Pickerings champion bipartisanship, civility during dedication of papers at 桃花直播
Contact: Carl Smith
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳wo exalted figures in 桃花直播 politics called for Americans to sit down with each other, have difficult-but-civil conversations and work to better the nation as 桃花直播 State officials formally celebrated the dedication and opening of their political papers now housed at the university.
The father-and-son duo鈥擩udge Charles W. Pickering Sr. and Congressman Charles W. 鈥淐hip鈥 Pickering Jr.鈥攚ere part of a Friday [March 31] panel discussion held at Mitchell Memorial Library, where the 桃花直播 Political Collections unit now hosts documents from the public service of the former federal judge and the former representative of 桃花直播鈥檚 3rd Congressional District. The panel, which included former 桃花直播 President Malcolm Portera and longtime 桃花直播 Republican Party strategist Henry Barbour, discussed various past and present political topics affecting both the state and nation, from the Republican schism of 1976 that led to President Gerald Ford securing his party鈥檚 nomination but failing to win the year鈥檚 general election to the Pickering family鈥檚 relationship with former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.
When asked about the current state of Washington, D.C., both Pickerings, who were noted throughout their careers for being able to reach across the aisle and work with people of various political leanings, urged current leaders to find common ground so they can deliver the best results for the country.
Congressman Pickering said his experience as a staffer for former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott during former President Bill Clinton鈥檚 administration helped him and others learn how to make deals in 鈥渢he last tremendous burst of bipartisan achievement.鈥
鈥淚f we can ever restore a common purpose, common mission, common language, common value system鈥攁t least in the best degree we can鈥攖hat鈥檚 our only hope to restore civility,鈥 the junior Pickering said. 鈥淲hat I hope is we can go back to what we know works: sitting in the room with people that are different than yourself, from different places and with different beliefs, and sitting there until we find common ground. I got to live it, and I am so grateful that I got to live that experience.鈥
Building on his son鈥檚 call for restoring bipartisan efforts, Judge Pickering called on Americans to restore respect for law and order, strengthen the country鈥檚 morals and work in education to ensure children know right from wrong.
鈥淲e鈥檝e lost our moral moorings,鈥 the elder Pickering said. 鈥淧eople say faith didn鈥檛 make a difference [in the founding and subsequent success of America], but it did.鈥
David Nolen, associate dean for 桃花直播 Libraries鈥 Archives and Special Collections, which houses the MPC, said the addition of the Pickerings鈥 papers enrich 桃花直播鈥檚 鈥渁lready-strong holdings鈥 and make the university a 鈥渧ital resource in the study of the 桃花直播 political landscape.鈥
The collection adds valuable records to the national and state political history reflected in the MPC鈥檚 archives. Judge Pickering鈥檚 papers add to a robust network of collections that explore the rise of the modern 桃花直播 Republican Party, including the official papers of the state鈥檚 GOP and several other 20th century figures. His papers also help expand the MPC鈥檚 quickly growing holding of judicial papers and collections, an essential element of 桃花直播鈥檚 justice system history and public service.
Congressman Pickering鈥檚 papers continue the story of 桃花直播鈥檚 3rd Congressional District as Pickering succeeded Congressman G.V. 鈥淪onny鈥 Montgomery鈥檚 legendary 30-year career in Congress. Congressman Pickering鈥檚 own 12-year career spotlights a part of early 21st century politics not yet explored in other open collections at the MPC, covering such crucial subjects as the 9/11 attacks, early days of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush administration, Hurricane Katrina and much more. Congressman Pickering鈥檚 committee work and his contributions to telecommunications policy reflect a career focused on ensuring rural areas of the nation, including 桃花直播, have access to broadband and other high-speed information technology needed to bolster the state's educational goals and workforce.
鈥淭he MPC can now trace the history of the 3rd Congressional District from Sonny Montgomery to the 21st century, thanks to donations by Congressman Pickering and former Congressman Gregg Harper,鈥 Nolen said.
All finding aids for MPC collections and those of the remaining units of Archives and Special Collections, as well as the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library and the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, can be searched at .
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