Oral history interview with Bob Packwood
Scope and Contents
This interview with Bob Packwood was conducted by Clark Hansen at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, from January 26, 1996, to August 20, 2003. In this interview, Packwood discusses his early life and family history; his poor vision; and his education at Willamette University and New York University Law School, including his involvement with the Young Republicans. He also talks briefly about practicing law in Portland and his chairmanship of the Multnomah County Republican Party. Packwood talks about his time in the Oregon Legislature from 1962 to 1967, including campaigning; tax legislation; organizing the Dorchester Conference for liberal Republicans in 1965; and legislation on birth control and abortion. He also talks about working with Howell Appling and Stafford Hansell, among other legislators. Packwood goes on to discuss his service in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1995, including his campaign against Wayne Morse; the Vietnam War; the Nixon administration; and the Watergate scandal. He also discusses foreign policy; serving on the Finance Committee; taxes; and the filibuster. Packwood talks about the changes in the Republican Party after Watergate. He also discusses the Equal Rights Amendment and other women’s rights legislation; the Carter administration; and working with Gloria Steinem. Packwood goes on to discuss events in the Middle East, particularly Israel and Iran, and the Reagan administration. He discusses working with senators Mark Hatfield, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, and many others. Packwood also talks briefly about the Clinton administration and impeachment, and about the sexual harassment allegations against him.
Dates
- Creation: 1996 January 26-2003 August 20
Creator
- Packwood, Bob (Interviewee, Person)
- Hansen, Clark (Interviewer, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Restricted until January 1, 2050.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. When restrictions expire, use will be allowed according to the following license: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Biographical note
Robert "Bob" William Packwood was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1932. He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology before transferring to Willamette University, where one of his professors was Mark Hatfield. It was at Willamette that Packwood became involved in the Young Republicans and started working on political campaigns. He majored in political science and graduated in 1954. He then attended law school at New York University. After graduating in 1957, he returned to Oregon, where he began a long political career. As chairman of the Multnomah County Republican Party, he was known for his effective campaigns, and was often called upon to help other Oregon Republicans win their elections. In 1962, he was elected to the Oregon Legislature. In 1964, he married Georgie Ann Oberteuffer Crockatt. He defeated Wayne Morse for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1968 and served five terms. He was involved in political events at the state, national, and international level from the 1960s throughout the 1990s. Finance and tax law, the Middle East, and women's issues were among his greatest interest and specialty areas. Although he was known for his strong advocacy of women’s rights, he was also accused of numerous instances of sexual harassment. After an investigation into the allegations, the Senate Ethics Committee recommended that Packwood be expelled from the Senate, and he resigned from his seat in 1995.
Extent
.2 Cubic Feet (55 audiocassettes (52 hr., 25 min., 53 sec.))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with Bob Packwood conducted by Clark Hansen from January 26, 1996, to August 20, 2003, as part of the Oregon Legislature Oral History Series. Packwood was a U.S. senator from Oregon from 1969 to 1995. Packwood resigned from his seat after the Senate Ethics Committee recommended his expulsion following an investigation of allegations that he committed sexual misconduct.
General
Forms part of the Oregon Legislature Oral History Series.
Subject
- Oregon. Legislative Assembly (Organization)
- Republican Party (Or.) (Organization)
- United States. Congress. Senate (Organization)
- United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Finance (Organization)
- Willamette University (Organization)
- Clinton, Bill, 1946- (Person)
- Hatfield, Mark O., 1922-2011 (Person)
- Morse, Wayne L. (Wayne Lyman), 1900-1974 (Person)
- Packwood, Bob (Person)
- Steinem, Gloria (Person)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Abortion -- Law and legislation -- Oregon
- Birth control -- Law and legislation -- Oregon
- Equal rights amendments -- United States
- Filibusters (Political science)
- Geopolitics -- Middle East
- Lawyers -- Oregon -- Portland
- Legislators -- United States
- Oral Histories
- Oregon
- Political Campaigns -- Oregon
- Sexual harassment
- Taxation -- Law and legislation -- Oregon
- Women's rights -- United States
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with Bob Packwood
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sarah Stroman
- Date
- 2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
- Sponsor
- This project is supported in whole or part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org