Bill Clements: A Most Formidable Man

In this episode, we learn more about the Clements Center namesake, William P. Clements, Jr. Clements negotiated a deal with President Richard Nixon where he reported directly to the president, despite serving as either the Acting or Deputy Secretary of Defense under Presidents Nixon and Ford. He served two non-consecutive terms as the first Republican Governor of Texas since 1870, at a time when Texas politics was dominated by the Democratic Party. Through Clements’ own words in interviews and televised appearances, as well as through an interview between Dr. Will Inboden, the Executive Director of the Clements Center, and George Seay, the chairman of the Clements Center board — and Clements’ grandson — we learn more about Bill Clements and his legacy.