Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection
Document Type
Oral History
Publication Date
5-30-2001
Interview Number
MOH 273
Abstract
Edgar Atherton Comee was born on April 2, 1917 in Brunswick, Maine. His parents were from the Saugus, Massachusetts area. His father was the chief engineer and later the general manager of Pejepscot Paper Company. His mother was a homemaker. Edgar was the oldest of three. His father was a Universalist and both of his parents were staunch Republicans. He attended Bath Street School and Brunswick High School where he graduated in 1934. He then attended Tufts University. After graduating he taught for one year in Warren, Maine and for one year in Brunswick, Maine. He was in the Naval Reserve from May 26, 1941 until 1945. He worked for the Portland Press Herald. He was then a Captain in the Naval Reserve from 1950-1953 when he served in Korea. In 1959 he received a fellowship to serve under Charles de Gaulle in the new government in France. He was an editorial writer from 1960-1961. In 1961, he worked in the State Department in Washington. He worked in the Office of News, the Bureau of Public Affairs, and as press liaison for visiting heads of state.
Use Restrictions
Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.
Recommended Citation
Robitaille, Jeremy, "Comee, Edgar A. oral history interview" (2001). Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. 97.
https://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh/97
Scope and Content Note
Interview includes discussions of: Maine Legislature 1946-1949; meeting Muskie; 1954 Maine gubernatorial campaign; Muskie’s term as governor; Muskie’s 1969-1972 presidential campaign; Muskie’s 1976 Senate campaign; Manchester Union Leader incident; foreign relations; Senate legislative work; Democratic Party in Maine; media; Muskie as a Catholic; the Great Depression making Comee a Democrat; Brunswick Emergency Relief Association a forerunner of the United Way; class in Brunswick; race in Brunswick; minesweeping in Jacksonville, Florida; “Lal” Lemieux; John Gould; television; entertainment vs. information; term limits as productive; government financing of political campaigns; and the Nieman Foundation at Harvard.