It is difficult to overstate the value of the comments provided to us by Carter’s Domestic Policy Adviser Stu Eizenstat, Head of the Office of Congressional Liaison Frank Moore, House Liaison Jim Free, and Deputy Assistant for Congressional Liaison Les Francis. As we revised the manuscript, these men remained interested in providing feedback for which we are eternally grateful. And, more than grateful, we are honored that Francis and Free consented to write short essays for this book.
Successful archival research is reliant on the assistance of archival staff; we consider ourselves lucky to have worked with so many outstanding archivists. Bert Nason of the Jimmy Carter Library provided excellent help orienting us in the Carter Papers and discussing the Carter presidency at length. Kevin Ray and the staff of the Hoole Library at the University of Alabama, home of the Tom Bevill Papers, went above and beyond the call of duty helping us to get the materials that we needed. Craig Piper and Betty Self provided expert help with the John Stennis Papers at Mississippi State University. Robert Bruns facilitated access to the Tip O’Neill Papers at Boston College. Janet Bunde at New York University assisted us with materials from the John Brademas Congressional Papers. Hamp Smith at the Minnesota Historical Society was enormously helpful with the Walter Mondale Papers. The contributions of these individuals to our research are truly, deeply appreciated.
Our research has benefitted from financial support from grant funds from the Dirksen Congressional Center Congressional Research Award and the Caterpillar Foundation; our work over the last several years has benefitted greatly from the support of the Center and Center Director Frank Mackaman. Additional funding was provided by California State University Channel Islands and the Institute for Humane Studies.