Wednesday, June 27th, 2007...6:32 am
Bruce Edward Babbitt
Today is the birthday of former Attorney General, Governor and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.
Babbitt was elected Attorney General of Arizona in 1974, the last Democrat elected to that office until Janet Napolitano won in 1998. He served as governor of Arizona from the death in 1978 of Governor Wesley Bolin until 1987 when he made a run at the presidency. He is one our few governors that has had Arizona roots.
CORRECTION - My orginal post said that Babbitt was born in Arizona, but Sam el Sonorense pointed out that Babbitt was born in Los Angeles a short time before his family returned to their state of origin. I thought I had heard this before, but the National Governors Association website said he was born in Arizona. Who is the turkey the runs that slipshod organization?
6 Comments
June 27th, 2007 at 8:31 am
My recollection (confirmed by Wikipedia) is that although the Babbitt family dates back to pioneer days in northern Arizona, Bruce was actually born in Los Angeles when his father was working over there in the 1930’s. He and his family moved back to Flagstaff when he was three and of course the rest is history.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Bill is right. Babbitt was born in L.A., but spent most of his life in AZ.
It’s also interesting to note that he and his wife, Hattie, met when they both were college students and went to the South to support the Freedom Riders civil rights protests during the 60s.
Jeez. I’m old.
June 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
He’s also a geologist. Don’t forget that.
June 27th, 2007 at 10:22 am
Okay this is weird…Today is MY birthday! But I am not important enough to get a post on Ted’s main blog. Maybe he will post something on his non-political one?
June 27th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Like most people in Arizona, I was not born in Arizona. In fact, I went to high school with Governor Napolitano (I think she was a senior when I was a freshman though, so she didn’t know me then). There was a political science/history teacher there named Don Osborne, one of the greatest, and I bet a lot of people who are now active in politics had him for a teacher (I don’t know for sure if the Governor had Mr. Osborne, but given her sharp political instincts, I’d bet a dollar against a can of navy beans that she did.)
June 28th, 2007 at 11:02 am
As much as I like Napolitano, Babbitt was the best governor in my lifetime. He helped start AHCCS(sp) for low income health care, and Arizona spent a far greater amount on per pupil funding for K-12 than we do today.