Paul G. Kirk
Paul G. Kirk, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| File:PaulGKirkJr.jpg Paul G. Kirk, Jr., at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library | |
| 39th Chairman of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office 1985–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Charles T. Manatt |
| Succeeded by | Ron Brown |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Gail Kirk |
| Residence | Marstons Mills, Massachusetts |
| Alma mater | Harvard Law School (J.D.) Harvard University (B.A.) |
| Profession | Attorney |
Paul Grattan Kirk, Jr. (born January 18, 1938) was chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 1985 to 1989. He is the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, is the chairman of the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation,[1] and is a member of the board of directors of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.[citation needed]
Career
Education
Kirk is one of the five children of Judge Paul Gratton Kirk, Sr., an associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and Josephine E. O'Connell.[2] Kirk graduated from Roxbury Latin School in 1956, Harvard College in 1960, and Harvard Law School in 1964. Admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1965.[3] In 1974, he married Gail Loudermilk.[4]
Board memberships and company affiliations
Kirk is affiliated with the law firm Sullivan & Worcester LLP of Boston, Massachusetts and was a partner from 1977-1990.[1] He the chairman and chief executive officer of Kirk & Associates, Inc., a Boston business advisory and consulting firm located.[1] Kirk is a member of the Board of Directors of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Rayonier, Incorporated, and Cedar Shopping Centers, Inc. He was a board member of ITT Corporation from 1989 - 1997 and Bradley Real Estate, Inc. from 1991 - 2000.[1] Kirk is a trustee of Stonehill College. He is past chairman of the Harvard Board of Overseers Nominating Committee and is the chairman of the Harvard Overseers Committee to Visit the Department of Athletics. [1]
From 1992 to 2001 Kirk was the chairman of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. [1]
Political career
Kirk was a special assistant to U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy from 1969-1977. In 1983, he was became treasurer of the national Democratic Party.[1]
In 1985, Kirk was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee despite opposition from Virginia Governor Chuck Robb and a group of southern state Democrats who went on to form the Democratic Leadership Council.[5] In the 1986 mid-term elections, under Kirk's chairmanship, the Democrats regained control of the Senate, which had been under a Republican majority since the 1980 elections. Kirk resigned shortly following Republican Vice President George H. W. Bush's victory over Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in the 1988 Presidential Election.[citation needed] He was succeeded by Ron Brown as DNC chair.
On May 2, 2008, Paul Kirk formally pledged his superdelegate nomination vote in the summer 2008 national Democratic convention to Barack Obama.[6]
Potential appointment as Senator
On September 23, 2009, several national media organizations reported that Kirk was favored by the family of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy to be the senator's interim replacement, and that the family had communicated their preference to Gov. Deval Patrick.[7][8][9] It was also reported by several journals on September 23, 2009, that Kirk would be appointed to the seat, with an announcement to be made by Governor Patrick on September 24.[7][10][3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Paul G. Kirk, Jr., Chairman". John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. (undated). Retrieved September 24, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ http://books.google.ca/books?id=neKm1X6YPY0C&pg=PA895
- ^ a b
Fletcher, Dan (September 24, 2009). "Paul Kirk, Jr.: Kennedy's Possible Replacement". Time Magazine.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Text "http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1925686,00.html" ignored (help) - ^ http://books.google.ca/books?id=neKm1X6YPY0C
- ^ Rae, Nicol C. (1994). Southern Democrats. Oxford University Press. p. 113. ISBN 0195087097.
- ^ Salant, Jonathan D. Former Democratic Party Leader Paul Kirk Backs Obama Bloomberg, May 2, 2008
- ^ a b
Goddnough, Abby (September 23, 2009). "Kennedy Confidant Expected to Take Senate Seat". New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "Senate OK’s Kennedy successor bill" Boston Globe, September 23, 2009
- ^ http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/23/kirk-is-kennedy-family-favorite-to-fill-mass-senate-seat/
- ^ "Paul Kirk Tapped For Kennedy Senate Seat". The Huffington Post. September 23, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
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