Pro Politics with Zac McCrary Charlie Black, Titan of GOP Politics
Charlie Black is a legendary figure in Republican politics, working his first presidential campaign with Ronald Reagan in 1976 and being involved at a high level with both Presidents Bush and names like Kemp, Dole, McCain, Romney, Kasich and more. In this conversation, Charlie talks his roots in the conservative movement of the 1970s, his work as a political consultant in some of the most famous races of the era, and offers stories, insight, and lessons learned from one of the most impactful political lives of his generation.
IN THIS EPISODE
Charlie’s roots in Wilmington North Carolina…
Barry Goldwater draws Charlie to the GOP…
How his early Republican activism leads to his first real campaign job with Jesse Helms first Senate race in 1972…
Charlie talks the political strength of Jesse Helms that led to a 30-year Senate career, including the titanic ’84 race between Helms and Democratic heavyweight Governor Jim Hunt…
Charlie talks the rise of direct mail fundraising, Independent Expenditures, and the development of the conservative movement throughout the 1970s…
Charlie’s role running several states in the insurgent Reagan ’76 primary challenge to Gerald Ford…
Charlie talks the strategic decisions that led to Reagan winning the GOP nomination in 1980…
Charlie goes into political consulting, working for scores of Senators, Governors, and House members…
The question Ronald Reagan asked himself every morning in the White House…
Charlie helps George H.W. Bush turn a 17-point deficit in 1988 into a landslide win…
Charlie’s longtime friendship with George W. Bush…
The Charlie Black 101 on effective campaign management…
Charlie talks his relationship with Lee Atwater, one of his best friends…
Charlie manages Jack Kemp’s 1988 Presidential campaign…
Charlie on the Democratic politicians who’ve most impressed him…
Charlie talks his work in government relations and former business partners Roger Stone and Paul Manafort…
Charlie’s take on how the Republican Establishment lost control of the party to the Trump wing…
Charlie’s best practices for crisis-communication…
AND 80% friends, the ACLU, Roger Ailes, American University, John Anderson, Howard Baker, Jim Baker, Bigness, Boston Harbor, Bill Brock, Pat Buchanan, Buckley v. Valeo, the California guys, Bill Clinton, John Connolly, the Conscience of a Conservative, courtroom lawyers, Phil Crane, Michael Deaver, Terry Dolan, Kitty Dukakis, Michael Dukakis, John East, Jim Ely, Newt Gingrich, Bob Graham, the greatest Senate race ever run, Pete Hannaford, Paula Hawkins, the Hill newspaper, Willie Horton, Peter Kelly, Kemp-Roth tax cuts, Jim Lake, the League of Women Voters, C.S. Lewis, little bastards, Trent Lott, Mac Mathias, George McGovern, Ed Meese, Walter Mondale, Nashua, nativists, negative advertising, Nixon’s coattails, noblesse oblige, Lyn Nofziger, Scott Pastrick, Pauley Pavillion, Ross Perot, Prime Policy Group, the RNC, Reaganites, Karl Rove, John Sears, Richard Schweiker, Bernie Shaw, Arlen Specter, Stu Spencer, Bob Strauss, Donald Trump, Tom Turnipseed, University of Florida, Richard Viguerie, Paul Volcker, Paul Weyrich, YAF, Young Republicans…& more!