Terry Goddard Interview -- Sam's First Foray into Politics
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TG = Terry Goddard
TG (T. Goddard): Well, for him it was. For him it was. And, and he did become too busy at, at civic things to, to continue with theatricals and, and because they require regular practices and things. And he couldn't do that anymore. And then the political bug hit in almost to the day, uh, in about 1959 -- Louis McClennon, who he knew from the Harvard Club, uh, gave him a call and said, 'I got this friend, uh, Louis Ackerman, who's running for governor. I need some help in Southern Arizona; would you do it?' I remember Dad came home and I, I didn't know what he was talking about but I remember he was telling Mom so many of the things they were concerned about might be assisted if he could help Lee become governor because then he would be able to get his calls returned. And, uh, that literally was what got him into politics. And, and Lee Ackerman was a very smart guy, uh, somewhat of a, well very successful businesman at that time. But he was a guy who sort of was very high or very low. He's had several fortunes in his life. And very charming. Uh, and, and seemed to have a chance to, uh, become governor but Paul Fannin just destroyed him in, in 1960.
But Dad, Dad as part of that effort, uh, became chairman of the Democratic Party with absolutely no experience, uh, he was, uh, sort of drummed into service to be the state chairman. And that was his first, uh, time sort of out of the box in terms of poltical activity.
