Edmund Muskie
Edmund Sixtus "Ed" Muskie (28 March 1914 – 26 March 1996) was an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Edmund Muskie | |
|---|---|
 Muskie in 1980 | |
| 58th United States Secretary of State | |
| In office 8 May 1980 – 20 January 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Deputy | Warren Christopher |
| Preceded by | Cyrus Vance |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Haig |
| United States Senator from Maine | |
| In office 3 January 1959 – 7 May 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Payne |
| Succeeded by | George J. Mitchell |
| 64th Governor of Maine | |
| In office 5 January 1955 – 2 January 1959 | |
| Preceded by | Burton M. Cross |
| Succeeded by | Robert N. Haskell |
| Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on the Budget | |
| In office 3 January 1975 – 8 May 1980 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Fritz Hollings |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edmund Sixtus Muskie 28 March 1914 Rumford, Maine |
| Died | 26 March 1996 (aged 81) Washington, D.C. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Muskie |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Bates College Cornell University |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Muskie was born in Rumford, Maine to a Polish family.
He was the Governor of Maine serving from 1955 to 1959, and a United States Senator from 1959 to 1980. He served as United States Secretary of State from 1980 to 1981 under the Carter administration. President Jimmy Carter gave Muskie the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981.[1]
Muskie died in Washington, D.C. from congestive heart failure. He was 81 years old.
Early life
changeMuskie was born in Rumford, Maine on 28 March 1914.[1] His father, Stephen Marciszewski (mar-chih-SHEF-ski) immigrated to the United States in 1903 and changed his name to Muskie.[1]
Education
changeMuskie graduated from Bates College in 1936. He graduated from Cornell University Law School in 1939. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the Atlantic and Asiatic-Pacific Theaters from 1942 to 1945. [1][2]
Career
changeMuskie was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in the 1968 presidential election. Muskie later ran for President in the 1972 presidential election. After announcing that Muskie had lost, Muskie chocked with anger and began to cry.[3] Afterwards, Muskie refused the fact that he cried at simply said that "melted snow flakes" in eyes and not tears.[4] Muskie later said the reason he cried was that because newspapers insulted his wife.[3][4]
Muskie held the highest office (Secretary of State) by a Polish American in U.S. history.[5] If Muskie won the Presidential election in 1972, Muskie would have been the first Polish-American President of the United States.[6]
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed Muskie to serve in the Tower Commission to investigate the Iran-Contra affair.
Personal life
changeHe was married to Jane Gray from 1940 until his death in 1996.[7] He died of congestive heart failure. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Edmund Muskie". Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, United States Department of State. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- ↑ "Muskie, Edmund Sixtus, (1914 - 1996)". United States Congress. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Remembering Ed Muskie". PBS.org. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Yes, there's crying in politics". NBC News.com. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ↑ "EDMUND MUSKIE Biography - Politicians". Findbiography.com. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ↑ "Obituary: Edmund Muskie". Independent.co.uk. 27 March 1996. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ↑ "Jane Muskie, 77, widow of Maine senator". Boston.com. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
Other websites
change
Media related to Edmund Muskie at Wikimedia Commons