Interview with Garland Pinholster, August 20, 2014

Partial Transcript: Ray City, Georgia.

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster discusses his early life, including playing basketball at his high school with his siblings. He then talks about joining the army and working as an instructor at Fort Benning.

Keywords: Clyattvile, Georgia; Fort Benning, Georgia; Great Depression; Korean War; North Georgia College; Winterville, Georgia; World War II; infantry center

Partial Transcript: What convinced you to be a college coach?

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster remembers being the athletic director and coach for Oglethorpe University and reviving the school's sports program. He focuses on the basketball team, explaining how the team grew to become a nationally-acclaimed team.

Keywords: Division II; Kansas City, Missouri; NCAA; Steve Smith; booster club; football; gymnasium

Partial Transcript: Well, then, I think I've got to mention the fact that you coached the United States team in the Pan American Games in 1963.

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster talks about how he came to coach at the Pan American Games. Pinholster then talks about authoring books about coaching basketball, particularly theEncyclopedia of Basketball Drills, which even gained acclaim overseas.

Keywords: 1963 Pan American Games; George Allen; Luscious Jackson; Pan American Trials; Prentice Hall; Small College All-Stars; Willis Reed

Partial Transcript: When did you first get interested in politics?

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster elaborates on why he got interested in politics--namely, that government regulation hurt small businesses, including his own supermarket business. He then lists his goals upon entering into the Georgia House of Representatives in 1990, such as a zero-based budget and tort reform.

Keywords: Bob Snow; Circle R; Denmark Groover; Fulton County, Georgia; Paul Coverdell; Republican Party; budget reform; medical liability; state senate; state wildflower tag

Partial Transcript: During your terms in the legislature, you became aggressively active in the growth of the Georgia Republican Party.

Segment Synopsis: To explain why he became active in the Republican Party, Pinholster gives an anecdote in which Thomas Murphy refused to allow any Republicans to debate on a committee. Pinholster then describes his tactics for getting more Republicans elected, as well as the biggest obstacle he faced: gerrymandering.

Keywords: 2000 Census; Anne Mueller; Cynthia McKinney; Rotary Club; black caucus; conference committee; conservative Democrats; far right; redistricting

Partial Transcript: Let's go to 1964, a very important year in Georgia for the Republican Party.

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster talks about the major victories for the Republican Party before he joined. Pinholster then discusses the changes he wishes the Republicans would make within their party, as well as the problems affecting politics as a whole.

Keywords: Barry Goldwater; Bo Callaway; David Ralston; Richard Russell; Sam Nunn; Sonny Purdue; Tea Party; Zell Miller; county-unit system; fiscal conservatism; polarization.; pork barrels; social issues

Partial Transcript: Now, let's see, after your service in the legislature, you became a member of the Board of Transportation.

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster briefly summarizes his year on the State School Board, expressing his discontent with how it was run. He then explains his role on the Board of Transportation and gives his thoughts on ways that driving in Georgia, and especially Atlanta, could be improved.

Keywords: American Heart Association; Georgia Department of Transportation; Kathy Cox; physical activity; privatization of toll roads; repairing infrastructure; state school superintendent; synchronizing traffic lights; taxation

Partial Transcript: What is your current take on the state of the state of Georgia?

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster describes how his pride in the United States comes from his brothers' service in World War II, as well as his own military service. He then talks about how his mother taught him to value perseverance, citing an anecdote about chopping wood in his youth.

Keywords: American flag; Bill Cummings; Nathan Dean; Valdosta, Georgia; balancing budget; wood stove

Partial Transcript: Let's talk a minute about Senator Coverdell.

Segment Synopsis: Pinholster describes the relationships that he has made with people through politics over the years, including his friendships with Paul Coverdell, Zell Miller, and Roy Barnes. He also describes how recruiting candidates for the state legislature helped to forge friendships.

Keywords: Bob Short; Coverdell Institute; Denmark Groover; Steve Stancil; Young Harris College; house minority leader