ustxtxb_obs_1981_03_20_50_00008-00000_000.pdf

The scene as Governor Clements discussed various state issues with the Observer left to right, Dugger of the Observer; Clements’ press secretary Jon Ford; Clements; Mark Heckmann, the governor’s personal assistant; and Ford’s assistant, Ray Huffhines. The Governor Discusses the Issues around governors and presidents. Governor William P. Clements was bending over some papers at his large, polished desk. Greetings, seatings, and the placement of the little silver taperecorder between Dugger, the Observer person involved in the discussion, and the governor. “Jon said it would be all right to record this,” the Observer began. . . . I don’t know whether you want to have what you have to say recorded, you gonna record both of us or just me? Yes sir, both of us. All Photographs Of the Governor By Ronald Cortes At lunch I heard Cactus Pryor talkin’ about a retriever you were very fond of. Is it a Cambridge retriever? No, it’s a Chesapeake Bay retriever. Chesapeake. Yeah. What’s its name? You take it hunting? Clem. C-1-e-m. Is it a hunting retriever? Well, it depends on what you’re talkin’ about hunting, if you’re talkin’ about ducks ‘n geese the answer is yes, that’s what he’s really for. He’s the first Chesapeake that I’ve ever had, I’ve had all kinds of other bird dogs and retrievers, like English setters, Irish setters, pointers of various kinds and so forth. I’ve had bird dogs ever since I can remember I’uz five, six, seven years old. But he will not point. You know, in other words he will not hunt birds per se. But he makes a great retriever, if you’re shootin’ white wings, if you’re shootin’ doves, if you’re shootin’ quail, so far as far as finding the birds with an absolutely superb nose and a disciplined action, you know, to watch ’em when they fall and actually pick up doubles and watch both birds and go find the birds, he’s a great retriever. But that’s what he is. Governor, gettin’ down to the subject of the interview, what have been your That wasn’t the subject of the interview? No . . . That’s your interest, huh? Yeah, Cactus said that would be good to talk to you about .. . 8 MARCH 20, 1981 Are you a hunter? Yes sir, I hunt a little, but I don’t . . What kinda dogs you got? I haven’t got any dogs, I generally am the dog .. . Ya do your own retrievin’. Allright. His Program In a kind of a list form, governor, I wonder if you would list your major accomplishments so far? No, I wouldn’t. You’ll have to read other publications ‘n do your own research, I don’t talk about my accomplishments. I can talk about my failures. Well, how about your purposes for the rest of the term is that a fair shift of the question? Sure, that’s fine. We are workin’ hard on our crime package. This has to do with things like oral confessions, it has to do with the rules and regulations in licensing of bondsmen, it has to do with parole and pardons, it has to do with pornography and child abuse, it has to do with mandated sentences for certain classifications of crimes, it has to do with electronic surveillance in drug cases, and there’s a full package of these legislative actions that are being sponsored by different individuals in the Senate and .. . the House, and frankly, I’ll predict to you that they’ll all pass. I think we’re gonna literally bat 100%. That’s a major part of your agenda, but would you run through any other things that matter to you? All right, I can say the same thing about . . . elementary and secondary education. This is a result of Dr. Willis Tate’s committee that he headed up, with a good geographically representative committee all over the state. They made a series of recommendations. These have been published, they are available to ya. It has to do with curricula, it has to do with competency testing, it has to do with bilingual education, all these kinds’a things, teacher certification What is your position on bilingual ed? I’ll come back to that And once again, I’ll predict to you that every one of those recommendations will pass this legislature. You think the wiretapping will pass, although I’ve heard that people in the Senate say it might not get out of that committee in the Senate, the Mauzy committee. Well, you know, your statement is just proof again that if you listen long enough you can hear anything. Fine. I will predict to you that it will get outa Mr. Mauzy’s committee. It did pass the Senate last time by one vote. The complexion of the Senate has changed since the election two years ago Like the complexion of everything