How much of their success did they owe to Thurmond? But that is assuming that Republicans would continue to control the seat. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. On the night of the tragedy, she carried a birthday note from her parents, according to media reports at the time. And who do you think has a chance of being "the next Strom"? She later sought treatment for chemical dependency and alcoholism. A fifth child, Essie Mae Washington-Williams, would come forward in 2003 — the interracial daughter of a teenage maid and a 20-something Strom Thurmond, who never publicly acknowledged her. Koenig phoned Henry McMaster, her attorney and chairman of the S.C. Republican Party, now S.C. governor. And who will likely succeed the senator when his current term ends? Of course, it was also interesting to note in a wire story that Thurmond, once a tea-teetotaler, now confesses that he enjoys a glass of wine every so often to help his digestion. You've made a few comments now about Sen. Thurmond that make him sound like a shallow simpleton. Santa Ana, Calif.: Nancy Moore Thurmond thrived in her role as the big sister and first child, said Julie Thurmond Whitmer, the second youngest and an events and project management consultant in Washington, D.C. “She was the ‘Little Mommy’ of my brothers and me,” she wrote in an email. Jesse Helms? Who are Sen. Thurmond's major critics in South Carolina and in the U.S. Senate?

Marilyn Thompson: There is little love lost between Thurmond and Hollings, although they and their staffs have worked collegially on matters important to the constituents back home.

Lever Elementary School. To start things off, perhaps you could tell us a little about the process of putting together this book about such an elusive politician.

“And then, over time, you get into a time of forgiveness.

Every day he serves, Thurmond is setting a new record – actually two records, since he is now the oldest and longest serving senator. Marilyn Thompson: This book has a long history. "I'm doing real well," she said recently. "Having given so much of my life to helping others, now I need to focus on the grandchildren, particularly since they don't have their grandfather.".

Welcome to today's discussion with Ol' Strom author Marilyn Thompson. "Many more happy birthdays," her mother wrote. On The Post's National staff, Thompson supervised Whitewater coverage and investigative aspects of other stories. “We were shocked by it.”.

Since he upset Democrats and conventional wisdom in 1948, has Thurmond's power and influence declined? Going to school, attending summer camps, participating in family outings and individual passions — whether sporting events or beauty pageants — they did it all together, he said. Marilyn Thompson: No, the Thurmonds have lived separately for some time. Part of Thurmond's appeal, however, is that he projects a relatively simple image – one that folks back home can understand and relate to. Part of the reason is that he has convinced himself that he was never a "racist" – only a States Rights Democrat with a vitriolic view of the federal government. Thurmond is publicly treated with great respect and deference by his colleagues in the Senate – as you may have seen when he stood center stage to swear in the Chief Justice during the impeachment hearings. : Marilyn Thompson: Yes, there are many problems with the seniority system and Thurmond certainly illustrates many of them. Koenig got out, ran toward Theodore’s car and shouted through the window, “I didn’t mean to hit her. Richard Nixon? What happened? Washington, D.C.: There were many unexpected twists and turns in the research, but perhaps the most significant one was the allegation that Thurmond fathered a black daughter and sent her to an all-Negro college at a time when he was positioning himself as a segregationist candidate for the presidency. Marilyn Thompson: No, the Thurmonds have lived separately for some time.

Her parents made the agonizing decision to take her off life support the next day and donate her organs, an unusual decision back then that saved the lives of two people. In the meantime, she balanced her classes, volunteer work and a part-time waitressing job at Al's Upstairs Italian restaurant in West Columbia. Has Thurmond ever commented on the paradox of his many references to "fighting for freedom" on Omaha Beach and his civil rights record? You are not wrong. Henderson, Tex. I worked on this research for several years under contract with an Atlanta publisher. I think of him as very cunning and calculating. But you still have a tremendous amount of sadness associated with it.".

Alexandria, Va.: Arlington, Va.: Nancy Thurmond still wonders if the tragedy could have been avoided. He obviously has a lot of seniority but it seems he has very little clout on the Hill.

"I think that's a wonderful way to remember our daughter is to live a very healthy life.". Will Strom Thurmond ever retire? The biggest challenge of the book was simply telling the story as it should be told – a complex tale of a major influence in Southern politics, a politician who has outlived and outserved all of his contemporaries.

She also wrote and produced "Play It Safe," a fingerprinting campaign for children, intended to create a link to a child's true identity in cases of kidnappings. “Strom was always transfixed with his work,” he said. But the publisher went out of business before I was finished. Nancy Moore Thurmond never regained consciousness. Raleigh, N.C.: People Projects Discussions Surnames Las Vegas, Nev.: Atlanta, Ga.: After the project was published (a five-part newspaper series), Thurmond's protege Lee Atwater encouraged me to turn it into a book. Why should he stop now?

Lyndon Johnson, as Senate Majority Leader, had no use for him – he was so quirky and unpredictable and could never be counted on. At Atwater's urging, Thurmond granted me access to his gubernatorial papers and offered lots of additional names of people I should interview. Marilyn Thompson: Unlike George Wallace, Thurmond has never publicly acknowledged that he was wrong and asked forgiveness. Related Links “You never saw him flustered. Describe Sen. Thurmond's role in the judicial selection process during this period and in particular his efforts to remove or diminish the powers of these judges. But he has not publicly acknowledged any major philosophical shifts. Strom Thurmond, deeply shaken by his daughter's death, accepted condolence phone calls from then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. Who knows really? A few hours later, the beloved daughter of one of South Carolina's most well-known political families was hit by a drunk driver while walking across Harden Street in Five Points. Des Moines, Iowa: EDGEFIELD, SC - JULY 1: Nancy Moore Thurmond, the widow of former Sen. Strom Thurmond, places a white rose on his casket at the conclusion of the burial service at the Willowbrook Cemetery July 1, 2003 in Edgefield, South Carolina. “I’ve never been through anything like that before and I never want to go through anything like that again. Memories from that night are “so unbelievably etched in my mind even 25 years ago,” Paul Thurmond said. Nancy Moore — as her family called her — was scheduled to give a speech the next day about child safety at J.D. Subscribe for unlimited digital access to the news that matters to your community. Publicly, Strom Thurmond held himself together as always. George Wallace? The campaign resulted in nearly 20,000 children being fingerprinted, Paul Thurmond said. Life is fragile, she said. Wasn't his first wife one of his former secretaries who was like 20 years younger than him? “(Strom) was as devastated as all of us were. Thurmond carried four states and broke the Democratic Party's hold on southern politics. Genealogy for Nancy Janice Thurmond (Moore) (1946 - 2003) family tree on Geni, with over 190 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Marilyn Thompson: No. Democratic Lt. Gov. (Photo by Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images) Embed. What was the biggest challenge? Marilyn Thompson: I don't see a "next Strom" looming out there. His highway patrolman driver, James Peppers, was pulling out of the parking lot when he witnessed the accident from less than 20 feet away.

It happened around 10:30 p.m. on a Tuesday in 1993.

David Beasley could name a successor from the party. To what do you attribute this burst of activity?

It was an emotional, cathartic experience for them and me.”.