; Johnson, Ben; Power; Clements, Earle C. (Earle Chester), 1896-1985; Kentucky. General Assembly; World War II; Unemployment; Willis, Simeon S., 1879-1965; Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945; Truman, Harry, 1896-1980
20:58 - Working for Combs
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Partial Transcript: He went into the county and tried to determine whether he'd have some friction among your own people . . . he had to exercise some diplomacy.
Segment Synopsis: Greene describes what it was like to be a staff member in the Combs administration. Greene says that Combs was not one to shower his employees with compliments. Greene recalls one instance in which a bill in the general assembly was opposed by the labor unions. Combs was able to negotiate the labor union's support of the bill if he agreed to amend it. Greene was instructed by Combs to watch the proceedings of the bill on the Senate floor. After the session was over for the day, Greene went to play poker with some friends in the hotel he was staying at and lost track of time and missed two days of the general assembly. Ultimately, Combs was successful in getting the bill passed with the amendment, but was angry with Greene for not attending the final general assembly sessions about the bill. At a staff meeting after the bill was passed, several staff members became frustrated at the lack of praise from Combs and his focus on mistakes employees had made, like Greene missing the general assembly sessions. Combs relented and praised the hard work of his staff and expressed his appreciation for Greene's efforts.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Hotels; Senate floor; Bills; Amendments; Appreciation; Bert Combs
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Diplomacy; Staff; Speeches; Perception; Kentucky. General Assembly; Labor; Poker
29:02 - Combs' personality
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Partial Transcript: He's got a strong personality, doesn't he? I bet when that man--don't wanna be around him if ever gets mad at me.
Segment Synopsis: Greene believes that Combs did follow the advice of his staff and confidants, but he was not as agreeable as Ned Breathitt to staff suggestions. Greene explains that Combs was a firm believer in privacy and confidentiality when conducting state business. Greene remembers when Combs gave several staff members identical assignments and told each employee to keep their task a secret. It turned out that Combs was using these identical assignments to evaluate the work of his employees. Greene did not realize he was being compared to colleagues until after the assignment was over and admitted that he did not work extra hard on the task.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Advisors; Decisions; Ned Breathitt; Breathitt, Ned, 1924-2003; Confidentiality; Combs administration; Assignments; Tests
Subjects: Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Personality; Staff; Privacy
31:47 - Combs' role in creating the state merit system
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Partial Transcript: I go back to the old school of politics.
Segment Synopsis: Greene was concerned when Combs mentioned implementing the merit system for state employees introduced by Governor Chandler during a gubernatorial campaign speech. Greene thought it would be politically damaging to eliminate the spoils system of hiring state employees based upon political favors and connections. The merit system for state employees in its current form evaluates the qualification of position candidates using a scoring rubric of specified requirements. Candidates must obtain a certain score on the evaluation to be offered the position. Greene describes issues with campaign finance for Combs and Wilson Wyatt in the late 1950s. Combs believed that voters should choose political candidates regardless of their ability to raise campaign finance dollars. Greene felt that it was an opportune time for Combs to run for governor while he had such high name recognition from his previous gubernatorial campaign, but in his view, implementing the merit system could hurt his chances at being elected.
Keywords: Kentucky Merit System; Merit systems; Bert Combs; Politics; Implementation; Spoils system; Meritocracy; Happy Chandler; Wilson Wyatt; Senate; Campaign contributions; Clothes; Notoriety
Subjects: State governments; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Mother; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991; Wyatt, Wilson W. (Wilson Watkins), 1905-1996; Speeches; Money; Meeting; Apartments; Golf; Frankfort (Ky.); Bourbon; Encouragement; Reputation
36:36 - Combs' honesty with staff / Combs' personal side
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Partial Transcript: You'd say he'd ask you what you thought of his speech. Did you always have the feeling that he really wanted . . . someone in that position . . . sort of likes the praise.
Segment Synopsis: Greene briefly mentions Combs' willingness to hear honest feedback from his employees. Greene says that Combs enjoys hosting yearly varmint dinners and going to horse racing tracks for entertainment. Greene adds that Combs was not particularly fond of living a more public life as governor, since he valued his privacy. Combs also did not enjoy discussing politics all of the time, which is what he was expected to do as governor. Green believes that Combs found his job as a federal court of appeals judge boring and unfulfilling and was apprehensive to admit publicly that his decision to step down from that position and run for governor was in part because he would be making a higher salary as governor.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Opinions; Feedback; Combs administration; Fun; Entertainment; Varmint dinners; Public life; Politics
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Staff; State governments; Governors; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Speeches; Honesty; Recreation; Horse racing; Privacy; Kentucky. Court of Appeals; Federal government; Lexington (Ky.); Money; Income
41:51 - Friendship with Combs now / Wilson Wyatt
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Partial Transcript: I am mean this is a man who you're as comfortable with . . .
Segment Synopsis: Greene says that he still keeps in contact with Combs and the two talk on the phone occasionally. Greene recalls one instance in which he visited Combs and his son Tommy at their home in Prestonsburg. It happened to be Tommy Combs' birthday and Greene gave him a sweater as a birthday gift. Greene says that Wilson Wyatt was initially reluctant to run as lieutenant governor under Combs in the 1959 governor's race due to his ego.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Tommy Combs; Son; Visiting; Wilson Wyatt; Driving; 1959 gubernatorial campaign
Subjects: Friend; Friendship; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Powell County (Ky.); Communication; Telephone; Memory; Wyatt, Wilson W. (Wilson Watkins), 1905-1996; Truth; Honesty; Ego; Lieutenant governors; Prestonsburg (Ky.)
49:03 - Campaign stories about Combs
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Partial Transcript: Bert and I started in eastern Kentucky.
Segment Synopsis: Greene recalls an interesting story that occurred during Combs' 1959 gubernatorial campaign. Combs, Greene, and several associates were delayed in flying to Prestonsburg from Louisville to discuss a company merger due to inclement weather. The group decided to drive to Prestonsburg instead and Combs requested that they stop at a place that had a hotel, a restaurant that serves chili, and a liquor store. In the chili restaurant, Earle Clements went around the room and told everyone in the restaurant that Combs would be the next Governor of Kentucky. Greene was quite amused by this incident and called his wife to let her know that the governor's race had been decided.
Keywords: 1959 gubernatorial campaign; Campaigning; Bert Combs; County judge; Business; Negotiations; Company mergers; Customers; Earle Clements; Wife
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Mount Sterling (Ky.); Travel; Prestonsburg (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Food; Hotels; Liquor stores; Restaurants; Waitresses; Clements, Earle C. (Earle Chester), 1896-1985; Weather; Thunderstorms
54:06 - End of Combs' gubernatorial campaign
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Partial Transcript: The longest time that I ever spent was the last thirty days of that campaign.
Segment Synopsis: Greene says that the business merger he discussed earlier in the interview occurred one week after Combs won the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Greene describes the final month of Combs' gubernatorial campaign as the longest month of his life. Greene was concerned that Combs was losing momentum in the race, since the number of people attending campaign events had decreased. Greene also recalls when people associated with education in the state were initially too divided to reach a consensus indicating their support for Combs in the governor's race. Eventually, Combs earned their support after he won the primary. Greene adds that educators came to support Combs through some tough negotiations at a meeting in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Keywords: 1959 gubernatorial campaign; Bert Combs; Campaigning; Company mergers; Support; Voters; Academics
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Primaries; Governors; Crowds; Power; Pressure; Education--Higher; Education; Conflict; Meeting; Elizabethtown (Ky.); Educators; Teachers
57:08 - Combs' frugality
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Partial Transcript: . . . His--because you traveled with him, his frugality.
Segment Synopsis: Greene describes Combs as a person who did not like to waste money. Some have characterized Combs as frugal, but Greene thinks that Wilson Wyatt was more thrifty with his money, citing his refusal to take a cab from the airport as an example. Greene was surprised to see how much money Combs had invested in his country home, Fern Hill in Powell County when he was the first guest on the property after it had been constructed. Greene estimates that Combs spent about $4 million dollars on the main house, a guest cabin, and tennis courts.
Keywords: Bert Combs; Frugality; Wilson Wyatt; Taxis; Fern Hill (Powell County, Ky.); Guests; Driving; Driving directions; Cedar trees; Home construction
Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Governors; Combs, Bert T., 1911-1991; Money; Wyatt, Wilson W. (Wilson Watkins), 1905-1996; Generosity; Powell County (Ky.); Weddings; Prestonsburg (Ky.); Hospitality; Trees; Log cabins; Cost; Investments; Tennis courts