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Governor Robert W. (Bob) Scott, although he grew up the son of Governor W. Kerr Scott, describes himself as something of an outsider—"a farmer . . . a graduate of N. C. State"—and insists that he never intended on a political career. When his name surfaced in a newspaper item speculating about a run for the governorship, however, his political career began. Scott ran for lieutenant governor and won the seat, and while he downplays his political acumen and ambitions, he soon thereafter began to position himself for a gubernatorial campaign. After four years as lieutenant governor, he took his understated political posture to the governor's office, becoming the first sitting lieutenant governor to take the state house, where he served from 1969 to 1973. In this rich interview, Scott describes his early life and how he backed into a political career; his modest approach to the lieutenant governorship and his relationship with state legislators; his successful campaign for the governorship, which he won by reaching out to a diverse constituency, from African Americans to white conservatives; and his goals for statewide leadership. As he discusses these topics, he reveals a layered political life and shows, or cultivates, an image as a laid-back person with big goals but limited political ambitions. Modest and self-effacing, Scott presents a detailed political portrait and provides a look into the workings of North Carolina's political processes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Rural childhood holds more influence than father's political career

A loan as courtship ritual

Governor W. Kerr Scott's work habits

Learning honesty and hard work from his father

Using political influence to secure a watermelon

The beginning of Scott's political career

Joking that ego launched his political career

Reinventing the lieutenant governorship

A cordial relationship between two Democrats with different philosophies

As lieutenant governor, keeping quiet about legislative moves

Seeking to address various interests as lieutenant governor

Relying on a political ally to cultivate a political network

Seeking support from various constituencies

The challenge of keeping political promises

The environment, utilities disputes, and economic planning demand attention

Clever courtship of a wide voting coalition

Approaching politics as a vehicle for achieving goals, rather than party-building

Need for southern Democrats to obscure their connections to the national party

Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection

Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews