Warrenwellwellwell my early members our members are justmy early members our members are just from 53rd street becausefrom 53rd street becausefrom 53rd street because we moved there when i was not quitewe moved there when i was not quitewe moved there when i was not quite three years old sothree years old sothree years old so um it it was a homey placeum it it was a homey placeum it it was a homey place it was a place where you could ride theit was a place where you could ride theit was a place where you could ride the bus or the streetcar which i did as abus or the streetcar which i did as abus or the streetcar which i did as a young kidyoung kidyoung kid and feel perfectly safe and school wasand feel perfectly safe and school wasand feel perfectly safe and school was walking distancewalking distancewalking distance things were safe my grandfather ran athings were safe my grandfather ran athings were safe my grandfather ran a grocery store and we'd go to his housegrocery store and we'd go to his housegrocery store and we'd go to his house for dinner on sundayfor dinner on sundayfor dinner on sunday and it felt veryand it felt veryand it felt very homey i would say in ahomey i would say in ahomey i would say in a way that i i don't know if placesway that i i don't know if placesway that i i don't know if places feel that way usually anymore because offeel that way usually anymore because offeel that way usually anymore because of the changing times this was in the 30sthe changing times this was in the 30sthe changing times this was in the 30s sososo it it gave you as a child it gave youit it gave you as a child it gave youit it gave you as a child it gave you both the feeling of freedom and aboth the feeling of freedom and aboth the feeling of freedom and a feeling of security and that's a nicefeeling of security and that's a nicefeeling of security and that's a nice combination to grow up withi spent time there but especially ii spent time there but especially ii spent time there but especially i spent time with my grandfather becausespent time with my grandfather becausespent time with my grandfather because he was a grandfather so you know it washe was a grandfather so you know it washe was a grandfather so you know it was fun for him andfun for him andfun for him and he taught me how to play cards and and ihe taught me how to play cards and and ihe taught me how to play cards and and i
Warrenhe taught me how to play cards and and i lovedlovedloved going over to his house and he'd have megoing over to his house and he'd have megoing over to his house and he'd have me over to spend the night and umover to spend the night and umover to spend the night and um i sensed with my grandfather at a veryi sensed with my grandfather at a veryi sensed with my grandfather at a very early ageearly ageearly age that he loved me for who i wasthat he loved me for who i wasthat he loved me for who i was you know sort of unconditionally i evenyou know sort of unconditionally i evenyou know sort of unconditionally i even as a little kid i kind of knew that andas a little kid i kind of knew that andas a little kid i kind of knew that and never told me what to do or corrected menever told me what to do or corrected menever told me what to do or corrected me or anything so that was a wonderfulor anything so that was a wonderfulor anything so that was a wonderful place to go and i still think about himplace to go and i still think about himplace to go and i still think about him with very very fond memorieswith very very fond memorieswith very very fond memories that's greatwhat i remember was he had an investmentwhat i remember was he had an investmentwhat i remember was he had an investment companycompanycompany and sometimes we'd go down there onand sometimes we'd go down there onand sometimes we'd go down there on sunday and we could play with the addingsunday and we could play with the addingsunday and we could play with the adding machine and it was amachine and it was amachine and it was a stock and pond company which he startedstock and pond company which he startedstock and pond company which he started in the depths of the depression whichin the depths of the depression whichin the depths of the depression which as an adult when i look back i thoughtas an adult when i look back i thoughtas an adult when i look back i thought wow did that ever take a lot of nervewow did that ever take a lot of nervewow did that ever take a lot of nerve because he'd lost his job and they'dbecause he'd lost his job and they'dbecause he'd lost his job and they'd lost their savings in the bank andlost their savings in the bank andlost their savings in the bank and all the things that people suffered fromall the things that people suffered fromall the things that people suffered from during those times
Warrenduring those times and he he always seemed like um an important person because he did a lot of things he taught a class an adult class a bible class at the church he was an elder at the church he was served on the omaha school board um he was a mason and i think he got to be a shriner you know those were sort of mysterious things that i didn't know much about but um but at the same time he he always had time for us he read us stories he was sort of the fun person in the family my brother and i on sunday mornings would go down and get in bed with him and he would tell us ghost stories which we loved and um he had a sense of fun about him as well as being interested in the important things in the world it was a it he was a terrific father it was a religious household that you know my parents um and with us went to church every sunday um they didn't smoke
Otherum they didn't smoke um they didn't drink um and we grew up with a sense of purpose and that you were supposed to be making the world a better place now that sounds like a big thing but um but it was there and and my dad those were my dad's ideals and my mother supported him in those but he he was the one that um really had those intentions you know i think there was the sense that if you were a boy or a young man you were expected to make something of yourself and for a girl you were supposed to um get good grades be polite be helpful look pretty if you could and um and your highest calling would be to find a good husband i mean and you know i that's their world um in in later as a grown up you know i've looked back on that and and um i understand that was their their world but we did get a good education i mean i went off to college
Othereducation i mean i went off to college andandand it there was always an emphasis onit there was always an emphasis onit there was always an emphasis on education soeducation soeducation so i i had the benefit of thati i had the benefit of thati i had the benefit of that but in a sense when i was growing up mybut in a sense when i was growing up mybut in a sense when i was growing up my the highest idea was to marry someonethe highest idea was to marry someonethe highest idea was to marry someone whowhowho would do good you know like a ministerwould do good you know like a ministerwould do good you know like a minister or a doctor or something i wound upor a doctor or something i wound upor a doctor or something i wound up marrying a medical studentmarrying a medical studentmarrying a medical student anyway but because i hadanyway but because i hadanyway but because i had that this any sense of mission or idealsthat this any sense of mission or idealsthat this any sense of mission or ideals or making the world better would beor making the world better would beor making the world better would be accomplished um throughaccomplished um throughaccomplished um through my husband i changed about that but butmy husband i changed about that but butmy husband i changed about that but but that's that's what i grew up withmy mother was a very hard workermy mother was a very hard workermy mother was a very hard worker very good managerhad had a lot of ambition andhad had a lot of ambition andhad had a lot of ambition and competitivenesscompetitivenesscompetitiveness but it there wasn't an easy place forbut it there wasn't an easy place forbut it there wasn't an easy place for her to express that excepther to express that excepther to express that except through her husband who was achievingthrough her husband who was achievingthrough her husband who was achieving that but and also i think through herthat but and also i think through herthat but and also i think through her childrenchildrenchildren and probably with my brotherand probably with my brotherand probably with my brother he needed to make something of himself ihe needed to make something of himself ihe needed to make something of himself i mean doris and i hadmean doris and i hadmean doris and i had other um uh you know another agendaother um uh you know another agendaother um uh you know another agenda given to us but um uh and i think
Charliegiven to us but um uh and i think my brother warren got a lot of his extreme competitiveness from my mother actually my dad accomplished a lot but but she had that kind of real driving edge of wanting to be the best er driving edge of wanting to be the best er driving edge of wanting to be the best er um perfectionists in some ways by the time i came along in a sense you may have noticed this as a parent yourself you know you tend to be the most uptight about your first child and it lessens until you're maybe going to just have fun with the last one or whatever well it wasn't quite like that with my mother i mean she still expected a lot from me and i also could see what was you know happening with my brother and sister so i was tried very very hard to be a good child you know and meet her expectations and not um you know not do anything that would embarrass her it was very important to her how we looked to other people
Charliehow we looked to other people i think both um i would think both dorisi think both um i would think both dorisi think both um i would think both doris and warrenand warrenand warren are in a sense more entrepreneurial thanare in a sense more entrepreneurial thanare in a sense more entrepreneurial than i am you know i'mi am you know i'mi am you know i'm if if you're talking about a jazz bandif if you're talking about a jazz bandif if you're talking about a jazz band or something like thator something like thator something like that they would be the star singer you knowthey would be the star singer you knowthey would be the star singer you know they and i would bethey and i would bethey and i would be in the back playing the drums orin the back playing the drums orin the back playing the drums or something like that and i would be happysomething like that and i would be happysomething like that and i would be happy to be back there and they like to beto be back there and they like to beto be back there and they like to be in in the front and they're good at itin in the front and they're good at itin in the front and they're good at it they're wonderful atthey're wonderful atthey're wonderful at both of them and so umboth of them and so umboth of them and so um they they were pushing the boundaries ithey they were pushing the boundaries ithey they were pushing the boundaries i think more than i wasthink more than i wasthink more than i was so that's that was a big factor and andso that's that was a big factor and andso that's that was a big factor and and iii because i was probably able to conformbecause i was probably able to conformbecause i was probably able to conform to what my mother expectedto what my mother expectedto what my mother expected better i probably got more appreciationbetter i probably got more appreciationbetter i probably got more appreciation more even love because i did feel lovedmore even love because i did feel lovedmore even love because i did feel loved by both my father and my motherby both my father and my motherby both my father and my mother even though with my mother i i knew iteven though with my mother i i knew iteven though with my mother i i knew it was more conditional than my father butwas more conditional than my father butwas more conditional than my father but still i managed that pretty well but istill i managed that pretty well but i
Otherstill i managed that pretty well but i diddiddid no i i mean i'm i'm aware of yes i meanno i i mean i'm i'm aware of yes i meanno i i mean i'm i'm aware of yes i mean i did experience that yesi did experience that yesi did experience that yes my dad when we would bring home ourmy dad when we would bring home ourmy dad when we would bring home our report cards and whatever and show himreport cards and whatever and show himreport cards and whatever and show him andandand we all did well and nicely in school sowe all did well and nicely in school sowe all did well and nicely in school so it wasn't a problem butit wasn't a problem butit wasn't a problem but and he his response was always i wantand he his response was always i wantand he his response was always i want you to do the best you canyou to do the best you canyou to do the best you can and he never said we had to get all a'sand he never said we had to get all a'sand he never said we had to get all a's or this or that or whatever heor this or that or whatever heor this or that or whatever he he never set the goals he's he said ihe never set the goals he's he said ihe never set the goals he's he said i want you to do the best you can andwant you to do the best you can andwant you to do the best you can and and and that has a big power over hereand and that has a big power over hereand and that has a big power over here then you try even harder becausethen you try even harder becausethen you try even harder because it's somehow someone gives you anit's somehow someone gives you anit's somehow someone gives you an assignment you know you may want toassignment you know you may want toassignment you know you may want to rebel but herebel but herebel but he he didn't do that he he so hehe didn't do that he he so hehe didn't do that he he so he he definitely was abouthe definitely was abouthe definitely was about what was going on inside and and thatwhat was going on inside and and thatwhat was going on inside and and that was the most important thingi suppose so i mean i you know i can'ti suppose so i mean i you know i can'ti suppose so i mean i you know i can't imagine that didn't becauseimagine that didn't becauseimagine that didn't because we're all shaped by our early years iwe're all shaped by our early years iwe're all shaped by our early years i mean we have to bemean we have to bemean we have to be and and uh
Warrenand and uhand and uh he's turned it into something incrediblyhe's turned it into something incrediblyhe's turned it into something incredibly wonderfulwonderfulwonderful and my sister's done a lot of goodand my sister's done a lot of goodand my sister's done a lot of good things as well so it'sthings as well so it'sthings as well so it's um it's what it was butum it's what it was butum it's what it was but but they've made good things happenoh he was this he was a nice little kidoh he was this he was a nice little kidoh he was this he was a nice little kid really he wasreally he wasreally he was um we had a lot of fun becauseum we had a lot of fun becauseum we had a lot of fun because he he and i tended to play the gameshe he and i tended to play the gameshe he and i tended to play the games together i think he chose me because itogether i think he chose me because itogether i think he chose me because i was three years youngerwas three years youngerwas three years younger and he always won at everything he weand he always won at everything he weand he always won at everything he we did all these day we playeddid all these day we playeddid all these day we played ping pong or um boxing orping pong or um boxing orping pong or um boxing or uh the biggest you know the mostuh the biggest you know the mostuh the biggest you know the most interesting one was monopolyinteresting one was monopolyinteresting one was monopoly because of what happened with him laterbecause of what happened with him laterbecause of what happened with him later butbutbut he always won and yeah i noticed hehe always won and yeah i noticed hehe always won and yeah i noticed he would buy a property that would be sortwould buy a property that would be sortwould buy a property that would be sort of saving my money and then at the endof saving my money and then at the endof saving my money and then at the end of the game when he owned everythingof the game when he owned everythingof the game when he owned everything with houses and hotels and whatnot and iwith houses and hotels and whatnot and iwith houses and hotels and whatnot and i was brokewas brokewas broke i realized i should have bought propertyi realized i should have bought propertyi realized i should have bought property but but umbut but umbut but um we we had a lot of fun you know togetherwe we had a lot of fun you know togetherwe we had a lot of fun you know together and
Otherandand he was always he was kind to mehe was always he was kind to mehe was always he was kind to me and uh i'll tell you one story thatand uh i'll tell you one story thatand uh i'll tell you one story that that i love because it's i was probablythat i love because it's i was probablythat i love because it's i was probably about fourabout fourabout four and i had a diady doll which at thatand i had a diady doll which at thatand i had a diady doll which at that time was a wonderful little dolltime was a wonderful little dolltime was a wonderful little doll and i always loved my dolls and uhand i always loved my dolls and uhand i always loved my dolls and uh my mother was mad at me for some reasonmy mother was mad at me for some reasonmy mother was mad at me for some reason and i felt it was unfair and i couldn'tand i felt it was unfair and i couldn'tand i felt it was unfair and i couldn't you know say anything or whatever so toyou know say anything or whatever so toyou know say anything or whatever so to show how mad i was i put my diady dollshow how mad i was i put my diady dollshow how mad i was i put my diady doll in the wastebasket and i'm like four andin the wastebasket and i'm like four andin the wastebasket and i'm like four and i love my daddy dogi love my daddy dogi love my daddy dog and one of my brother's jobs was toand one of my brother's jobs was toand one of my brother's jobs was to empty waste baskets andempty waste baskets andempty waste baskets and so he sees it and he comes very sweetlyso he sees it and he comes very sweetlyso he sees it and he comes very sweetly into me saysinto me saysinto me says you didn't really mean to throw this inyou didn't really mean to throw this inyou didn't really mean to throw this in the waste basket did youthe waste basket did youthe waste basket did you of course i said no no you know i was soof course i said no no you know i was soof course i said no no you know i was so relievedrelievedrelieved that he rescued that for me but hethat he rescued that for me but hethat he rescued that for me but he he was um he was a kindhe was um he was a kindhe was um he was a kind person basically i mean he liked to haveperson basically i mean he liked to haveperson basically i mean he liked to have fun and he liked to beat me in games andfun and he liked to beat me in games andfun and he liked to beat me in games and all that but he was basically
Questionerall that but he was basically a kind person which she still is he wasn't shy he had a lot of friends and he liked to dress up in costumes and and then you know he had all these interests which grew into business interest but uh no i wouldn't i i wouldn't say he was shy but he he wasn't um he didn't like to get in fights with people but that's not the same thing as being shy
Warrenwell i think that i think my dad was an intellectual hit heart and um he was interested in so many things and he started his investment business he started a south omaha feed store he owned parts of farms and he taught himself to play the piano only on the black keys which i think irving berlin did too but i mean that's how he could teach himself he taught himself to play the accordion and he liked chinese rugs he had so many interests in life um and always reading and then of course
Otherand always reading and then of course eventually into politics uh but um so he those those were his real interests but he always provided for his family he and was conscientious about that but his goal was not to be rich it was to have this full life of learning and intellectualism and giving back to the community and um i think that i mean just off the top of my head i think that warren got this very very high competitive streak from my mother who was very smart and and very very competitive um without a real avenue to express it and uh but anyway so in making money that's you know that's the world values that and you can add it up and uh it just he's also intellectual my brother but somehow that's gone all into investments and you know not building an empire but something like that
Questioneryes i do remember him going through that hard time and it was hard for him he
Otherhard time and it was hard for him hehard time and it was hard for him he he was in junior high and hehe was in junior high and hehe was in junior high and he he just hadn't found his niche kind ofhe just hadn't found his niche kind ofhe just hadn't found his niche kind of you know it wasn'tyou know it wasn'tyou know it wasn't um he wasn't a big sports personum he wasn't a big sports personum he wasn't a big sports person um which often is for boys as a way toum which often is for boys as a way toum which often is for boys as a way to be one of the gang you know and umbe one of the gang you know and umbe one of the gang you know and um he had other interests he was on thehe had other interests he was on thehe had other interests he was on the golf team in high school but that'sgolf team in high school but that'sgolf team in high school but that's you know that it's not the real sportsyou know that it's not the real sportsyou know that it's not the real sports thing and umthing and umthing and um and i think it just was an awkward timeand i think it just was an awkward timeand i think it just was an awkward time between umbetween umbetween um being having something that the worldbeing having something that the worldbeing having something that the world appreciates you for umappreciates you for umappreciates you for um and he was having to find that and andand he was having to find that and andand he was having to find that and and and you know there's a time when you'reand you know there's a time when you'reand you know there's a time when you're growing up i thinkgrowing up i thinkgrowing up i think kids can get kind of rebellious or wantkids can get kind of rebellious or wantkids can get kind of rebellious or want tototo somehow be more than what they aresomehow be more than what they aresomehow be more than what they are and it there was a time when he wasand it there was a time when he wasand it there was a time when he was trying to find thattrying to find thattrying to find that we actually moved to fredericksburg whenwe actually moved to fredericksburg whenwe actually moved to fredericksburg when my dad was elected to congress becausemy dad was elected to congress becausemy dad was elected to congress because it was wartime it was hard to get ait was wartime it was hard to get ait was wartime it was hard to get a house or whatever and they knew someonehouse or whatever and they knew someone
Otherhouse or whatever and they knew someone in fredericksburg so we spent a short time in fredericksburg before we got to dc but that was even worse because my then my dad was living in this in washington and and we were with my mother and we'd see him maybe on the weekends or whatever but it was so lonely and different than omaha and both warren and i were very homesick my sister having a great time because she happened to fall in with some nice kids and she was older and glamorous and she was having a great time but he and i were pining away from omaha and um and and and he he developed this you know asthma or something and he couldn't sleep and and so he was sleeping standing up or something and my parents are very sorry for him and my grandfather who lived here in omaha ran buffett's grocery store agreed to take warren back so warren got to go back to omaha
Otherback so warren got to go back to omaha and then i was left and then i was left it was even worse i was all by myself it was even worse i was all by myself it was even worse i was all by myself oh and i was wanting to get back to oh and i was wanting to get back to oh and i was wanting to get back to omaha too but it didn't work my omaha too but it didn't work my omaha too but it didn't work my grandfather only had room for one you know um you know um you know um i never looked at it that way because he i never looked at it that way because he i never looked at it that way because he was my brother was my brother was my brother and you know he's just who he was and he and you know he's just who he was and he and you know he's just who he was and he did all these wonderful things did all these wonderful things did all these wonderful things and i didn't think of him and i didn't think of him and i didn't think of him as having any deficits you know of any as having any deficits you know of any as having any deficits you know of any sort particularly but sort particularly but sort particularly but but it's true he he wasn't as social in but it's true he he wasn't as social in but it's true he he wasn't as social in junior high junior high junior high and high school um as some kids are and high school um as some kids are and high school um as some kids are you know there's quite a range of kids you know there's quite a range of kids you know there's quite a range of kids in those days so i in those days so i in those days so i i mean looking back on it um i mean looking back on it um i mean looking back on it um i i can unders you know i i had glimpses i i can unders you know i i had glimpses i i can unders you know i i had glimpses of that but of that but of that but he was my brother so i just accepted him he was my brother so i just accepted him he was my brother so i just accepted him for who he was for who he was for who he was and i probably didn't realize that and i probably didn't realize that and i probably didn't realize that his struggles were as big as they were well we my dad had lost the election in well we my dad had lost the election in well we my dad had lost the election in 1948 so we 1948 so we 1948 so we moved back to omaha from washington and moved back to omaha from washington and moved back to omaha from washington and so i spent my last year and a half at
Otherso i spent my last year and a half at benson high school and i wanted to go to northwestern and i in those days it was actually easy to go where you want to go so anyway and it it turned out that i found out that susie who went to central high school and i just knew in a very very slight way was going so i thought it would be fun if we were roommates and she thought so too so we became roommates at northwestern and we'd known each other slightly but not well because we went different high schools plus i was in washington but anyhow and she was a very very special person and because we were roommates we were seeing more of each other and then warren was around you know when we were home and and uh that's that's essentially how they really met was because we were roommates so that turned out to be a wonderful lucky thing and i remember i felt
Warrenthing and i remember i felt so lucky when she married him because i thought oh good i'll be close to her all my life
Warrenwell susie was ahead of her time in that she understood the importance of feelings back in the 50s when at least in my family or a lot of people's families probably nobody even talked about that you know that just wasn't it's so different than what it is now and but she was way ahead of her time and and she understood that people's feelings were important and she cared about other people and she had a knack for um really connecting with people at a level that didn't happen usually and so people loved her and and wanted to be around her and she understood people and i mean my brother found that really magic and but most people did
Questionerthere was a question of um warren was in the national guard because in those days you had to either be in the service of the national guard or
Otherthe service of the national guard orthe service of the national guard or something or you would get drafted andsomething or you would get drafted andsomething or you would get drafted and sent to korea or wherever it wassent to korea or wherever it wassent to korea or wherever it was and he was in the national guard and theand he was in the national guard and theand he was in the national guard and the missourimissourimissouri river was flooding and they were callingriver was flooding and they were callingriver was flooding and they were calling up the national guardup the national guardup the national guard
Warrenand it was i it's the only time iand it was i it's the only time iand it was i it's the only time i ever knew my father to use hisever knew my father to use hisever knew my father to use his influence for something and and heinfluence for something and and heinfluence for something and and he he was a congressman and he used hishe was a congressman and he used hishe was a congressman and he used his influence so that warren could beinfluence so that warren could beinfluence so that warren could be at his wedding on on on saturdayat his wedding on on on saturdayat his wedding on on on saturday
Othergood thing he did i thinkgood thing he did i thinkgood thing he did i think
Warrenyes i did i mean i i did and at the sameyes i did i mean i i did and at the sameyes i did i mean i i did and at the same time i took it for granted but i didtime i took it for granted but i didtime i took it for granted but i did know because i remember at one point heknow because i remember at one point heknow because i remember at one point he said to mesaid to mesaid to me um i'm going to be a millionaire whichum i'm going to be a millionaire whichum i'm going to be a millionaire which millionaire in those days was huge youmillionaire in those days was huge youmillionaire in those days was huge you know it's like a billionaire now atknow it's like a billionaire now atknow it's like a billionaire now at least but anywaysleast but anywaysleast but anyways i'm going to be a millionaire by thei'm going to be a millionaire by thei'm going to be a millionaire by the time i'm 30 or something like thattime i'm 30 or something like thattime i'm 30 or something like that and and i was probably about 12 when heand and i was probably about 12 when heand and i was probably about 12 when he said that to me and i thought
Othersaid that to me and i thought yeah he will be i mean you know i mean it was totally outside of anything my family had experienced but i just he just um he just was unusual that way he just was someone that was good at business and even as a kid i i could see that and i i had confidence that if he said that he would do it and he did he actually i think he did it earlier than what he announced but anyway he did well he he he's always liked uh simple you know sort of straightforward food yes yes always uh i'm somewhat that way myself not as much as he is but yes he and that's what we had around the house so it wasn't all that it wasn't all that unusual around our house because we had pretty straightforward food as well well i i was i was away at northwestern because susie was with me at northwestern a roommate and then she got married in sophomore year and didn't come back
Otherin sophomore year and didn't come back
Otherthat sophomore year
Otherum so i was off uh but
Otherthey seemed to be a happy couple and
Othersusie had very
Otherlovely taste and and did things like got
Othersome more modern furniture that was
Othernew at the time and and warren seemed
Otherhappy in his business they seemed very
Otherhappy together to me
Otherwell actually i my father was a
Otherconservative republican he was a
Otherconservative republican
Othernot so much like conservative
Otherrepublicans today but
Othermore someone who wanted individual
Otherliberties
Otherfor people to you know express
Otherthemselves as much as possible without
Otherharming other people um but um
Otherand and my mother wasn't that interested
Otherin politics but
Otherumit's it's it's interesting because we
Otherhe he changed and and i
Othergrew up in that household and and i'm a
Otherregistered
Otherdemocrat you know and uh tend to see
Otherthings from that side
Otherum he was very much
Otherfor thinking for yourself and he
Warrenfor thinking for yourself and he um you know i think he he died when i was about 30 years old so i so so probably you know my um development politically wasn't that far along at 30. so i never had any open discussions with him you know i went towards democratic things after he died and but i think he he was for for all of us to think for ourselves you know i think it would be okay i think i could sit down with him you know now and have a conversation about those things and he was very intellectual i mean he he wouldn't understand i think
Othershe she was very loving and caring about other people and i think that that her political beliefs grew out of that so you know her her arms were wide open and and it was more about the individual and and it was more about the individual and um being um um being um um being um being empathetic and understanding of other people and what their needs are uh so that um that you know that was uh i think that was her take on things
Questioneruh i think that was her take on things
Questionerand in terms of that took her away from maybe didn't then the direction that the republican party was going
Questioneruh it's it's republican party's changed over the years and and uh when my dad was a republican in congress it wasn't nearly the same look as the party in more recent years
Questioneri think that it was you know a time in general when there were a lot of changes going on in society and and that we were all affected by and um for her she'd always like california and sort of the freedom of of california and um i think she just needed uh she needed to be there and and and have some space and uh
Questionerbut they loved my brother and susie loved each other very much they always retained a closeness um it was it was hard to explain to other people but they always did remain very close
Questionerwell my version is that when susie got the apartment in san francisco um she wanted someone to take good care of
Otherwanted someone to take good care of warren and she knew oscar and she thought oscar would be a good person to do that i mean it's such an unusual thing when i'm saying this you know most people wouldn't get this but anyway but um and you know sort of maybe not picked out but i mean you know it it that she wanted that susie wanted that because she she didn't want i mean she wanted warren to be happy too you know and she wanted us with me i mean she uh it's a very unusual it's hard to explain but um that's what happened it only worked because of the individuals involved but it it you know each of them and but it it did work and it it only goes to show me that people arrange things a lot of different ways uh if they can you know warren warren likes a simple life around him he has an incredible brain that you know and and and runs the
Questionerbrain that you know and and and runs the berkshire hathawayberkshire hathawayberkshire hathaway and and is a genius of what he does butand and is a genius of what he does butand and is a genius of what he does but in terms of his own life around him hein terms of his own life around him hein terms of his own life around him he prefers that it is keptprefers that it is keptprefers that it is kept simple and and and and comfortable andsimple and and and and comfortable andsimple and and and and comfortable and midwest values or you know he'smidwest values or you know he'smidwest values or you know he's not someone that wants to go out andnot someone that wants to go out andnot someone that wants to go out and party and you know that kind of thing soparty and you know that kind of thing soparty and you know that kind of thing so omahaomahaomaha is a place that's supportive of that inis a place that's supportive of that inis a place that's supportive of that in himhimhim and it's a wonderful place for him
Otheryes we do we don't um you know we don'tyes we do we don't um you know we don'tyes we do we don't um you know we don't have set times forhave set times forhave set times for calling each other on the phone orcalling each other on the phone orcalling each other on the phone or something like that butsomething like that butsomething like that but um i feel in touch with him and if ium i feel in touch with him and if ium i feel in touch with him and if i want to talk to him about anything iwant to talk to him about anything iwant to talk to him about anything i would just pick up the phonewould just pick up the phonewould just pick up the phone and um you know i think weand um you know i think weand um you know i think we understand each other with with fewunderstand each other with with fewunderstand each other with with few wordswordswords past you know between us or whatever andpast you know between us or whatever andpast you know between us or whatever and wewewe look out for each other and uhit's wonderful
Otherwell he's brilliant i mean he'swell he's brilliant i mean he'swell he's brilliant i mean he's brilliant in running companies andbrilliant in running companies andbrilliant in running companies and um personally i rememberum personally i rememberum personally i remember he's my big brother and umhe's my big brother and umhe's my big brother and um he's always been my big brother and and
Otherhe's always been my big brother and andhe's always been my big brother and and uhuhuh it's wonderful you know that's that's ait's wonderful you know that's that's ait's wonderful you know that's that's a wonderful thingwonderful thingwonderful thing he's been a wonderful big brother sohe's been a wonderful big brother sohe's been a wonderful big brother so that'sthat'sthat's that's first and foremost how i rememberthat's first and foremost how i rememberthat's first and foremost how i remember now how othernow how othernow how other people will remember him is that hepeople will remember him is that hepeople will remember him is that he createdcreatedcreated berkshire hathaway this incredibleberkshire hathaway this incredibleberkshire hathaway this incredible companycompanycompany uh and heuh and heuh and he makes it all work and he'smakes it all work and he'smakes it all work and he's he's a brilliant person really i thinkhe's a brilliant person really i thinkhe's a brilliant person really i think they'll remember himthey'll remember himthey'll remember him as an incredible financier or investmentas an incredible financier or investmentas an incredible financier or investment you know person i think you know i thinkyou know person i think you know i thinkyou know person i think you know i think i can't imagine they wouldn'tno i wasn't surprised and i wasn'tno i wasn't surprised and i wasn'tno i wasn't surprised and i wasn't surprised becausesurprised becausesurprised because he's always thinking out of the box andhe's always thinking out of the box andhe's always thinking out of the box and and i knew that if he decided that itand i knew that if he decided that itand i knew that if he decided that it must bemust bemust be a great idea because he's had that tracka great idea because he's had that tracka great idea because he's had that track record you know as far as i'm concernedrecord you know as far as i'm concernedrecord you know as far as i'm concerned and and also i thoughtand and also i thoughtand and also i thought it it lets him do what he does bestit it lets him do what he does bestit it lets him do what he does best which is doing business stuff you knowwhich is doing business stuff you knowwhich is doing business stuff you know and then he knowsand then he knowsand then he knows he respects bill and melinda gates andhe respects bill and melinda gates and
Questionerhe respects bill and melinda gates and what they do in the in thewhat they do in the in thewhat they do in the in the field of philanthropy and he trusts themfield of philanthropy and he trusts themfield of philanthropy and he trusts them and um then he canand um then he canand um then he can concentrate on on what he does bestconcentrate on on what he does bestconcentrate on on what he does best so i thought yeah it made sense to me itso i thought yeah it made sense to me itso i thought yeah it made sense to me it made sense to me
Questionerhe's very good at that he's extremelyhe's very good at that he's extremelyhe's very good at that he's extremely good atgood atgood at focus i mean yeah incrediblyfocus i mean yeah incrediblyfocus i mean yeah incredibly i mean i'm sure that that's a huge parti mean i'm sure that that's a huge parti mean i'm sure that that's a huge part of his success besides hisof his success besides hisof his success besides his you know ability to make investments andyou know ability to make investments andyou know ability to make investments and financial thinking and all that but hisfinancial thinking and all that but hisfinancial thinking and all that but his his ability to keep it simple and knowhis ability to keep it simple and knowhis ability to keep it simple and know what hewhat hewhat he can do and how he wants to do it and atcan do and how he wants to do it and atcan do and how he wants to do it and at the same time he's nice to other peoplethe same time he's nice to other peoplethe same time he's nice to other people he's nothe's nothe's not doesn't trample on other people you knowdoesn't trample on other people you knowdoesn't trample on other people you know he's good at avoiding catastropheshe's good at avoiding catastropheshe's good at avoiding catastrophes of any sort right right no he'sof any sort right right no he'sof any sort right right no he's wonderful i mean amazingly good at thatwonderful i mean amazingly good at thatwonderful i mean amazingly good at that yesyes i i agree with that because he'syes i i agree with that because he'syes i i agree with that because he's managedmanagedmanaged it's very hard but he's man i mean forit's very hard but he's man i mean forit's very hard but he's man i mean for most ofmost ofmost of but he's managed to live his lifebut he's managed to live his lifebut he's managed to live his life honestly and keep his principles and
Otherhonestly and keep his principles and make it work um and that's that's that's really amazing i mean it's he has very high standards for himself and he's kept to those and without a lot of people getting real mad at him or anything you know i mean uh it's uh it's that's an amazing ability that he has to do that
Otheri think one thing that i would say to you is that and and this is unusual because you only grow up in your own family you know you don't know what it's like to grow up in anybody else's family here but um i you know i always thought from the start that he would be very successful and make a lot of i don't even know why because that wasn't my dad's my dad was more interested in politics and uh than making a whole lot of money although he certainly provided for us in a very nice way and all that but making a lot of money wasn't his thing
Questionerwasn't his thingwasn't his thing but butbut butbut but but um warren umbut um warren umbut um warren um he just had this i don't know he's justhe just had this i don't know he's justhe just had this i don't know he's just his own self and he was justhis own self and he was justhis own self and he was just always having these businesses andalways having these businesses andalways having these businesses and always moving ahead andalways moving ahead andalways moving ahead and just kind of of his own phenomenonjust kind of of his own phenomenonjust kind of of his own phenomenon he did collect bottle caps which ihe did collect bottle caps which ihe did collect bottle caps which i remember you would go around to theremember you would go around to theremember you would go around to the um gas stations at that time gasum gas stations at that time gasum gas stations at that time gas stations sold pop you know and never itstations sold pop you know and never itstations sold pop you know and never it was in the thing and you couldwas in the thing and you couldwas in the thing and you could you know and the bottle cap fell in theyou know and the bottle cap fell in theyou know and the bottle cap fell in the container below andcontainer below andcontainer below and he would go around and collect all thosehe would go around and collect all thosehe would go around and collect all those nobody cared they wouldnobody cared they wouldnobody cared they would be happy to give them to him and he'dbe happy to give them to him and he'dbe happy to give them to him and he'd bring them home and spread them out on abring them home and spread them out on abring them home and spread them out on a piece of paper newspapers in the livingpiece of paper newspapers in the livingpiece of paper newspapers in the living room androom androom and and and divide them all up and he wasand and divide them all up and he wasand and divide them all up and he was making them essentially mark what wemaking them essentially mark what wemaking them essentially mark what we would call a marketing report well hewould call a marketing report well hewould call a marketing report well he knew he was making a marketing reportknew he was making a marketing reportknew he was making a marketing report butbutbut to find out what was the best sellers umto find out what was the best sellers umto find out what was the best sellers um just
Otherjustjust to satisfy his own you know he wasn't heto satisfy his own you know he wasn't heto satisfy his own you know he wasn't he was a kid he wasn't selling anythinghe knew people's batting averages andhe knew people's batting averages andhe knew people's batting averages and all of that i mean it'sall of that i mean it'sall of that i mean it's big on all kinds of statistics yesbig on all kinds of statistics yesbig on all kinds of statistics yes definitelydefinitelydefinitely as a little sister is uh sometimesas a little sister is uh sometimesas a little sister is uh sometimes he would fool me out of getting out ofhe would fool me out of getting out ofhe would fool me out of getting out of the chair that was by the radio that wasthe chair that was by the radio that wasthe chair that was by the radio that was the best place to sit because you couldthe best place to sit because you couldthe best place to sit because you could listen to thelisten to thelisten to the programs we didn't have tv you know it'sprograms we didn't have tv you know it'sprograms we didn't have tv you know it's just radio andjust radio andjust radio and and i was younger years youngest i'd beand i was younger years youngest i'd beand i was younger years youngest i'd be sitting listening to little orphan anniesitting listening to little orphan anniesitting listening to little orphan annie or something andor something andor something and he'd want that chair by the radio sohe'd want that chair by the radio sohe'd want that chair by the radio so he'd entice me somehow into the kitchenhe'd entice me somehow into the kitchenhe'd entice me somehow into the kitchen to get something you know and then he'dto get something you know and then he'dto get something you know and then he'd gogogo and it was just once i fell for that iand it was just once i fell for that iand it was just once i fell for that i fell for that several timesfell for that several timesfell for that several times anyway i love him because he's myanyway i love him because he's myanyway i love him because he's my brother you know he's my big brotherbrother you know he's my big brotherbrother you know he's my big brother and i've always found a big bond withand i've always found a big bond withand i've always found a big bond with himhimhim and that's the really big thingand that's the really big thingand that's the really big thing you know probably i'll probably cry you
Warrenyou know probably i'll probably cry you know thinking about that because that's a big thing and then there's also these have this incredible success and and i'm proud of him and you know it's it amazes me in a way you know i mean i still haven't gotten used to it and it's made my life much easier in so many ways i mean it made a lot of people's lives easier in so many ways but um first and foremost he's um we love each other and and that's more important than anything else really