Ben Barnes

Home

NPR Interview with Ben Barnes

On Getting Bush Into the National Guard

Question: When you went on '60 Minutes' at the height of the 2004 presidential campaign, to say that George Bush hadn't served his Guard time, you also claimed it wasn't political. How can that not be political? Answer: I remained silent about George Bush's National Guard service during his two campaigns for governor, and his first campaign for president. It was not until the Republicans raised military service in questioning Kerry's military service that I felt compelled to speak out.

I suppose it could be interpreted as political -- but what moved me to say that on '60 Minutes' was that it was wrong of me to help George Bush and many, many others get into Guard service and stay out of Vietnam. I should not have had that power, and I used it unwisely.

Also, I never said Bush didn't serve his Guard time. I said I helped him get into the Guard, which is true.

On Bipartisanship in Texas

Question: You talk about wanting a return to bipartisanship, but when you were in office, Texas had only one strong political party: the Democrats. You didn't exactly agitate for more bipartisanship then. So how can you do so now with a straight face?

Answer: I certainly advocated bipartisanship when I was in office. There was a great division in the Democratic Party between liberal Democrats and moderate/conservative Democrats. I worked with both sides of the party, and built a coalition of both liberal and conservative Democrats to push through good programs for our state.

The Senate was divided almost evenly among liberals and conservatives, but we passed through a lot of good legislation by being totally bipartisan.

On Barbara Jordan and the Good Ole' Boys

Question: Did you work with Barbara Jordan? What was she like as a legislator?

Answer: I worked very closely with Barbara Jordan and considered one of my dear political friends and allies. She was an incredible legislator. She really epitomizes that you ought to work with people of all political persuasions.

Barbara Jordan worked with members of the Senate regardless of their political persuasions, and in a short time she won the hearts and minds of her peers. She could get along with the "good old boys" in the Texas legislature, but she also had tremendous vision, and great hopes and aspirations for Texas and America. She was a wonderful person, and I miss her very much.

On the Kennedy Assassination

Question: I heard you were involved with the Kennedy trip to Dallas in 1963. True?

Answer: Yes, that's true. I was a member of the planning committee that made the arrangements for President Kennedy to come to Texas in 1963.

One of the points of controversy surrounding the trip planning was the parade in Dallas. It was not the safety of the president that was the issue. It was that we were crowding so many activities into that day that the Kennedy's were not going to have sufficient time to change clothes for the different events. There were some who said that President Kennedy should not go to Dallas and have a luncheon that was purely a fundraiser, and not give the people of Dallas a chance to see the president. There were others who thought we should give Kennedy some downtime before the gala and receptions in Austin. Finally, Attorney General Robert Kennedy came down on the side of those who wanted the parade, and it was written in the schedule. I was opposed to it. And I've spent a lifetime wondering how history would have been changed if the parade had not gone forward.