California State Archives State Government Oral History Program Oral History Interview with CLEMENT SHERMAN WHITAKER, JR. Political Campaign and Public Relations Specialist, 1944- September 15,27, October 21, November 17, December 7, 1988; January 18,1989 San Francisco, California By Gabrielle Morris Regional Oral History Office University of California, Berkeley RESTRICTIONS ON THIS INTERVIEW None. LITERARY RIGHTS AND QUOTATIONS This manuscript is hereby made available for research purposes only. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the California State Archivist or RegIOnal Oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to: California State Archives 1020 0 Street, Room 130 Sacramento, California 95814 or Regional Oral History Office 486 Library University of California Berkeley, California 94720 The request should include information of the specific passages and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Clement Sherman Whitaker, Jr. Oral History Interview, Conducted 1989 by Gabrielle Morris, Regional Oral History Office, University of California at Berkeley, for the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. California State Archives Information (916) 445-4293 March Fong Eu Document Restoration (916) 445-4293 10200 Street, Room 130 Secretary of State Exhibit Hall (916) 445-0748 Sacramento, CA 95814 Legislative Bill Service (916) 445-2832 (prior years) PREFACE On September 25, 1985, Governor George Deukmejian signed into law A.B. 2104 (Chapter 965 of the Statutes of 1985). This legislation established, under the administration of the California State Archives, a State Government Oral History Program "to provide through the use of oral history a continuing documentation of state policy development as reflected in California's legislative and executive history." The following interview is one of a series of oral histories undertaken for inclusion in the state program. These interviews offer insights into the actual workings of both the legislative and executive processes and policy mechanisms. They also offer an increased understanding ofthe men and women who create legislation and implement state policy. Further, they provide an overview of issue development in California state government and of how both the legislative and executIve branches of government deal with issues and problems facing the state. Interviewees are chosen primarily on the basis of their contributions to and influence on the policy process of the state of California. They include members of the legislative and executive branches of the state government as well as legislative staff, advocates, members of the media, and other people who played significant roles in specific issue areas of major and continuing importance to California. By authorizing the California State Archives to work cooperatively with oral history units at California colleges and universities to conduct interviews, this pro~ram is structured to take advantage of the resources and expertise in oral history avaIlable through California's several institutionally based programs. Participating as cooperating institutions in the State Government Oral History Program are: Oral History Program History Department California State University, Fullerton Oral History Program Center for California Studies California State University, Sacramento Oral History Program Claremont Graduate School Regional Oral History Office The Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley Oral History Program University of California, Los Angeles The establishment of the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program marks one of the most significant commitments made by any state toward the preservation and documentation of its governmental history. It supplements the often fragmentary historical written record by adding an organized pnmary source, enriching the historical information available on given topics and allowing for more thorough historical analysis. As such, the program, through the preservation and publication of interviews such as the one which follows, will be of lasting value to current and future generations of scholars, citizens, and leaders. John F. Burns State Archivist July 27, 1988 This interview is printed on acid-free paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTERVIEW HISTORY .i BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARy ii SESSION 1, September 15, 1988 [Tape 1, Side A] 1 Early political experiences in Sacramento--Clem Whitaker, Sr.'s campaign management firm--Clem Whitaker, Jr. attends U.c. Berkeley and participates in Earl Warren's 1942 campaign for governor--The role of the professional campaigner in government--The Economy Bloc--California Feature Service--Military service in World War II. [Tape 1, Side B] 13 Joins Whitaker & Baxter, Inc., in 1946--The campaign against Earl Warren's health plan, 1945--Planning a campaign--The effort to amend the Federal Power Act--Creating a coalition of interest groups-­ Minimizing the opposition. SESSION 2, September 27,1988 [Tape 2, Side A] 26 Health insurance as an issue in 1945--The California Teachers Association--Ballot initiatives to increase teachers salaries--The campaign enlists support from legislative leadership--Developing the initiatives for railroad brakemen and firemen--Publicizing the issue of "featherbedding"--Usin~surveys in planning a campaign---Forming a steering committee of clIents. [Tape 2, Side B] 37 Organized labor's opposition to the railroad initiatives--George McLain's Aged and Blind Initiative passes, 1948--0ngoing movements for a pension plan--Campaigning with the business community to repeal McLain lnitiative--Organizing interest groups for an issue campaign--The passage of Proposition 1 A, Constitutional revision, 1966, is accomplished by a coalition of political leaders. [Tape 3, Side A] 49 Other campaign management firms in California--Evaluating prospects for the candidacies of Goodwin Knight and William Knowland in 1958--The influence of newspapers in politics-­ Preparing a candidate for media exposure. SESSION 3, October 21, 1988 [Tape 4, Side A] 61 Keeping track of ongoing issues and political currents--The case against cross-filin~--Cross-filing is finally abolished--Unitization of oil fields, an imtiative that failed--Competition in the energy industry--Government regulation creates a playing field in the interest of the consumer--A recent trend toward decontrol. [Tape 4, Side B] 71 The obligation of government to prevent a monopoly of production-­ The limits of corporate influence--The advantage of low versus high voter turnout depending on the issue--Whitaker writes some speeches for Eisenhower, 1956--Comparing national and state campaigning-­ Managing the California effort in Nixon's 1960 campaign-­ Individuals on the team. [Tape 5, Side A] 82 Nixon is advised to run for Congress in 1962--The Nixon-Kennedy debates--George Christopher's 1962 campaign--North and south in California politics--Whitaker & Baxter establishes offices as needed--Working against the attempt to move Alaska's capital-­ Whitaker turns his organization toward more nonpartisan, issue­ oriented activities. [Tape 5, Side B] 93 The advantages to working in a nonpartisan manner to resolve fundamental issues. SESSION 4, November 17, 1988 [Tape 6, Side A] 95 A special role for the California organization in Nixon's 1960 campaign--Whitaker & Baxter International is formed--Legislative apportionment in the states--U.S. Supreme Court decision that both houses are to be constituted by population--A national bipartisan push for a constitutional amendment to overturn it--Whitaker & Baxter works toward a constitutional convention--Some proponents of a balanced system of government. [Tape 6, Side B] 106 A balanced system provides more responsible government--The Central Valley Project as an example of useful compromises-­ The movement for a constitutional convention dies with Senator Dirksen--Newly reconstituted legislatures resist further change --A push by Unruh and other legislative leaders for full-time government. [Tape 7, Side A] 118 Proposition 1 A, 1966--A successful campaign by labor, businesses, the media, and elected officials--The California Feature Service is ended--Watson's Property Tax Limitation Initiative--CalTax leads the opposition--Disparate assessment rates are an ongoing problem in the state--Whitaker & Baxter, Inc. helps defeat the initiative, 1968. [Tape 7, Side B] 130 Analyzing the tax issue over the years, Whitaker becomes an expert in assessment matters. SESSION 5, December 7, 1988 [Tape 8, Side A] 132 Hugh Burns's leadership in the state senate--Senate is altered by reapportionment to reflect more urban interests--The assembly as a more partisan body--Comparing Speakers Moretti, Umuh, and Brown --The speaker must be a strong figure to be effective--Why few legislators succeed in moving to the executive branch--The Coastal Commission initiative, 1972, is passed because of environmentalists' frustration with government inaction. [Tape 8, Side B] 142 Campaign against the Coastal Commission, Proposition 20--The opposition invests years of preparation and runs a model campaign-­ Whitaker & Baxter organizes a coalition of individual property owners and large energy interests--The Wye Energy Group is formed to address public policy issues--Corporate responsibility and the public interest. [Tape 9, Side A] 153 The importance of participation in the