Sen. Jennings: “Marvin Mandel, the Man, was Greater than His Accomplishments’

From State Sen. J.B. Jennings:

MARVIN MANDEL – MARYLAND’S 56TH GOVERNOR

This week, we sadly said goodbye as Marvin Mandel, Maryland’s 56th Governor, was laid to rest.

Marvin Mandel’s political career, which spanned 27 years, began when he was elected as a Baltimore City member of the House of Delegates. He spent 17 years in the House where he was elected by his colleagues to the highest leadership post, Speaker of the House of Delegates.

When Richard Nixon was elected the 37th President of the United States, he chose Maryland’s 55th Governor, Spiro Agnew as his Vice-President. The choice of Governor Agnew left Maryland without a governor because at that time the state had no Lt. Governor. State law required that the General Assembly appoint a governor. Maryland’s 188 Senators and Delegates met and appointed Speaker of the House Marvin Mandel to serve as Governor.

The new Governor inherited a 19th century government in which 248 individual boards answered directly to the Governor. He took the reins of government, reorganized it and brought it into the 20th century. The 248 boards became 12 state departments. He improved the judicial system. And faced with not enough classrooms and too many aging school buildings, Mandel developed a system of school financing – the first in the nation. He pushed through legislation that created the world renowned R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and the Medivac system which could quickly transport accident victims to this trauma center from all around the state. Marvin Mandel was more than a politician, more than a governor – he was a visionary.

However, Marvin Mandel, the man, was greater than his accomplishments. He was a warm human being who listened intently and gave his counsel and friendship generously to those who sought it. He was inclusive. Party labels were never a large consideration for him. He believed in working together. In today’s partisan world of politics, where people only talk about Bi-partisanship, Mandel achieved it. Any legislator, whatever his or her party affiliation, could get a meeting with Governor Mandel with as little as fifteen minutes notice.

I never knew Marvin Mandel when he was Governor. I was born the year he was elected to his second term. However, I was fortunate to develop a friendship with him over the past 14 years. I sat with him at many dinners, attended several political functions with him and traveled with him to attend his beloved University of Maryland’s last appearance in the ACC Tournament. During those 14 years, I got to know several things about Governor Mandel – he had a deep and abiding love for Maryland – he believed that government must serve the people – he had an unbelievable knowledge of government and how to make it work to serve the people. In fact, he measured the success of government by the degree to which it effectively served the common man.

As I said my goodbyes at his funeral yesterday, I realized that his greatest accomplishments in office and his genuine kindness and warmth as a human being far overshadow his personal flaws. His reach and effect on lives of Marylanders and Marylanders yet unborn are his legacy. This can be seen by just looking skyward. That Maryland State Police Medivac helicopter flying overhead, rushing a critically injured accident victim to the life-saving hospital we know as “Shock Trauma”, it was Governor Mandel’s leadership that made it happen.

Although probably one of the physically shortest of Maryland’s 62 Governors, he stands the tallest through his accomplishments in office. Maryland is a far better place thanks to him.

Rest easy, my friend – rest easy Governor and thank you for making Maryland a better place.

Respectfully yours,

Senator J.B. Jennings