Joseph Lester Powell

Joseph Lester "Jody" Powell, Jr. (September 30, 1943 – September 14, 2009) was the White House Press Secretary during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Born in Cordele, Georgia, Powell grew up in the nearby town of Vienna. He attended the United States Air Force Academy, but did not graduate because he was expelled from the Academy during his senior year for cheating. He then attended Georgia State University and later received a Masters in Politic... more

Joseph Lester "Jody" Powell, Jr. (September 30, 1943 – September 14, 2009) was the White House Press Secretary during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Born in Cordele, Georgia, Powell grew up in the nearby town of Vienna. He attended the United States Air Force Academy, but did not graduate because he was expelled from the Academy during his senior year for cheating. He then attended Georgia State University and later received a Masters in Political Science from Emory University. He married Nan Sue Jared in 1966. While at Emory, he had sent a paper of his on Southern Populism to Jimmy Carter in 1968 and ended up working for the future president. During Carter's run for the governorship of Georgia, Powell became his driver and served as an aide and advisor. After Carter's election, Powell served as press secretary. He worked on Carter's presidential campaign in 1976 and became a member of the "Georgia Mafia", a group of close aides from Georgia who moved to high positions in Carter's... less