Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Thurmond's Daughter

Aired December 16, 2003 - 08:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a 78-year-old woman says she is the illegitimate daughter of an African-American mother and the late Senator Strom Thurmond. The oldest son of the one time segregationist South Carolina senator says the family will not challenge the claim.
Joining us now is Frank Wheaton, the attorney for Essie May Washington-Williams.

Thanks for being with us, Frank.

FRANK K. WHEATON, ATTORNEY FOR ESSIE MAY WASHINGTON-WILLIAMS: Thank you very much for having me.

COOPER: First of all, you just heard this word from the family yesterday that they say, in fact, this is true.

What response has Ms. Williams had to this?

WHEATON: Well, first of all, she was extremely surprised, as I was. But, you know, after we settled down and after I got up off the floor, I realized what courage it must have taken for the Thurmond family to come forward with a statement like this, especially in this day and time.

COOPER: Because you all were really girding for a fight. I mean you really anticipated them contesting the claim.

WHEATON: Oh, yes. For the last six or seven months, we thought we had a big fight coming. And the beauty of this whole story and what makes this story so phenomenal is that it has a happy ending for all parties involved. This was never about money, much to the surprise of many. Essie May Washington-Williams was never seeking money from the estate. She was merely seeking finality and closure to her life.

COOPER: And that is still the case? She will not in any way contest the will, the estate?

WHEATON: It was never about upsetting the wishes of the late senator with regard to his estate. It was simply about Essie May Washington-Williams.

COOPER: Why come -- why did she come forward at this point? I mean there had been questions, there had been rumors for years. Reporters had contacted her before.

Why now?

WHEATON: Well, she had a profound love and respect for her father, and so did he for her. In fact, I think they both raised the bar with regard to integrity.

COOPER: And they had had a relationship of sorts over the years.

WHEATON: Well, for 50 or 60 years they had a parental relationship, he had a parental relationship with his daughter. They had a typical father-daughter relationship, much to the surprise of many.

COOPER: Though it wasn't particularly close. I mean she would only see him at times. She hadn't, she really didn't meet him until, I believe, she was 16 years old, is that correct?

WHEATON: That's correct. But from that day forward, when her mother introduced her as -- introduced her to him, rather, by saying this is your father, and he said wow, what a lovely daughter. And from that day forward, they had a wonderful relationship for the rest of his life.

COOPER: What was this like for you personally? When Miss. Washington-Williams came to you and told you the facts of the case, I mean given the -- I mean this is not just any father. This is Strom Thurmond, a Dixiecrat, a one time staunch segregationist.

How did you react?

WHEATON: Well, perhaps today because of the makeup I don't look old enough, but certainly I'm old enough to have grown up in the pre- civil rights era. And, of course, I visited the South on many occasions. So I was clearly aware of who Strom Thurmond was and what he represented. So when Essie May Washington-Williams gave me the opportunity via interview to represent her interests, knowing that I had represented some public figures, she sort of felt comfortable enough to know that perhaps I could handle this because, again, after I got up off the floor, because I felt like I was stuck in a time capsule with her, stuck in time, seeing this history right before me, but at the same time I saw truth just -- just steaming from her. So I knew the story was absolutely true.

She has a striking resemblance to Strom Thurmond and, of course, she had all sorts of evidence to support her claims.

COOPER: And it's just a fascinating story, really just unbelievable almost. And no doubt we'll be hearing more details in the coming days.

Frank Wheaton, thanks very much.

And, by the way, you're right, you do not look old enough to have experienced those days.

WHEATON: Oh, thank you so much.

You're so kind.

COOPER: All right, thanks for joining us.

WHEATON: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 16, 2003 - 08:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a 78-year-old woman says she is the illegitimate daughter of an African-American mother and the late Senator Strom Thurmond. The oldest son of the one time segregationist South Carolina senator says the family will not challenge the claim.
Joining us now is Frank Wheaton, the attorney for Essie May Washington-Williams.

Thanks for being with us, Frank.

FRANK K. WHEATON, ATTORNEY FOR ESSIE MAY WASHINGTON-WILLIAMS: Thank you very much for having me.

COOPER: First of all, you just heard this word from the family yesterday that they say, in fact, this is true.

What response has Ms. Williams had to this?

WHEATON: Well, first of all, she was extremely surprised, as I was. But, you know, after we settled down and after I got up off the floor, I realized what courage it must have taken for the Thurmond family to come forward with a statement like this, especially in this day and time.

COOPER: Because you all were really girding for a fight. I mean you really anticipated them contesting the claim.

WHEATON: Oh, yes. For the last six or seven months, we thought we had a big fight coming. And the beauty of this whole story and what makes this story so phenomenal is that it has a happy ending for all parties involved. This was never about money, much to the surprise of many. Essie May Washington-Williams was never seeking money from the estate. She was merely seeking finality and closure to her life.

COOPER: And that is still the case? She will not in any way contest the will, the estate?

WHEATON: It was never about upsetting the wishes of the late senator with regard to his estate. It was simply about Essie May Washington-Williams.

COOPER: Why come -- why did she come forward at this point? I mean there had been questions, there had been rumors for years. Reporters had contacted her before.

Why now?

WHEATON: Well, she had a profound love and respect for her father, and so did he for her. In fact, I think they both raised the bar with regard to integrity.

COOPER: And they had had a relationship of sorts over the years.

WHEATON: Well, for 50 or 60 years they had a parental relationship, he had a parental relationship with his daughter. They had a typical father-daughter relationship, much to the surprise of many.

COOPER: Though it wasn't particularly close. I mean she would only see him at times. She hadn't, she really didn't meet him until, I believe, she was 16 years old, is that correct?

WHEATON: That's correct. But from that day forward, when her mother introduced her as -- introduced her to him, rather, by saying this is your father, and he said wow, what a lovely daughter. And from that day forward, they had a wonderful relationship for the rest of his life.

COOPER: What was this like for you personally? When Miss. Washington-Williams came to you and told you the facts of the case, I mean given the -- I mean this is not just any father. This is Strom Thurmond, a Dixiecrat, a one time staunch segregationist.

How did you react?

WHEATON: Well, perhaps today because of the makeup I don't look old enough, but certainly I'm old enough to have grown up in the pre- civil rights era. And, of course, I visited the South on many occasions. So I was clearly aware of who Strom Thurmond was and what he represented. So when Essie May Washington-Williams gave me the opportunity via interview to represent her interests, knowing that I had represented some public figures, she sort of felt comfortable enough to know that perhaps I could handle this because, again, after I got up off the floor, because I felt like I was stuck in a time capsule with her, stuck in time, seeing this history right before me, but at the same time I saw truth just -- just steaming from her. So I knew the story was absolutely true.

She has a striking resemblance to Strom Thurmond and, of course, she had all sorts of evidence to support her claims.

COOPER: And it's just a fascinating story, really just unbelievable almost. And no doubt we'll be hearing more details in the coming days.

Frank Wheaton, thanks very much.

And, by the way, you're right, you do not look old enough to have experienced those days.

WHEATON: Oh, thank you so much.

You're so kind.

COOPER: All right, thanks for joining us.

WHEATON: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com