Tim Hutchinson: Today I'm sitting down with Congressman Bob Clement, a Tennessean who spent his life in public service from the National Guard to the TVA Board to leading Cumberland University to eight terms representing Nashville in Congress. He's part of a remarkable political family, but he's also carved out his own legacy of civility, steadiness, and public trust. Congressman Clement. I'm grateful you're here today. Thanks for joining us.
Bob Clement: Thank you. With that introduction, my goodness, I'd like for you to be my campaign manager someday.
Tim Hutchinson: Maybe we can make a comeback. I'll be your manager and we'll... ⁓ So your father ⁓ led the state of Tennessee. You kind of grew up in politics and grew up in the mansion. What was that like? And what did you learn about public service from your father?
Bob Clement: Well, number one, my father, Frank G. Klebb, I didn't Tennessee, never would let me call it Governor's Mansion. I always had to say Governor's residence. But he served, yeah, he served as governor from 1953 to 1959 and then the third term, 1963 to 67. So 10 years and.
Tim Hutchinson: That's a politician
Bob Clement: Only two other men in Tennessee history ever served longer than he did. And that was John Severe, the first governor, and William Carroll, the third governor that went out of office in 1835.
Tim Hutchinson: Wow, wow. So he served for, your dad served for 10 years.
Bob Clement: Yeah, I was age 9 to 15, Tim, and 19 to 23. So what you'd call it would be on the job training. Because he let me, and a lot of parents don't let you do this, but I got to sit in on all the meetings and discussions and conversations. He didn't run me off.
Tim Hutchinson: Ha ha ha.
Bob Clement: And I appreciated that because I truly did get a lot on the job training and it prepared me for the future.
Tim Hutchinson: Well, speaking of on-the-job training, I heard a story that as a teenager, had to be about 15, I guess, your father lost his voice and sent you out on the campaign trail to be his ⁓ surrogate.
Bob Clement: Well, he did because he was making least five, six speeches a day and a lot of them at the courthouse. And as you know, in Tennessee, we have 95 counties and he'd go to every county. these days you're lucky to get 100 people to show up at your political rally, but he had five to 10,000 people at a rally.
Tim Hutchinson: Well...
Bob Clement: And he was just a great orator. And his enemies used to say, don't ever go to hear that so-and-so speaker. You may vote for him, you know. Because he was a true spellbinder and one of the greatest orators in the country. And that's why he was able to get elected when he was age 32. And 32 years old, he
Tim Hutchinson: Hey. Clarity 2.
Bob Clement: He, ⁓ lean Jimmy Jones back in the 1800s, beating by 28 days, ⁓ being the youngest governor. So he was the second youngest governor, but in modern day history, Frank Clement was the oldest.
Tim Hutchinson: That's pretty amazing. So I was interviewing my nephew, Colonel Jim Hendren. His father ran for governor of Arkansas and sent Jim out to be his surrogate at age 17. And Jim said he found himself on the stage with Hillary Clinton as a 17-year-old. He said it was rather amusing. Well, I'm thinking about...
Bob Clement: No. Well, let me say to him, because I didn't totally answer the question you asked me, but on the third time he ran for governor in 1962, mother said, well, use Bob. You know, in these speeches, you can't hold up your voice and whatever. He said, I can't do that because he had never heard me speak. My mother had at forensics in high school, Hillsborough High School. And so, dad, reluctantly agreed. And so we spoke in every county in Tennessee. And he'd speak first and then I'd speak and talk about the Clement administration, the first two terms, and then I'd turn it back over to him and he'd remind the crowd, remember folks, I'm the candidate, not my son.
Tim Hutchinson: That truly was on-the-job training. So speaking of how young your father was, you at age 29 became the youngest Tennessean ever elected statewide. So what did that feel like? Was it exciting or intimidating?
Bob Clement: Well, believe it or not, I didn't think about it at the time because my opponent was 71. He'd been on the public service committee.
Tim Hutchinson: Don't knock those people in their 70s. I think it's fine.
Bob Clement: I don't think there's anything wrong with it either. And I sure wasn't criticizing or condemn him for being 71, but being 28 at the time when I ran, I needed to come up with something to show a difference between Chairman Fowler and myself. And he was a good man and all that. But it was a six year term. So I pointed out in my speeches, I sure won't criticize or condemn him for being 71 if he won't talk about me being 28, you know. And that's as far as I'd go with it, yeah.
Tim Hutchinson: you That was far enough. You made your point.
Bob Clement: We carried every county in Tennessee, and he was chairman of the Tennessee Public Service Commission. he had this.
Tim Hutchinson: Thanks. So Bob, was that your first statewide race? It had to be.
Bob Clement: Well, I'd been in the US Army and this is hard to believe, but I was getting out of the US Army and I asked the chairman of Tennessee Public Service Commission, Commissioner Fowler, for a job and I just wasn't getting anywhere with him or the Public Service Commission. So I accepted another job. I went to work for University of Tennessee in Nashville and then in Knoxville, but I noticed his position was coming up as East Tennessee Public Service Commissioner, even though he was elected statewide. So I just made up my mind, you know, if he's not gonna hire me, I believe I'm gonna run against him. And I've always thought about that, Tim. And so anyone who's coming,
Tim Hutchinson: Shit.
Bob Clement: to ask me for a job or position or whatever, I go out of my way to help them.
Tim Hutchinson: That's a smart man, a smart time. Now, the next chapter, I think it was the next chapter in your life, you stepped into higher education leadership running Cumberland University, I think. Now, go ahead.
Bob Clement: there. Well, I was looking for a new challenge and whatever and even at the University of Tennessee, I had told some of my friends one of my goals in life was to be president of a college or university and of all things I got a call from the search committee. I didn't even know the position was available. And would you consider ⁓ at least interviewing with us about being president of Cumberland University. And I'd had five members of my family graduate there, including my father and grandfather. So I was very familiar with Cumberland, and Cumberland was founded in 1843, one of the oldest colleges, universities in the country. And so I went and interviewed, and golly, I didn't know 60 others that did. applied as well. But I did stay, went through the interviewing process and then they came down to the final three and then I became president and I served there as president of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, right outside Nashville for four and a half years. And I moved it from a two-year college back to a four-year college and got it fully accredited and tripled the private gifts to the university and doubled the educational income. And then that's when I resigned to run for the U.S. Congress.
Tim Hutchinson: All right. I figure if you can handle a faculty meeting in higher education, you're probably ready for the US Congress. That's pretty tough politics sometimes in academia. How did you like it? How did you like it?
Bob Clement: Well, it could be, you know, this is, I'm on the short list on this, but they had tenure at Cumberland University, since I was moving it from a two-year to a four-year college, I asked the faculty to eliminate, abolish tenure to give me more flexibility because I'm going to do everything I can. to help keep the vast majority of faculty. Couldn't save them all, but they voted to eliminate tenure, which gave me some real flexibility, unheard of, yeah.
Tim Hutchinson: That would be unheard of. Yeah. Well, it speaks well of your leadership. Did you like academia? mean, you stated that you...
Bob Clement: You know, I really did. I will say of all the jobs, career changes I've had in my life, the toughest job I ever had was being president of a college. And I'll never forget when I got elected to the U.S. Congress and people would say, oh, you're a congressman now. And I said, well, you've got to understand, last four and a half years, they've called me Mr. President.
Tim Hutchinson: you Well, you, you, as you mentioned, you had to raise a lot of money. Anybody who's president of the university, that's part of the job description that helped probably prepare you for Congress as well, which has become.
Bob Clement: Well, it really did about how to raise campaign funds for an election and all that. you know, because I had spent about 80, 90 percent of my time raising money and Cumberland University ⁓ had fallen back to a two-year college. Now, that's four-year college and graduate school and all that and it's on solid ground and we got a great president, ⁓ Paul Stump. who's taken it to a new level and I'm so proud of him because I sure wanted Cumberland to succeed.
Tim Hutchinson: So, as you mentioned, your next step was to run for Congress, where you served eight terms representing Nashville, Music City. What was it like representing ⁓ Nashville? mean, world renowned for its ⁓ entertainment industry. What must that have been like?
Bob Clement: Well, it was amazing and that was before this last reapportionment and I had all of Nashville, Davidson County and one small rural county, Roberson County, Springfield, Tennessee. so I, Music City USA and when I went to Congress, I wanted everyone, 435 to know me early. I'd push that about Music City USA and country music and all that and made a difference. And then I had Johnny Cash to come up and have a political fundraiser for me. And I will say all Democrats and all Republicans wanted to come to my fundraiser too.
Tim Hutchinson: Bob
Bob Clement: Johnny and June Carter and they even brought their son Johnny along too. So it was quite an event.
Tim Hutchinson: What an event. I will remind you that Johnny Cash was born in the great state of Arkansas and that his statue today stands in the United States Capitol as one of the two statues representing the state of Arkansas. So we have a warm spot in our hearts for Johnny Cash.
Bob Clement: Right. Well, I loved him so much and I knew that. I was a special friend, not only me, but particularly my mother and father that knew him very well. And matter of fact, we had a house ⁓ right around the corner with Johnny Cash. And then our next door neighbor was Roy Aykof, king of our country.
Tim Hutchinson: Wow. Well, you know, you've kind of led into what I was going to ask you about. You've met all kinds of famous people in entertainment and as well as in politics. Who left? A couple of them that may have left the biggest impressions upon you.
Bob Clement: Well, that's hard to answer, because in my early life, because of my father and mother, I got to meet one was Elvis Presley. And he performed at the governor's residence, just for the family. And dad invited a group from the state penitentiary that were great singers called the Prisonaires. And they'd sing one song and Elvis would sing the other song and he got so carried away he stayed till three o'clock in the morning. I'll never forget it. But we had others out there as well. President Harry Truman and Truman was grooming dad to be on his short list for president of the United States. dad didn't live that long because he died at 49 and a tragic
Tim Hutchinson: You
Bob Clement: automobile accident in Nashville. was just a, and I was just, I was in the US Army at the time and gosh, it changed my life too and put me on a new career. But also I have to say to you, I had the chance like you did to serve under many presidents. I served under four presidents, ⁓ President Reagan, his
Tim Hutchinson: Sure. Well, it year.
Bob Clement: last year and then the two Bushes and President Bill Clinton. And I got to spend a lot of time with Bill Clinton and all that. And he was so knowledgeable, whether it was politics or sports or religion or whatever, he was just a pleasure to talk to and be around about how smart he was and how much he did. Matter of fact, we even... As you know, because of Democrats and Republicans, had a balanced budget during the Clinton administration, something we haven't had since either.
Tim Hutchinson: We did. Yeah, that was the great accomplishment during that Clinton era. was the Gingrich Congress and a Democratic president and we were able to balance the budget. We sure need that again.
Bob Clement: Amen.
Tim Hutchinson: So what was it you thinking about that time in the House? What did you like the least about serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for those 16 years?
Bob Clement: I've never had a job or position in my life I enjoyed more than being in the US House of Representatives. ⁓ Every 15 minutes a ⁓ new conversation, a new subject, talking about a different bill that was pending before Congress. And I maybe did something different than a lot of members do, Tim. I met with every group and organization. know, some members of Congress only meet with those that agree with them. I never took that position. I'd always meet with people I knew I could not agree with, and maybe they'd never be for me. But I was always looking for common ground. And I did that on a regular continuing basis because if I couldn't win them over, maybe I could at least neutralize them. But my father used to say about politics is anything is fine and good and pure and true. And as a Tennessee Democrat, it's a Clement Republican, you know. So he used that a lot, particularly in East Tennessee, because At that time, 50s and 60s, middle and west Tennessee were Democrat and east Tennessee was historically always been Republican all the way back to Abe Lincoln.
Tim Hutchinson: You saw the state make a lot of changes and since you left it's changed a lot.
Bob Clement: Well, it has. I'll never forget one of my first conversations was with Congressmen had been in an office in Washington at the U.S. Capitol for House of Representatives for over 40 years. I said, well, I guess you've seen a lot of changes. He said, well, I have and I've been again every one of them.
Tim Hutchinson: I love that. I love that. Bob, in 2002, you made a big decision to run for the United States Senate. What led you to make that leap after all those great years in the House and your leadership roles in the House? Were you pressured into it, or what led you to that?
Bob Clement: Mm-hmm. No, I really was not and I can't blame it on anyone but myself and I'd served eight term 15 years and always gotten a good vote and mandate and could have been reelected rather easily most likely and but you know I had thought about stepping up to the US Senate unfortunately for me in 2002 I couldn't have run at a worse time. My timing was terrible. so it just did not work out at all. And 9-11 had occurred. And normally, being a Democrat, you being a Republican, I just, I thought, well, 2002 would be a good year, but 9-11 had occurred. And when 9-11 occurred and Afghanistan and all that occurred around that, people were so tuned in to what happened 9-11, it absolutely drowned out my message of transportation, education, health care, and the other issues. And I never could make my points. And because of it, As my father said, I never lost a race sometimes. I just didn't get as many votes as that other fellow. But I never became bitter or negative to him. I always took the high road. And I truly believe there are chapters in your life. And it was a new chapter for me, just like this chapter I'm in now is my five grandchildren.
Tim Hutchinson: you
Bob Clement: between eight and 15. And we have the Clement Museum, Governor Frank G. Clement Railroad Hotel Museum that my Aunt Annabel Clement O'Brien and myself founded and opened the doors 2009. And the Clement Museum is in Dixon, Tennessee, it's an old railroad hotel and where my father was born and we captured Tennessee history. And we have thousands of people that visit there and have a lot of events there. Matter of fact, we had the Secretary of State, Trey Hargit, just a few days ago spoke there, had a huge crowd and all that. So that's taken up a lot of my time too. So I'm still a
Tim Hutchinson: Well, Bob, I hope I have an invitation because I know Randy and I would love to go see that museum. that's ⁓ what a great endeavor. I am proud of you for doing that.
Bob Clement: Well, we can arrange that anytime and your audience is included as well because it's Dixon, Tennessee is 35 miles west of Nashville, right off the interstate and between Nashville and Memphis. and so it's a special place. This is when we had rail passenger service. years ago when my father was born and my great grandmother from ⁓ Scottsville, Kentucky, she and her five children ⁓ managed the hotel. Mostly my great grandmother and my grandmother managed the hotel and it's right there on the railroad tracks and you get off the train and go into the Halbrook Hotel, which is now the Clement Museum. And for 50 cents, you could get a room, and for another quarter, you could get a bath. ⁓
Tim Hutchinson: Well, know, ⁓ legacy is important and history is important and it's so easy to lose those without a conscious effort to help people remember ⁓ the things of the past and the lessons of the past. So I'm very proud of you doing that. I think that's terrific. So you have spoken about, you've lived your political career as being one of civility.
Bob Clement: Thank you.
Tim Hutchinson: the ability to disagree without being disagreeable, the ability to build bridges. ⁓ It seems like it's gone, almost gone, as you look at Congress today. Do you think we'll ever get back to those days? And what do we need to do to get back to them, where there is?
Bob Clement: Well, I hope and pray that we will. And I'll never forget when we were there in Congress, we would even have congressional retreats on the weekend. Democrats and Republicans, I'll never forget one at Hershey, Pennsylvania, and we were all there together. How we could attack an issue without attacking one another. And I always did that. get people, members, Democrat and Republican alike to sign on to my bills and I'd sign on to their bills and help them and they'd help me. And what broke my heart just recently this past year, I went to, I was speaking to a group in front at the U.S. Capitol, about 200, 250 and Then I peeled off my wife, Mary and I, and went to the house dining room. And I used to have to wait, and I didn't have to wait at all, right during the week. And I sat down, I had to ask the waitress, I where is everybody? She says, Congressman, know, no Democrats will come in here now because they don't want to be seen with Republicans, and Republicans don't want to be seen with Democrats. Just total meltdown. That truly, as you know, threatens our democracy. And that's got to end. I don't know when it'll end or what it will take to end this crisis because it is a crisis between Democrats and Republicans. They should work together for the betterment of the 350 million
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah.
Bob Clement: people that we have in America and then the entire world because we are the world leader.
Tim Hutchinson: Your story about the House dining room, that's just remarkable. I interviewed a Republican, former Republican leader and a former Democratic leader in leadership in the Senate. And they suggested, when I asked that question about civility, they said, well, you know, we eat separately and we go and have our separate caucus meetings over lunch and decide how we can best beat up on the other side. We need to come together and eat together. So it's so sad to me to hear that the anger ⁓ and the lack of civilities reach that point that don't even eat together. That's very sad.
Bob Clement: Well, Tim, I blame it somewhat on the leadership too, because Democrat and Republican alike, they shortened the schedule. But we used to work, live, work together. And, matter of fact, we were up there all week. A lot of us had homes up there as well. They don't do that anymore. And, and now, now by flying in on Tuesday, Tuesday, and going home on Thursday, I don't know you and you don't know me. So how in the world are we going to work together to solve a problem because there's nothing wrong with the word compromise. I remember so many bills I didn't like, particularly care for the bill, didn't totally like it or whatever. But if it moved the ball down the court,
Tim Hutchinson: Right. Thanks
Bob Clement: then many times I would support that legislation. And that's what you've got to look at, at any piece of legislation, can we move that ball down the field?
Tim Hutchinson: Now, well, you know, you can be a principled Democrat, a principled progressive, ⁓ and find common ground if you look enough for it. A Republican can maintain principled conservative values and find common ground to work, maybe not agree on everything, but find areas that you could work together. And today, it seems like politicians get punished if they take that approach instead of being rewarded. They are viewed as sellouts to their party or their principles and it's going to take a lot of work to get back to that kind of willingness to compromise and work together and build bridges together. We need voices like yours. You sure you don't want to run again?
Bob Clement: No, I believe my time is back. But I do think you can have a difference of opinion without having the difference of principle.
Tim Hutchinson: you So what would your, what do you think your father would say if he could look at the state of politics today about the world in which we're living and the politicians that we have today?
Bob Clement: I think he'd be shocked to really how much we've deteriorated and he would not believe it. I know, you know, my father integrated the schools in Tennessee in the 1950s and I'll never forget because he had other governors trying to get him to join the Southern Coalition and dad says, As long as I'm governor, no federal marshals or troops will march in Tennessee. We will solve our problems by Tennesseans. So he was always looking for ways to explain and communicate. And I just don't think a lot of them now are explaining or even being asked, why did you vote a certain way? What are you trying to accomplish? Because I just think there's a real disconnect there and it's just not good. And what worries me in Tennessee, we're one of the worst states in the union in voting. And because I have people all the time coming up to me, well, my vote, my voice is not important.
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah.
Bob Clement: Well, as long as they feel that way, as I tell them, nothing will change if they don't vote and participate and speak up because they really don't think their vote or voice means anything anymore.
Tim Hutchinson: So as you look back on the chapters of your life, ⁓ I mean, growing up in politics, serving in TVA, serving as university president, serving in Congress, what is the common theme? What ties all of those chapters together in your life, Bob?
Bob Clement: think you've got to love people, one. I think you've got to have a lot of patience, too. And I think you need to be a good listener as well. I think sometimes we're ⁓ overreaching or maybe speaking too much and we need to listen. What did they say? What do you mean and all that? You know, John Adams. made the statement one time, is anybody listening? Does anybody care? I'm sort of that way too. Is anybody listening? Does anybody care? And people's attention span is so short. And I think what my father would have problems with is the sound bites. Because, you know, he's a great orator. Well, being a great orator, I mean, you just take a small sound bite that you haven't heard anything what he said or what he means or what he stand for or whatever. And I'm afraid we just take little pieces, little sound bites, and then make opinion, make up our mind. about a particular person or an issue, without getting all the facts and all the information. And what bothers me too, a lot of people are not reading like they once did. But I read history books. I don't read novels much, but I read... history books that fascinate me and I realize everybody's different about that but I do regret that the printed word seems to have lost a lot of effectiveness.
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah, well you make a great point. It's hard to be very thoughtful in a 30-second sound bite and we're living in a sound bite generation right now. One last question. What would you like future generations to remember about the Clement name?
Bob Clement: Well, I remember my father saying, I'm not going to leave you a rich pocketbook, but I'll leave you a rich name. And that's exactly what he did. I mean, how much he accomplished as governor and it's given Tennessee such a solid foundation for the future. And there's no doubt because of of not just my father, but others in the family have the Clement name mean something in Tennessee. And that's been a lot. I do have a lot of fun with people that when we talk about whether it's either Clement weather in Clement weather. So I'd like to think it's Clement weather, but character and standing up for what you believe is right. it might not be the most popular thing to say or do at times, but I'd like to think people respect one another's opinion more. people are almost afraid to speak up, speak out about politics. And really, even in family get togethers now, where they used to talk about politics, That's not even talked about anymore because she might upset somebody at the family reunion.
Tim Hutchinson: Sadly true. Congressman, thank you for reminding us that public service at its best is still about people, listening well, leading with humility, and leaving a place better than you found it. And we thank you for being with us, visiting with us, and sharing your insights today. I'm Jim Hutchinson, and this is the C.R. Caucus. Bob, thanks for being with us.
Bob Clement: Thank
Bob Clement: Thank you. With that introduction, my goodness, I'd like for you to be my campaign manager someday.
Tim Hutchinson: Maybe we can make a comeback. I'll be your manager and we'll... ⁓ So your father ⁓ led the state of Tennessee. You kind of grew up in politics and grew up in the mansion. What was that like? And what did you learn about public service from your father?
Bob Clement: Well, number one, my father, Frank G. Klebb, I didn't Tennessee, never would let me call it Governor's Mansion. I always had to say Governor's residence. But he served, yeah, he served as governor from 1953 to 1959 and then the third term, 1963 to 67. So 10 years and.
Tim Hutchinson: That's a politician
Bob Clement: Only two other men in Tennessee history ever served longer than he did. And that was John Severe, the first governor, and William Carroll, the third governor that went out of office in 1835.
Tim Hutchinson: Wow, wow. So he served for, your dad served for 10 years.
Bob Clement: Yeah, I was age 9 to 15, Tim, and 19 to 23. So what you'd call it would be on the job training. Because he let me, and a lot of parents don't let you do this, but I got to sit in on all the meetings and discussions and conversations. He didn't run me off.
Tim Hutchinson: Ha ha ha.
Bob Clement: And I appreciated that because I truly did get a lot on the job training and it prepared me for the future.
Tim Hutchinson: Well, speaking of on-the-job training, I heard a story that as a teenager, had to be about 15, I guess, your father lost his voice and sent you out on the campaign trail to be his ⁓ surrogate.
Bob Clement: Well, he did because he was making least five, six speeches a day and a lot of them at the courthouse. And as you know, in Tennessee, we have 95 counties and he'd go to every county. these days you're lucky to get 100 people to show up at your political rally, but he had five to 10,000 people at a rally.
Tim Hutchinson: Well...
Bob Clement: And he was just a great orator. And his enemies used to say, don't ever go to hear that so-and-so speaker. You may vote for him, you know. Because he was a true spellbinder and one of the greatest orators in the country. And that's why he was able to get elected when he was age 32. And 32 years old, he
Tim Hutchinson: Hey. Clarity 2.
Bob Clement: He, ⁓ lean Jimmy Jones back in the 1800s, beating by 28 days, ⁓ being the youngest governor. So he was the second youngest governor, but in modern day history, Frank Clement was the oldest.
Tim Hutchinson: That's pretty amazing. So I was interviewing my nephew, Colonel Jim Hendren. His father ran for governor of Arkansas and sent Jim out to be his surrogate at age 17. And Jim said he found himself on the stage with Hillary Clinton as a 17-year-old. He said it was rather amusing. Well, I'm thinking about...
Bob Clement: No. Well, let me say to him, because I didn't totally answer the question you asked me, but on the third time he ran for governor in 1962, mother said, well, use Bob. You know, in these speeches, you can't hold up your voice and whatever. He said, I can't do that because he had never heard me speak. My mother had at forensics in high school, Hillsborough High School. And so, dad, reluctantly agreed. And so we spoke in every county in Tennessee. And he'd speak first and then I'd speak and talk about the Clement administration, the first two terms, and then I'd turn it back over to him and he'd remind the crowd, remember folks, I'm the candidate, not my son.
Tim Hutchinson: That truly was on-the-job training. So speaking of how young your father was, you at age 29 became the youngest Tennessean ever elected statewide. So what did that feel like? Was it exciting or intimidating?
Bob Clement: Well, believe it or not, I didn't think about it at the time because my opponent was 71. He'd been on the public service committee.
Tim Hutchinson: Don't knock those people in their 70s. I think it's fine.
Bob Clement: I don't think there's anything wrong with it either. And I sure wasn't criticizing or condemn him for being 71, but being 28 at the time when I ran, I needed to come up with something to show a difference between Chairman Fowler and myself. And he was a good man and all that. But it was a six year term. So I pointed out in my speeches, I sure won't criticize or condemn him for being 71 if he won't talk about me being 28, you know. And that's as far as I'd go with it, yeah.
Tim Hutchinson: you That was far enough. You made your point.
Bob Clement: We carried every county in Tennessee, and he was chairman of the Tennessee Public Service Commission. he had this.
Tim Hutchinson: Thanks. So Bob, was that your first statewide race? It had to be.
Bob Clement: Well, I'd been in the US Army and this is hard to believe, but I was getting out of the US Army and I asked the chairman of Tennessee Public Service Commission, Commissioner Fowler, for a job and I just wasn't getting anywhere with him or the Public Service Commission. So I accepted another job. I went to work for University of Tennessee in Nashville and then in Knoxville, but I noticed his position was coming up as East Tennessee Public Service Commissioner, even though he was elected statewide. So I just made up my mind, you know, if he's not gonna hire me, I believe I'm gonna run against him. And I've always thought about that, Tim. And so anyone who's coming,
Tim Hutchinson: Shit.
Bob Clement: to ask me for a job or position or whatever, I go out of my way to help them.
Tim Hutchinson: That's a smart man, a smart time. Now, the next chapter, I think it was the next chapter in your life, you stepped into higher education leadership running Cumberland University, I think. Now, go ahead.
Bob Clement: there. Well, I was looking for a new challenge and whatever and even at the University of Tennessee, I had told some of my friends one of my goals in life was to be president of a college or university and of all things I got a call from the search committee. I didn't even know the position was available. And would you consider ⁓ at least interviewing with us about being president of Cumberland University. And I'd had five members of my family graduate there, including my father and grandfather. So I was very familiar with Cumberland, and Cumberland was founded in 1843, one of the oldest colleges, universities in the country. And so I went and interviewed, and golly, I didn't know 60 others that did. applied as well. But I did stay, went through the interviewing process and then they came down to the final three and then I became president and I served there as president of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, right outside Nashville for four and a half years. And I moved it from a two-year college back to a four-year college and got it fully accredited and tripled the private gifts to the university and doubled the educational income. And then that's when I resigned to run for the U.S. Congress.
Tim Hutchinson: All right. I figure if you can handle a faculty meeting in higher education, you're probably ready for the US Congress. That's pretty tough politics sometimes in academia. How did you like it? How did you like it?
Bob Clement: Well, it could be, you know, this is, I'm on the short list on this, but they had tenure at Cumberland University, since I was moving it from a two-year to a four-year college, I asked the faculty to eliminate, abolish tenure to give me more flexibility because I'm going to do everything I can. to help keep the vast majority of faculty. Couldn't save them all, but they voted to eliminate tenure, which gave me some real flexibility, unheard of, yeah.
Tim Hutchinson: That would be unheard of. Yeah. Well, it speaks well of your leadership. Did you like academia? mean, you stated that you...
Bob Clement: You know, I really did. I will say of all the jobs, career changes I've had in my life, the toughest job I ever had was being president of a college. And I'll never forget when I got elected to the U.S. Congress and people would say, oh, you're a congressman now. And I said, well, you've got to understand, last four and a half years, they've called me Mr. President.
Tim Hutchinson: you Well, you, you, as you mentioned, you had to raise a lot of money. Anybody who's president of the university, that's part of the job description that helped probably prepare you for Congress as well, which has become.
Bob Clement: Well, it really did about how to raise campaign funds for an election and all that. you know, because I had spent about 80, 90 percent of my time raising money and Cumberland University ⁓ had fallen back to a two-year college. Now, that's four-year college and graduate school and all that and it's on solid ground and we got a great president, ⁓ Paul Stump. who's taken it to a new level and I'm so proud of him because I sure wanted Cumberland to succeed.
Tim Hutchinson: So, as you mentioned, your next step was to run for Congress, where you served eight terms representing Nashville, Music City. What was it like representing ⁓ Nashville? mean, world renowned for its ⁓ entertainment industry. What must that have been like?
Bob Clement: Well, it was amazing and that was before this last reapportionment and I had all of Nashville, Davidson County and one small rural county, Roberson County, Springfield, Tennessee. so I, Music City USA and when I went to Congress, I wanted everyone, 435 to know me early. I'd push that about Music City USA and country music and all that and made a difference. And then I had Johnny Cash to come up and have a political fundraiser for me. And I will say all Democrats and all Republicans wanted to come to my fundraiser too.
Tim Hutchinson: Bob
Bob Clement: Johnny and June Carter and they even brought their son Johnny along too. So it was quite an event.
Tim Hutchinson: What an event. I will remind you that Johnny Cash was born in the great state of Arkansas and that his statue today stands in the United States Capitol as one of the two statues representing the state of Arkansas. So we have a warm spot in our hearts for Johnny Cash.
Bob Clement: Right. Well, I loved him so much and I knew that. I was a special friend, not only me, but particularly my mother and father that knew him very well. And matter of fact, we had a house ⁓ right around the corner with Johnny Cash. And then our next door neighbor was Roy Aykof, king of our country.
Tim Hutchinson: Wow. Well, you know, you've kind of led into what I was going to ask you about. You've met all kinds of famous people in entertainment and as well as in politics. Who left? A couple of them that may have left the biggest impressions upon you.
Bob Clement: Well, that's hard to answer, because in my early life, because of my father and mother, I got to meet one was Elvis Presley. And he performed at the governor's residence, just for the family. And dad invited a group from the state penitentiary that were great singers called the Prisonaires. And they'd sing one song and Elvis would sing the other song and he got so carried away he stayed till three o'clock in the morning. I'll never forget it. But we had others out there as well. President Harry Truman and Truman was grooming dad to be on his short list for president of the United States. dad didn't live that long because he died at 49 and a tragic
Tim Hutchinson: You
Bob Clement: automobile accident in Nashville. was just a, and I was just, I was in the US Army at the time and gosh, it changed my life too and put me on a new career. But also I have to say to you, I had the chance like you did to serve under many presidents. I served under four presidents, ⁓ President Reagan, his
Tim Hutchinson: Sure. Well, it year.
Bob Clement: last year and then the two Bushes and President Bill Clinton. And I got to spend a lot of time with Bill Clinton and all that. And he was so knowledgeable, whether it was politics or sports or religion or whatever, he was just a pleasure to talk to and be around about how smart he was and how much he did. Matter of fact, we even... As you know, because of Democrats and Republicans, had a balanced budget during the Clinton administration, something we haven't had since either.
Tim Hutchinson: We did. Yeah, that was the great accomplishment during that Clinton era. was the Gingrich Congress and a Democratic president and we were able to balance the budget. We sure need that again.
Bob Clement: Amen.
Tim Hutchinson: So what was it you thinking about that time in the House? What did you like the least about serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for those 16 years?
Bob Clement: I've never had a job or position in my life I enjoyed more than being in the US House of Representatives. ⁓ Every 15 minutes a ⁓ new conversation, a new subject, talking about a different bill that was pending before Congress. And I maybe did something different than a lot of members do, Tim. I met with every group and organization. know, some members of Congress only meet with those that agree with them. I never took that position. I'd always meet with people I knew I could not agree with, and maybe they'd never be for me. But I was always looking for common ground. And I did that on a regular continuing basis because if I couldn't win them over, maybe I could at least neutralize them. But my father used to say about politics is anything is fine and good and pure and true. And as a Tennessee Democrat, it's a Clement Republican, you know. So he used that a lot, particularly in East Tennessee, because At that time, 50s and 60s, middle and west Tennessee were Democrat and east Tennessee was historically always been Republican all the way back to Abe Lincoln.
Tim Hutchinson: You saw the state make a lot of changes and since you left it's changed a lot.
Bob Clement: Well, it has. I'll never forget one of my first conversations was with Congressmen had been in an office in Washington at the U.S. Capitol for House of Representatives for over 40 years. I said, well, I guess you've seen a lot of changes. He said, well, I have and I've been again every one of them.
Tim Hutchinson: I love that. I love that. Bob, in 2002, you made a big decision to run for the United States Senate. What led you to make that leap after all those great years in the House and your leadership roles in the House? Were you pressured into it, or what led you to that?
Bob Clement: Mm-hmm. No, I really was not and I can't blame it on anyone but myself and I'd served eight term 15 years and always gotten a good vote and mandate and could have been reelected rather easily most likely and but you know I had thought about stepping up to the US Senate unfortunately for me in 2002 I couldn't have run at a worse time. My timing was terrible. so it just did not work out at all. And 9-11 had occurred. And normally, being a Democrat, you being a Republican, I just, I thought, well, 2002 would be a good year, but 9-11 had occurred. And when 9-11 occurred and Afghanistan and all that occurred around that, people were so tuned in to what happened 9-11, it absolutely drowned out my message of transportation, education, health care, and the other issues. And I never could make my points. And because of it, As my father said, I never lost a race sometimes. I just didn't get as many votes as that other fellow. But I never became bitter or negative to him. I always took the high road. And I truly believe there are chapters in your life. And it was a new chapter for me, just like this chapter I'm in now is my five grandchildren.
Tim Hutchinson: you
Bob Clement: between eight and 15. And we have the Clement Museum, Governor Frank G. Clement Railroad Hotel Museum that my Aunt Annabel Clement O'Brien and myself founded and opened the doors 2009. And the Clement Museum is in Dixon, Tennessee, it's an old railroad hotel and where my father was born and we captured Tennessee history. And we have thousands of people that visit there and have a lot of events there. Matter of fact, we had the Secretary of State, Trey Hargit, just a few days ago spoke there, had a huge crowd and all that. So that's taken up a lot of my time too. So I'm still a
Tim Hutchinson: Well, Bob, I hope I have an invitation because I know Randy and I would love to go see that museum. that's ⁓ what a great endeavor. I am proud of you for doing that.
Bob Clement: Well, we can arrange that anytime and your audience is included as well because it's Dixon, Tennessee is 35 miles west of Nashville, right off the interstate and between Nashville and Memphis. and so it's a special place. This is when we had rail passenger service. years ago when my father was born and my great grandmother from ⁓ Scottsville, Kentucky, she and her five children ⁓ managed the hotel. Mostly my great grandmother and my grandmother managed the hotel and it's right there on the railroad tracks and you get off the train and go into the Halbrook Hotel, which is now the Clement Museum. And for 50 cents, you could get a room, and for another quarter, you could get a bath. ⁓
Tim Hutchinson: Well, know, ⁓ legacy is important and history is important and it's so easy to lose those without a conscious effort to help people remember ⁓ the things of the past and the lessons of the past. So I'm very proud of you doing that. I think that's terrific. So you have spoken about, you've lived your political career as being one of civility.
Bob Clement: Thank you.
Tim Hutchinson: the ability to disagree without being disagreeable, the ability to build bridges. ⁓ It seems like it's gone, almost gone, as you look at Congress today. Do you think we'll ever get back to those days? And what do we need to do to get back to them, where there is?
Bob Clement: Well, I hope and pray that we will. And I'll never forget when we were there in Congress, we would even have congressional retreats on the weekend. Democrats and Republicans, I'll never forget one at Hershey, Pennsylvania, and we were all there together. How we could attack an issue without attacking one another. And I always did that. get people, members, Democrat and Republican alike to sign on to my bills and I'd sign on to their bills and help them and they'd help me. And what broke my heart just recently this past year, I went to, I was speaking to a group in front at the U.S. Capitol, about 200, 250 and Then I peeled off my wife, Mary and I, and went to the house dining room. And I used to have to wait, and I didn't have to wait at all, right during the week. And I sat down, I had to ask the waitress, I where is everybody? She says, Congressman, know, no Democrats will come in here now because they don't want to be seen with Republicans, and Republicans don't want to be seen with Democrats. Just total meltdown. That truly, as you know, threatens our democracy. And that's got to end. I don't know when it'll end or what it will take to end this crisis because it is a crisis between Democrats and Republicans. They should work together for the betterment of the 350 million
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah.
Bob Clement: people that we have in America and then the entire world because we are the world leader.
Tim Hutchinson: Your story about the House dining room, that's just remarkable. I interviewed a Republican, former Republican leader and a former Democratic leader in leadership in the Senate. And they suggested, when I asked that question about civility, they said, well, you know, we eat separately and we go and have our separate caucus meetings over lunch and decide how we can best beat up on the other side. We need to come together and eat together. So it's so sad to me to hear that the anger ⁓ and the lack of civilities reach that point that don't even eat together. That's very sad.
Bob Clement: Well, Tim, I blame it somewhat on the leadership too, because Democrat and Republican alike, they shortened the schedule. But we used to work, live, work together. And, matter of fact, we were up there all week. A lot of us had homes up there as well. They don't do that anymore. And, and now, now by flying in on Tuesday, Tuesday, and going home on Thursday, I don't know you and you don't know me. So how in the world are we going to work together to solve a problem because there's nothing wrong with the word compromise. I remember so many bills I didn't like, particularly care for the bill, didn't totally like it or whatever. But if it moved the ball down the court,
Tim Hutchinson: Right. Thanks
Bob Clement: then many times I would support that legislation. And that's what you've got to look at, at any piece of legislation, can we move that ball down the field?
Tim Hutchinson: Now, well, you know, you can be a principled Democrat, a principled progressive, ⁓ and find common ground if you look enough for it. A Republican can maintain principled conservative values and find common ground to work, maybe not agree on everything, but find areas that you could work together. And today, it seems like politicians get punished if they take that approach instead of being rewarded. They are viewed as sellouts to their party or their principles and it's going to take a lot of work to get back to that kind of willingness to compromise and work together and build bridges together. We need voices like yours. You sure you don't want to run again?
Bob Clement: No, I believe my time is back. But I do think you can have a difference of opinion without having the difference of principle.
Tim Hutchinson: you So what would your, what do you think your father would say if he could look at the state of politics today about the world in which we're living and the politicians that we have today?
Bob Clement: I think he'd be shocked to really how much we've deteriorated and he would not believe it. I know, you know, my father integrated the schools in Tennessee in the 1950s and I'll never forget because he had other governors trying to get him to join the Southern Coalition and dad says, As long as I'm governor, no federal marshals or troops will march in Tennessee. We will solve our problems by Tennesseans. So he was always looking for ways to explain and communicate. And I just don't think a lot of them now are explaining or even being asked, why did you vote a certain way? What are you trying to accomplish? Because I just think there's a real disconnect there and it's just not good. And what worries me in Tennessee, we're one of the worst states in the union in voting. And because I have people all the time coming up to me, well, my vote, my voice is not important.
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah.
Bob Clement: Well, as long as they feel that way, as I tell them, nothing will change if they don't vote and participate and speak up because they really don't think their vote or voice means anything anymore.
Tim Hutchinson: So as you look back on the chapters of your life, ⁓ I mean, growing up in politics, serving in TVA, serving as university president, serving in Congress, what is the common theme? What ties all of those chapters together in your life, Bob?
Bob Clement: think you've got to love people, one. I think you've got to have a lot of patience, too. And I think you need to be a good listener as well. I think sometimes we're ⁓ overreaching or maybe speaking too much and we need to listen. What did they say? What do you mean and all that? You know, John Adams. made the statement one time, is anybody listening? Does anybody care? I'm sort of that way too. Is anybody listening? Does anybody care? And people's attention span is so short. And I think what my father would have problems with is the sound bites. Because, you know, he's a great orator. Well, being a great orator, I mean, you just take a small sound bite that you haven't heard anything what he said or what he means or what he stand for or whatever. And I'm afraid we just take little pieces, little sound bites, and then make opinion, make up our mind. about a particular person or an issue, without getting all the facts and all the information. And what bothers me too, a lot of people are not reading like they once did. But I read history books. I don't read novels much, but I read... history books that fascinate me and I realize everybody's different about that but I do regret that the printed word seems to have lost a lot of effectiveness.
Tim Hutchinson: Yeah, well you make a great point. It's hard to be very thoughtful in a 30-second sound bite and we're living in a sound bite generation right now. One last question. What would you like future generations to remember about the Clement name?
Bob Clement: Well, I remember my father saying, I'm not going to leave you a rich pocketbook, but I'll leave you a rich name. And that's exactly what he did. I mean, how much he accomplished as governor and it's given Tennessee such a solid foundation for the future. And there's no doubt because of of not just my father, but others in the family have the Clement name mean something in Tennessee. And that's been a lot. I do have a lot of fun with people that when we talk about whether it's either Clement weather in Clement weather. So I'd like to think it's Clement weather, but character and standing up for what you believe is right. it might not be the most popular thing to say or do at times, but I'd like to think people respect one another's opinion more. people are almost afraid to speak up, speak out about politics. And really, even in family get togethers now, where they used to talk about politics, That's not even talked about anymore because she might upset somebody at the family reunion.
Tim Hutchinson: Sadly true. Congressman, thank you for reminding us that public service at its best is still about people, listening well, leading with humility, and leaving a place better than you found it. And we thank you for being with us, visiting with us, and sharing your insights today. I'm Jim Hutchinson, and this is the C.R. Caucus. Bob, thanks for being with us.
Bob Clement: Thank
