Thursday, July 2, 2009

A Man's Reach -- A Transforming Life, 32: At the State Convention

Republican State Convention Program, Front Cover, 1960

"The Republican State Convention of 1960 was a spirited affair. It was at the Leamington Hotel in Minneapolis and ran on for three days, with business including endorsements for governor and U. S. senator, and the election of national convention delegates. The long agenda tried the patience of a couple of my supporters who were not used to the methodical ways of political conventions. Dave Lilly was one of them. He turned to me late one night while the proceedings were droning on, and said, 'Elmer, right now, I think I know more about politics than I want to know.' But when the moment came to endorse a candidate for governor, the suspense was already over….The convention endorsed me by acclamation, and the party came together nicely behind my candidacy."

Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society

"A Man's Reach -- A Transforming Life" is on display through August 15 in the Exhibit Gallery, Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus.

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