Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Bonus Book Episode: 30 Minutes with Jason Stanford, author of Forget the Alamo

Jun 11, 2021

28:41

Those in the political world know Jason Stanford as the founder of the opposition research firm Stanford Campaigns - which is still going strong after 20+ years. He's also a prolific writer, with a new book out. Forget the Alamo chronicles the history of the Alamo, starting before the first shot was fired to the present day as the Alamo continues to roil Texas politics. In this discussion, Jason talks about his early days in Moscow as an aspiring spy, cutting his teeth working for Ann Richards in Texas, starting his opposition research firm, and touches on a few of the fascinating stories from his new book.

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Twitter: @ProPoliticsPod
Twitter: @ZacMcCrary
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IN THIS EPISODE
Jason is an eyewitness to Boris Yeltsin rolling in the tanks…

How a West Coast kid like Jason winds up working in Texas politics…

Jason works for and learns from Ann Richards in the ’94 campaign…

Jason dusts off some of the ’94 talking points against George W Bush…

How Jason started his opposition research firm in the mid-90s that is still going strong today…

Jason talks a couple of times his research changed the course of a campaign…

The origin story of Jason’s new book Forget the Alamo…

Jason explains the connection between the Alamo and Walt Disney, John Wayne, and Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins)…

How the Alamo played an important role in JFK’s 1960 campaign…

The Alamo causes political waves for George P. Bush and Julian & Joaquin Castro…

Jason provides an itinerary for your next visit to Austin…

AND…Barton Springs, a black Volkswagen without A/C, Jim Bowie, Bryan Burrough, James Carville, Rosie Castro, Ben Chandler, the Continental Club, Davy Crockett, Lincoln Davis, Johnny Depp, gas station tacos, ghostwriters at the Alamo, internet porn, Bruce Lunsford, the mayor of Jerusalem, Dan Morales, Ken Paxton, Mike Plant, Ton Ryan, Santa Ana, Mark Strama, the Texas Rangers, Chris Tomlinson, William Travis, Donald Trump, the World Bank, Boris Yeltsin…and more!

Podcast Website
Twitter: @ProPoliticsPod
Twitter: @ZacMcCrary
Facebook: The Pro Politics Podcast
(Please consider leaving a rating and review in your podcast app)