Andrew Belonsky: What motivated you to get into politics? I understand that you worked in finance for many years, so what was your political awakening?

Jim Neal: Well, as a child I was always fascinated by political – the public service, the dynamics of politics. I was one of these kids who always won the election for student body president.

AB: You always won?

JN: I don't think I ever lost. Although, I won't say that – I'm sure I lost a race in third grade, or something.

AB: What was your first election?

JN: I think, legitimately, beginning in 7th grade, which in those days was middle school, and continuing right on from that point. A lot of my interest was influenced by JFK's assassination.

AB: Really?

JN: I remember exactly where I was: I was coming out of my first grade class and going out to the car pool to get picked up and found out. I immediately ran home. It was just surreal. It was absolutely surreal watching. You look back and see all the clips, but this is something that black and white television – what am I? Six years old and watching it nonstop. And similarly during the Watergate hearings – I remember watching that like a soap opera. I was fascinated with the intrigue, as well as the legislation. The civil rights movement, too: the fact that in Greensboro, where I was born – Dr. King was actually scheduled to come to Greensboro before he was killed in Memphis. Also, being a product of the first generation that went through forced busing. I was student body president at the time and I was in the ninth grade and my school had very few black kids, and we were integrated. It was actually the greatest educational experience of my life.

AB: Oh?

JN: Oh my god! It was phenomenal, because it brought together people who had different backgrounds culturally, socioeconomically and everything else. As a student government leader, I had been sharing that role with a guy – I still remember his name: Jerry Beasley – he was one of the kids who was bused in from the projects. All of a sudden the the African-American student body comprised 30% of more of my junior high school and we worked very closely together. Yes, there was some incidents and stuff, but we worked them out.

AB: That was your first experience at coalition building, I take it?

JN: I'm giving you the composite of somebody who from the time they were very young began working on presidential race: going down to the campaign office, hanging around, putting up yard signs, handing out bumper stickers and campaign buttons for LBJ at a time when he was not the most popular person in the south, because he had signed the civil rights act. It continued – I've always had a fascination with – I mean, my mom told me when I was a kid, "You can be whatever you want to be". I always felt that there was a place at the table for me, except when I came out. There were some years there when I doubted whether there was a place for me.

AB: Politically speaking?

JN: Everything speaking!