Interview with Phil Kent, December 18, 2018Collection: Two-Party Georgia Oral History Project |
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Description
Phil Kent was born and raised in Auburn, New York. He relocated to Georgia to attend the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. Following graduation, Kent began a long career as an editorialist and writer at the Augusta Chronicle. He served as South Carolina U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s press secretary and public affairs advisor from 1981 to 1982. Kent has helmed conservative policy organizations including the Southeastern Legal Foundation and the American Immigration Control Foundation. He is currently President of Phil Kent Consulting, CEO and Publisher of InsiderAdvantage Georgia, and a regular panelist on WAGA-TV/Fox5 Atlanta’s “Georgia Gang,” a Sunday public affairs program. He resides in Atlanta.
Kent talks about his upbringing in upstate New York and his early interest in politics. He explains his decision to attend the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism as well as his participation in campus life and politics. Kent discusses his start in journalism at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and later the Augusta Chronicle. He talks about the editorial writing process, his work on U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s staff, and his return to the Chronicle as a political columnist. Kent turns to his later work as the head of the Southern Legal Foundation, InsiderAdvantage, and James Magazine. He assesses the role of media in politics as well as the changing role of technology in media. Kent talks about Georgia’s changing political landscape, especially the rise of the Republican Party during the late twentieth century. He reflects on the 2018 midterm elections in Georgia, including takeaways from Brian Kemp’s victory over Stacey Abrams. Kent closes with thoughts on the future of two-party politics in Georgia.
Kent talks about his upbringing in upstate New York and his early interest in politics. He explains his decision to attend the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism as well as his participation in campus life and politics. Kent discusses his start in journalism at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and later the Augusta Chronicle. He talks about the editorial writing process, his work on U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s staff, and his return to the Chronicle as a political columnist. Kent turns to his later work as the head of the Southern Legal Foundation, InsiderAdvantage, and James Magazine. He assesses the role of media in politics as well as the changing role of technology in media. Kent talks about Georgia’s changing political landscape, especially the rise of the Republican Party during the late twentieth century. He reflects on the 2018 midterm elections in Georgia, including takeaways from Brian Kemp’s victory over Stacey Abrams. Kent closes with thoughts on the future of two-party politics in Georgia.
Date
2018-12-18
Identifier
RBRL425TPGA-072
Coverage
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Location
Duration
74 minutes
URL
Files
Collection
Citation
Phil Kent and Ashton Ellett, “Interview with Phil Kent, December 18, 2018,” UGA Special Collections Libraries Oral Histories, accessed April 25, 2024, https://georgiaoralhistory.libs.uga.edu/RBRL425TPGA/RBRL425TPGA-072.