Governor Zell Miller passes
Mick sends us the sad news that former governor of Georgia (1975-1991), and US Senator (2000-2005) Zell Miller, 86, passed after battling Parkinson’s Disease yesterday;
A lifelong Southern Democrat, Miller famously famously spoke at the 2004 GOP convention as a Democrat in support of former President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign.
A decade earlier, Miller had been the keynote speaker at the 1992 Democratic National Convention, endorsing then Arkansas Democratic Gov. Bill Clinton for president.
Wiki tells the story of his military career;
Less than a month after the Korean War armistice, Miller wound up in a drunk tank in the mountains of North Georgia. Miller stated later that this incident was the lowest point of his life. Upon his release, Miller enlisted in the Marines. During his three years in the United States Marine Corps, Miller attained the rank of sergeant. He often refers to the value of his experience in the Marine Corps in his writing and stump speeches; in his book on the subject, entitled Corps Values: Everything You Need to Know I Learned in the Marines, he wrote:
In the twelve weeks of hell and transformation that were Marine Corps boot camp, I learned the values of achieving a successful life that have guided and sustained me on the course which, although sometimes checkered and detoured, I have followed ever since.
Category: Politics
Rest well, Marine. I remember how much grief he got when he spoke out in support of President Bush. I also remember he got into a bit of a brouhaha about Kid Rock wearing a flag during a halftime show. Kid tried to come back with “who’s this old guy” and it was like “Well, if you must know…”. Good and honorable man, he will be missed.
Last of the “Blue Dog” Democrats. Fair winds and following seas, Senator Miller.
The last REAL Blue Dog Democrat.
Rest in peace Marine.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sen. Miller several times. He always remembered my name, which amazed me because I can’t remember names. He was one of those guys who lived by the once a Marine always a Marine ethos. Making sergeant was one of his proudest accomplishments. I talked to him after his stemwinder at the GOP convention. He just couldn’t support a man who turned his back on his brothers. I didn’t always agree with him, but I always thought you could have a reasonable discussion with him. He will be missed.
Sen. Miller was one of a dying breed of Democrats. When the party shifted farther and farther left he held the increasingly unpopular moderate and never wavered from his love of country and it’s Constitution.
I am not a Democrat but I respected Mr. Miller. God Bless and God Speed
I’d say he’s a dying breed of politician, regardless of party.
Respect for opposing views and an all-around class act.
He will be missed.
Hear, hear! Exactly why he was respected by so many people.
RIP, sir. You will indeed be missed.
Agreed, Sparky, maybe even the last of that breed of politician.
Rest in peace, Governor.
Oh, yeah.
Irrespective of political affiliation, Zell Miller was an honorable, reasonable and decent man of integrity.
There was a time when Democrats were not socialists and Zell Miller was never a socialist.
Governor Miller was a generation ahead of me, and probably a lot of you all, as well. It is the shitass bastards of my generation who have done all they could to defile a wonderful nation. That is not going to happen. Regrettably, we won’t have Zell Miller covering our back, from his side of the aisle, anymore.
Farewell to a man served his country and the State of Georgia, resolutely and faithfully.