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Political Consultant Ed Rollins on His Relationship with the Republican Party

Retired Republican political consultant Ed Rollins has just written a book chronicling his 30 years in American politics, "Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms: My Life in American Politics." He began his political life a Democrat, working for Bobby Kennedy's campaign in 1968. After an experience at a violent demonstration he became a Republican and worked his way up to become President Reagan's top political advisor. Controversial for his outspoken and rough manner, Rollins is most recently remembered for inadvertently revealing the supposed pay-offs given to black ministers so they would suppress black voter turnout in the 1993 gubernatorial campaign of Christine Todd Whitman.

39:09

Other segments from the episode on August 8, 1996

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 8, 1996: Interview with Ed Rollins; Commentary on rock music fans.

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