Joseph Lester Powell
Encyclopedia
Joseph Lester "Jody" Powell, Jr. (September 30, 1943 – September 14, 2009) was the White House Press Secretary
during the presidency of Jimmy Carter
. He later founded a public relations firm.
, Powell grew up on a farm in Vienna
, 35 miles east of Carter's home town of Plains
.
He attended the United States Air Force Academy
beginning in 1961, but was expelled three years later for cheating on a history exam. He then enrolled at Georgia State University
, finishing his bachelor's degree in 1966, and enrolling in a Ph.D. program in political science at Emory University
.
While at Emory in 1968, he sent paper he had written on southern populism to Jimmy Carter, and began working for the future president, who at the time, was running for governor of Georgia. Powell's first job for Carter was as a volunteer gofer
and driver, with Powell taking Carter to various campaign stops throughout Georgia. Powell then became Carter's close friend and functionally served as his press secretary. He eventually quit Emory mid-way in his studies, to work full-time for Carter.
During Carter's first presidential campaign in 1976, Powell was noted for his energy and for calling reporters from wayside pay telephones
to make sure they got Carter's record straight. In the run-up to the 1976 presidential election, TIME magazine profiled Powell, anticipating that if Carter were elected, Powell would serve a "dual role as adviser and spokesman", and would become one of the most powerful White House press secretaries in history due to his close relationship with Carter.
After Carter's 1976 election as president, Powell was described as a member of the "Georgia Mafia", a group of close aides from Georgia who moved to high positions in Carter's administration, but who were inexperienced in national politics. Powell and Carter's chief of staff Hamilton Jordan
appeared in 1977 as caricatures on the cover of Time Magazine in 1977, and were pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine where they were dubbed Carter's whiz kids. Powell served as White House press secretary for Carter until 1981.
After leaving the White House, Powell lent his distinctive deep, drawling voice to two documentaries, Baseball
and The Civil War.
In 1985, he published a memoir, The Other Side of the Story, in which he discussed his leak to the Associated Press
of the "rabbit incident", Carter's 1979 encounter with an enraged swamp rabbit, that "was intent on climbing into the Presidential boat".
Powell and Sheila Tate, the former White House press secretary to Nancy Reagan
, co-founded Powell Tate, a public relations firm based in Washington, D.C., in 1991. Powell served as CEO of the firm, until his sudden death on September 14, 2009 from a heart attack
at his home on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.
Powell was a member of the Board of Advisors for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
during the presidency of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. He later founded a public relations firm.
Life and career
Born in Cordele, GeorgiaCordele, Georgia
Cordele, also known as The Watermelon Capital of the World, is a city in Crisp County, Georgia, United States. The population was 11,608 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Crisp County...
, Powell grew up on a farm in Vienna
Vienna, Georgia
Vienna is a city in Dooly County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,973 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Dooly County....
, 35 miles east of Carter's home town of Plains
Plains, Georgia
Plains is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 776 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Notable people:...
.
He attended the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
beginning in 1961, but was expelled three years later for cheating on a history exam. He then enrolled at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
, finishing his bachelor's degree in 1966, and enrolling in a Ph.D. program in political science at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
.
While at Emory in 1968, he sent paper he had written on southern populism to Jimmy Carter, and began working for the future president, who at the time, was running for governor of Georgia. Powell's first job for Carter was as a volunteer gofer
Gofer
A gofer or go-fer is an employee who is often sent on errands. "Gofer" reflects the likelihood of instructions to go for coffee, dry cleaning, or stamps, or to make other straightforward or familiar procurements. The term gofer originated in North America...
and driver, with Powell taking Carter to various campaign stops throughout Georgia. Powell then became Carter's close friend and functionally served as his press secretary. He eventually quit Emory mid-way in his studies, to work full-time for Carter.
During Carter's first presidential campaign in 1976, Powell was noted for his energy and for calling reporters from wayside pay telephones
Payphone
A payphone or pay phone is a public telephone, often located in a phone booth or a privacy hood, with pre-payment by inserting money , a credit or debit card, or a telephone card....
to make sure they got Carter's record straight. In the run-up to the 1976 presidential election, TIME magazine profiled Powell, anticipating that if Carter were elected, Powell would serve a "dual role as adviser and spokesman", and would become one of the most powerful White House press secretaries in history due to his close relationship with Carter.
After Carter's 1976 election as president, Powell was described as a member of the "Georgia Mafia", a group of close aides from Georgia who moved to high positions in Carter's administration, but who were inexperienced in national politics. Powell and Carter's chief of staff Hamilton Jordan
Hamilton Jordan
William Hamilton McWhorter Jordan was Chief of Staff to President of the United States Jimmy Carter.-Early life:...
appeared in 1977 as caricatures on the cover of Time Magazine in 1977, and were pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine where they were dubbed Carter's whiz kids. Powell served as White House press secretary for Carter until 1981.
After leaving the White House, Powell lent his distinctive deep, drawling voice to two documentaries, Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and The Civil War.
In 1985, he published a memoir, The Other Side of the Story, in which he discussed his leak to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
of the "rabbit incident", Carter's 1979 encounter with an enraged swamp rabbit, that "was intent on climbing into the Presidential boat".
Powell and Sheila Tate, the former White House press secretary to Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, co-founded Powell Tate, a public relations firm based in Washington, D.C., in 1991. Powell served as CEO of the firm, until his sudden death on September 14, 2009 from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at his home on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.
Powell was a member of the Board of Advisors for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
External links
- Jody Powell profile, NNDB.
- Powell Tate
- Carter Presidency and the Press, January 27, 2007, University of Georgia, School of Public and International Affairs, C-Span