FLORIDA MAN: The Go-Go Governorship of Claude Kirk - Part I: Flashbulbs

My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Bruce Carlson

News, History, Politics

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 November 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the late 1960's the first GOP governor of Florida since Reconstruction found himself elected with no support in the legislature. He had only a microphone and so he used direct confrontation, insults, press-bashing and other tactics to get elected and get his way. Rather than let things be he took on left-wing hippies and right wing segregationists alike in the early part of his term. He aimed his cannons at communists, but also at good old boy political machines. And what do you know, he also is the governor to bring in a large amusement park to the state. Move that Earth he said! This will be part 1 of a 3 part series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an airwave media podcast.
0:05.0	It's 1,000 feet below the sea and on this experimental submarine is the governor of Florida.
0:13.0	And his goal is to claim the ocean floor for the state of Florida.
0:19.0	And the United States too, he's going to place the Florida flag down there first.
0:24.4	The governor uses the pincer arms on his friend's submarine to plant the flags.
0:29.3	Palm Beach Post, 1967. Witness by a school of fish and a big white crab, Governor Claude Kirk planted
0:38.6	two flags in the bottom of the ocean floor eight miles off Miami. We just followed the lead of the Spanish who said,
0:45.8	we're here and this is mine. But even complete his submarine voyage without a dig on the
0:51.4	Democratic president and his intended future political rival, he radioed
0:57.1	the reporters in the boat above.
0:59.2	I just found President Johnson's approval rating. It's 965 feet below sea level. This to me is just such a moment. You know finding your best summer shouldn't be so hard.
1:35.0	Scan your next Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and play for a chance to grab your
1:39.6	pass to summer's biggest events, including music festivals, the Away for Euro 2024 and the Olympic Games
1:45.1	Paris 2024.
1:46.5	GB 18-plus-only promotion ends 19th of May for 4th season sees, visit Coke.
1:50.0	coke. UK slash app slash summer 2024.
1:52.3	I'm just to sell an orange juice. His gray suit fine tailored his navy tie, his two hands raised
1:58.9	fingers out as if he was holding two invisible oranges, a look on his face, like he was looking for an answer
2:05.2	from you.
2:06.2	I'm just a solid orange juice.
2:08.5	A single strand of hair draped over his forehead, like some 220-pound 40-year-old Elvis.
2:15.4	He was Florida.
	...

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