Archive for January, 2011
President Obama’s State of the Union Speech (text) is at:
http://www.historyguy.com/politics/obama_state_of_union_speech_2011.htm
Sargent Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenneger
Sargent Shriver
(1915-2011)
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr. (November 9, 1915 – January 18, 2011) was an American politician and activist. Referred to as Sargent Shriver or just Sarge, he is best remembered as part of the Kennedy family and as the driving force behind the creation of the Peace Corps. He was also the Democratic Party’s candidate for U.S. Vice President, replacing first nominee Thomas Eagleton, who resigned from the ticket, during the 1972 U.S. presidential election. Sargent Shriver died at the age of 95 on January 18, 2011.Sargent Shriver’s life is a testament to the belief that public service is a high calling for those wishing to serve their country. He entered the political sphere in 1940, founding the anti-war organization “America First,” along with future President Gerald Ford, and future Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart. Despite his belief that America should not enter the World War, he volunteered for the U.S. Navy out of a conviction that citizens must serve to protect the nation. He suffered shrapnel wounds at the Battle of Guadalcanal, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant.
After the war, he was chosen by Joseph Kennedy to manage Merchant Mart, a major department store in Chicago. In his service to the Kennedy financial empire, he became acquainted with Eunice Kennedy, who he married in 1953. In 1960, Sargent Shriver was a major player in the campaign of Eunice’s brother, John Kennedy. During the Kennedy Administration, Shriver became the first Director of the Peace Corps. Under Kennedy’s successor, President Johnson, Shriver became the first Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, where he oversaw the creation of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), Head Start, Community Action, Foster Grandparents, Job Corps, Legal Services, Indian and Migrant Opportunities, and Neighborhood Health Services. Sargent and Eunice Shriver played a significant role in the creation and acceptance of the Special Olympics.
In 1968, Shriver became the U.S. Ambassador to France during a turbulent period in American foreign relations. He ran for Vice-President as George McGovern’s running mate.
Shriver is perhaps best known in the 21st Century as the father of Maria Shriver and the father-in-law of former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger.
Shriver lost his beloved wife in 2009, and he lost his long battle with Alzheimer’s on January 18, 2011.
A new Political Biography of new California Governor Jerry Brown at http://www.historyguy.com/politics/brown_jerry.htm
Jerry Brown
John Andrew Boehner is a conservative Republican politician elected to represent the 8th Congressional District of Ohio for an 11th term in November 2010, is a national leader Republian Party and is the Speaker of the House-Elect. Boehner’s professional life has included time as a small businessman, state legislator, and Member of Congress. With his swearing-in as the Speaker in early January, 2011, John Boehner became the second in line for the presidency after the Vice-President.
New biographical page on new Speaker of the House John Boehner at http://www.historyguy.com/politics/boehner_john.htm