Dedication of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service - March 5, 2008
Good morning!
We are here to dedicate the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, but I want to begin with a few words about Bob Graham, the man.
Senator Graham served two terms as Florida governor, from 1979 to 1986. He was elected U.S. Senator for three terms, from 1987 to 2005. He is the former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, a book author and a rancher. He has also been a bricklayer, shrimp fisherman, tomato picker, flight attendant and Christmas elf.
Dozens of framed photos of Senator Graham, on the job in his trademark "workdays", cover the wall as you enter the Graham Center upstairs. In fact, it's only when you step into Senator Graham's office do you see photos of him with luminaries like President Clinton, President Carter and long-time New York City Mayor Ed Koch.
Bob Graham has always put people at the core of politics. That is also the guiding principle of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service.
As a popular governor, Bob Graham is remembered for improving public school student achievement, presiding over a strong state economy and especially for protecting environmentally sensitive lands. As a senator, his achievements include launching our nation's project to restore Everglades National Park, protecting Florida's coast from oil drilling and helping to redirect America's intelligence apparatus.
In Florida, and nationally, Senator Graham was always a proud moderate. A Democrat loyal to his party, he was happy to sponsor bills with Republican colleagues.
When life-time politicians retire, they often write memoirs. But, I think this Center, and its companion at the University of Miami, represent Senator Graham's attempt to leave a more enduring legacy. One that continues his brand of deliberative and measured statesmanship in an era that cries out for it.
But, before I get into all that, let me tell the story where it begins, right here at the University of Florida.
Graham arrived as a freshman in 1955 and promptly ran for president of his class. The politicos in the room will remember that he often said he never lost an election. Well...technically, as they say, that's not quite the case, because he lost that first race. But, Graham quickly ran for Freshman Honor Court, improving his strategy with a campaign poster that featured a large portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
It was spin, circa 1955. As Graham said later: "The hook was that people would say, 'who the hell is this guy who has Abraham Lincoln on his poster?"
Graham won, and a political career was born. He graduated from UF in 1959, went to Harvard Law School, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and then to governor and senator. He is, without a doubt, both UF's most prominent graduate and Florida's best known and most successful politician.
A couple of other important things happened here at the University of Florida. Graham met what he remembered as a "stunningly beautiful brunette" who told him she needed some help with a science class. He and Adele fell in love, married and went on to have four daughters. Three of them – Cissy Graham, Suzanne Gibson and Kendall Elias – grew up to attend and graduate from UF. Grandchildren followed. All told, at least 16 members of the family have attended UF.
Graham also made friends with Jim Pugh, a fellow Sigma Nu fraternity member. A half century later, that friendship was one of the catalysts for Mr. Pugh's donation to create this one-of-a-kind building, just dedicated a few weeks ago.
Which brings me back to the Graham Center.
When Graham earned his political chops, there was an informal network of business and political leaders that took aspiring young politicians under their wing. In today's more cynical times, that network has, to an extent, disappeared. I think the Senator will probably say more about this in his address, but I believe he wanted to recreate in a more formal setting, the culture that nurtured his own rise. Senator Graham was also influenced by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where he spent a year after his final term as senator.
The University of Florida was the obvious choice. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty had advocated for a public service center for some time. And so, urged on by former CLAS Dean Neil Sullivan, the Graham Center was born.
Senator Graham has been more than a purposeful advocate; he has also been a personal contributor. He, his brother Bill Graham, and the Phil Graham family fund each gave $500,000 to create the Center's endowment.
I am going to let Tony Rosenbaum, the Center's interim director, tell you about the Center's activities and aspirations. But, I just want to share with you my feeling about its place and its purpose. Public service has lost much of the esteem it once enjoyed, with the result that the bright people starting their careers often look elsewhere. And, yet we need their talent now more than ever.
I believe the Graham Center will help to recruit and to sharpen that talent, and the result will be better, more effective leaders. Also, Florida is a young state, one that has never invested deeply in its universities.
Our faculty is superb, and our students excellent. But, because of these circumstances we chronically fall short, not only in recognition, but more importantly in opportunities. This Center will help to shift that historical momentum in a new direction. Already, the change is palpable. Famed historian David McCullough spoke here last night. Senators Chuck Hagel and Jay Rockefeller will be here tomorrow.
I believe these leaders will come away from their visits with a new appreciation for UF and what we do here. And, it's obvious that students who take the opportunity to get close to these speakers have much to gain.
The fact is, all great public universities have a noted public policy center. Now, we join them.
Bob Graham is a champion of strengthening civic education, not only in higher education, but also in secondary schools. Thanks to his efforts, bipartisan civic education initiatives are part of this year's Legislative agenda in Tallahassee. Through that activity and the Graham Center, he could leave no better legacy than a future of enlightened, responsible and actively engaged citizens and leaders.
And, maybe this year, or maybe the year after that, the next Bob Graham will walk through these doors.
Thank you.
Bernie Machen