Podcasting Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt finished his fourth term as Governor 25 years ago this coming January, and many North Carolinians today don’t know the enormous impact he had on our state.
Colin Campbell at WUNC Radio – seeking “to better understand what he accomplished and what lessons his political career offers for today’s landscape in state politics” – interviewed me on his Politics Podcast about Hunt. You can listen to it here.
We talked about how Hunt transformed a weak governor’s office into a powerful instrument for change.
When he took office in 1977, governors could serve only one term and – alone among the 50 governors – had no veto power.
Hunt changed that. He passed succession in 1977 and veto in 1996.
Now, the legislature wants to go back to weak governors.
Hunt’s driving passion was education – public schools. He raised teacher pay, raised standards and saw student performance improve markedly. He established the School of Science and Math and began Smart Start.
He presided over North Carolina’s economic transition from farms and factories to trade, science and technology.
And he kept the state a bastion of progressive politics, despite setbacks like 1984 Senate race against Jesse Helms.
We talked about how, despite not having served in elected office before, he got elected lieutenant governor at age 35 and governor at 39. He went on to serve an unprecedented four terms, winning reelection in 1980, 1992 and 1996.
We talked about his parents, his education and how growing up in the country shaped him and his politics.
I quoted a caution he always gave Democrats on crime issues: “If people don’t think you’ll keep them safe, you won’t get anywhere with them.”
I recalled the crisp advice he gave Anderson Clayton after she was elected state Democratic Party chair at age 25: “Stand up for fairness and equal opportunity.”
And I talked about what it was like to work with Hunt – his ability to push you to work harder and do more than you ever thought you could, combined with a genuine concern for you personally and your family.
Governor Hunt is 88 now. He and Carolyn still live on the Wilson County farm where he grew up.
His days in public life are behind him. But what he did for North Carolina will live on for years to come.
Podcasting Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt finished his fourth term as Governor 25 years ago this coming January, and many North Carolinians today don’t know the enormous impact he had on our state.
Colin Campbell at WUNC Radio – seeking “to better understand what he accomplished and what lessons his political career offers for today’s landscape in state politics” – interviewed me on his Politics Podcast about Hunt. You can listen to it here.
We talked about how Hunt transformed a weak governor’s office into a powerful instrument for change.
When he took office in 1977, governors could serve only one term and – alone among the 50 governors – had no veto power.
Hunt changed that. He passed succession in 1977 and veto in 1996.
Now, the legislature wants to go back to weak governors.
Hunt’s driving passion was education – public schools. He raised teacher pay, raised standards and saw student performance improve markedly. He established the School of Science and Math and began Smart Start.
He presided over North Carolina’s economic transition from farms and factories to trade, science and technology.
And he kept the state a bastion of progressive politics, despite setbacks like 1984 Senate race against Jesse Helms.
We talked about how, despite not having served in elected office before, he got elected lieutenant governor at age 35 and governor at 39. He went on to serve an unprecedented four terms, winning reelection in 1980, 1992 and 1996.
We talked about his parents, his education and how growing up in the country shaped him and his politics.
I quoted a caution he always gave Democrats on crime issues: “If people don’t think you’ll keep them safe, you won’t get anywhere with them.”
I recalled the crisp advice he gave Anderson Clayton after she was elected state Democratic Party chair at age 25: “Stand up for fairness and equal opportunity.”
And I talked about what it was like to work with Hunt – his ability to push you to work harder and do more than you ever thought you could, combined with a genuine concern for you personally and your family.
Governor Hunt is 88 now. He and Carolyn still live on the Wilson County farm where he grew up.
His days in public life are behind him. But what he did for North Carolina will live on for years to come.