Retired Republican political consultant ED ROLLINS. He's just written a book chronicling his 30 years in American politics, "Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms: My Life in American Politics" (with Tom DeFrank, published by Broadway Books). ROLLINS began his political life a Democrat, working for Bobby Kennedy's campaign in 1968. After an experience at a violent demonstration, though, he became a Republican and worked his way up to become President Reagan's top political advisor. He managed the land-slide Reagan re-election. He also chaired Jack Kemp's unsuccessful 1988 presidential bid and for a short stint managed Ross Perot 1992 independent presidential campaign. 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 surpress black voter turnout in the 1993 gubernatorial campaign of Christine Todd Whitman. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW
Copyright 1996 Fresh Air
