Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

election board the other day - I notice there's a Considine running for the legislature up
in - north someplace - whether it's his boy or grandson I wouldn't know. But Considine
died pretty young and Schaefer - oh, he serves in and out. He's clerk of the house
sometimes. Rut he's dead, but Lee's still alive as you well know. And Shapiro and Choate
and Kennedy are still alive - if I'm not alive I'm in a hell of a shape.
And I think thc Young Lkmocratic organization was the key to my political aspirations. But
I wanted to run. I mean I think you have to want to run. Just like we had a three-way
race for state's attorney here in our county and . . .
(taping stopped for telephone conversation, then resumed)
A: I was talking about we had a three-way race for Democratic nomination for state's attorney
here in the spring of 1980. The incumbent was running. He's a judgc now. And I can't
think of his name. But the other two fellows were Allen and Bill Hayne. Well of course
thc incumbent wanted to run - but Hayne wants to he state's attorney and I'm sure he'll
run again, and Allen wants to be state's attorney. Allen was assistant state's attorney
undcr Mudge for eight years. And they want thc job. And I think that's a criterion for
being a good candidate, if you want the job. And if you don't want to he an alderman or
a precinct conlrnitteeman or state representative you shouldn't run for it. And if you don't
think you've got a chance, and don't intend to work, you shouldn't run for anything. But
if you go to the trouble to get your petitions filled out - and it takes several hundred names
- you ought to have several sets - if I have to sign the statement of loyalty and all of
that - if you go to all of that troublc, you - I wouldn't just file it and go home and stay
home 1 mean.
Q: I see. Why didn't you get started earlier then sir? You really got activc in about 1932
and then it wasn't until in the 1940's . . .
A: Well why didn't I get started earlier and why didn't I run for office? 1 guess I can't answer
that. J oftcn wonder why I didn't either. I guess I never had the nerve.
Q: Oh?
A: That's a good question. I've been asked that before. I don't know why. I guess I
figured I couldn't win. I think one thing that led to that - that particular statement I
made to you about a judge telling me - therc was an appointment up for thc jury
commission. And the jury commission's still active. I think it has two of the majority
party and one of the minority party. And I think at that time it paid six bits a month,
which was good money in the 1930's. There was a number of people for it, and the joh was
going to go to Alton, and it went to Alton, and it went to a man by the name of Roy Geltz,
who was a political contemporary of mine, and he knew I was after it, and I knew he was
after it, but he had more pull than I had, I guess, I don't know. And I think I showed
some disappointment and he said, "Kennedy, what you ought to do, you ought to run for
something." So run I did. I think that's the original - why I didn't start earlier I don't
know. I can't answer that.
Q: Well let's see, you ran for committeeman in 1940. Is that when you first . . .
A: Right. I said, "I'm going to run," and I ran for committeeman. In 1940, well Lauer was
aspiring to he county chairman, John Lauer, he's passed away in the last six months, some
time in this year. He was a political advisor of mine, he was a committeeman, he was head
of the Alton city committee. And Lauer just thought it would be a good idea for me to run
for committeeman and run I did.
Nobody drafted me for anything in my life. I never was drafted. I don't think you're
drafted. You might be drafted, but you're kidding yourself if you're drafted and don't