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face to face with Thomas S. Foley
Former Speaker of the House Thomas S. Foley was on the WSU campus March 11 and 12. Foley met with students, gave a public lecture, and received a briefing on the Thomas S. Foley Institute at Washington State.
| ask. |
You are more humble than I expected. Where does that [humility] come from? |
| TF |
Whatever events have taken place in my life that gave me an opportunity for public office are the result of so many people helping me and supporting me that any kind of notion that this is something you achieved by yourself is impossible to consider. In politics and public life, there are two kinds of people. One can be described as the A type. They set out to become governor of the state, and they do it. The B type, which I consider myself, is conscious of the fact that so much of life is accidental, perhaps taking an opportunity to present themselves with something that you couldn’t bring about without help and support and efforts of others. |
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| ask. |
Do you have a philosophy of life? |
| TF |
I think everyone has a philosophy of life. I’ve always in my public life taken some encouragement and inspiration from my own father, who was a judge for many years, who for me epitomized the dedication to public service. Throughout the whole period of my life, I’ve had good examples from others who’ve tried to make some kind of contribution to public welfare, while preserving their political career. I think that is one aspect of what I am trying to do in my life. I also think respect for others and maybe some kind of construction of the Golden Rule are part of what I want to try to do with other people. Understanding people’s point of view. Tip O’Neill said one time, “Tom Foley can see three sides of every issue.” I think that trying to see the point of view of the other two is kind of important. |
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| ask. |
Did you meet Heather in Scoop Jackson’s office? |
| TF |
Yes, we both worked for Scoop. That is another aspect of life; you find someone you fall in love with and marry in a circle of people that you meet. In one sense, it seems almost accidental that you came together and met. It has been one of the good fortunes of my life, having met Heather. |
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| ask. |
Could you possibly have known what a good partner she would be from the office standpoint? |
| TF |
I think I should have known that because she was a skilled staff member. I didn’t realize how much she was willing to sacrifice…her own legal career and her own professional ambitions to work unpaid for me for so many years. I have enormous gratitude to her for that. |
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| ask. |
Does everything on Capitol Hill have a side story? |
| TF |
I think that is true in many cases. Sometimes the vote is a matter that you do not have to think about because it is part of your basic beliefs or attitudes toward political issues. In other cases, it is not an easy choice. There are two or more sides to political or legislative questions. I remember that I used to go in and look at the voting screens up above the speaker’s chair, which indicates how members were voting. There was a group of members that I had great respect for and whose judgment I admired, and if I saw them voting different than I was, I wanted to find out why. I wanted to talk to them and see if I was really thinking about this in a way that they were. |
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| ask. |
How has your relationship with the Japanese evolved, and how meaningful has that been to you? |
| TF |
I first started going to Japan more than 30 years ago. I went back to Japan almost every year for about 30 years. In 1997, as the Japanese ambassador, I knew quite a large number of officials and businesspeople as a result of my trips. In those years of traveling and welcoming Japanese parliamentarians to Washington, I developed a great respect for the Japanese people and Japan. It became a bit of an issue when I was nominated to go to Japan; some critics said I was too close to the Japanese, I was too friendly. They said I would not be sufficiently detached and would not represent the country well. I was asked that as an opportunity question in a hearing before the Foreign Relations Committee. I told the story about when George Schultz was secretary of state for President Reagan. He used to brief ambassadors in an office in Washington by putting them next to a large globe, and he would often spin the globe and say, “Ambassador, show me your country.” By which he meant the country they had been sent. He did that with Mike Mansfield, who stopped the globe at the United States, on Montana. He said, “This is my country.” I told the senators, like Mike Mansfield, I knew the country I came from. It was an opportunity for me to serve in a country I did respect, among a people I admired. I think that did not prevent me from doing my duties. |
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| ask. |
Give me your thoughts on the institute that bears your name and the opportunities for students to learn about public service at WSU. |
| TF |
It is a great honor to have my name associated with the institute. This morning I had an opportunity to see some of the Foley fellows and some people working in the institute, and I am proud of that fact. I think that there is a very interesting possibility that the institute and WSU may be involved in a strategic association with the International Christian University in Japan. I think this has great possibilities and may be a wonderful new dimension to both universities’ teaching and the reach and activity of the Foley Institute. One of the great pleasures of coming back to a university is to see the enthusiasm and excitement that students radiate. I just get very excited and enthused when I am around so many wonderful young people. |
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| ask. |
Tell me something that you would like to share with people that you feel might be valuable. |
| TF |
Everyone has their own challenges in life, their own principles and values that will guide you. I think I have been extraordinarily lucky, as I look back on my life, as many times I think there is almost a providential assistance in overcoming difficulties and problems. I am sure many people have the same experience. We are all, especially in this country, blessed. I do think that we have to be concerned, not only as Americans in an international community, but also as Americans in our own society, that some of the good things that have happened to us and some of the opportunities we have had are open to others as well. I think that those of us who feel fortunate in our own life experiences have a sense of having an obligation to assist others to enjoy the same opportunities and share the same experience. |
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| ask. |
On the topic of gender and race, have we made progress, and do you have any particular thoughts on the topics? |
| TF |
I think we have made great progress, when you look at these issues from the perspective of somebody who is almost three-quarters of a century old. I can remember how these circumstances and conditions were in the ’30s. How much we have progressed, and not that we don’t have a distance to go in making our society not totally color- and race-blind, but certainly much more equitable and fair and just than it was in relatively recent years. It was not too long ago that African Americans could not exercise their right to vote. They could not enjoy public facilities; they couldn’t have associations with others without running into tremendous resistance, restriction, or even threat. That is not a matter of centuries back; it is a matter of half a century where women did not have an opportunity to participate in professions. They did not have an equal opportunity in many cases for education, and they were constantly on a very disadvantaged side of income and wealth. Those things are not perfect yet. I do not want to be Pollyannaish about it and say we have developed the perfect society. Huge strides have been taken in the right direction. To ignore that, I think, would be wrong, too. To assume nothing positive has happened is totally wrong. |
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| ask. |
What makes you laugh? |
| TF |
I think I have a pretty good sense of humor. I think I sometimes find some of the ironies of life very funny. I am not the type that doubles over with slapstick. I like satire and witty, clever writing. I also enjoy being in the company of people who are good storytellers. I like to tell stories myself, kind of the sense that life offers a lot of ironic and wonderful opportunities to laugh at ourselves, in our follies and foolishness, and sit back and learn a little bit from that as well as enjoy it. |
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