Son: Former Illinois Gov. Dan Walker Dies at Age 92

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Former Illinois Gov. Dan Walker, who spent four tumultuous years in the governor's office and nearly 18 painful months as an inmate in federal prison, died Wednesday. He was 92.

His son Dan Walker Jr., an attorney in suburban Chicago, said his father died at his home in Chula Vista, California, early in the morning.

"He had a long life," Walker Jr. said. "He did many great things and many accomplishments in his life ... He was just a wonderful, passionate man."

Walker was an early example of a new breed of Illinois politician — someone who disdained traditional political organization — and he won office in 1972 on the strength of his personality. As governor, however, he alienated Republicans and his fellow Democrats, managing to accomplish little.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/son-illinois-gov-dan-walker-dies-age-92-30674099

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CHICAGO — Apr 29, 2015, 12:02 PM ET
By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Chicago Tribune article.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dan-walker-dead-20150429-story.html#page=1

[murielm99]

2. I voted for him.

One of the things he did during his campaign was walk the entire state, because his name was Walker.

He also authored a report about the Democratic convention in Chicago, where he called police behavior toward demonstrators a "police riot." It is interesting that he should be part of the news when all this scandal is coming to light about police behavior.

He did go to jail after he was governor. Many of them do, in Illinois. It had to do with business loans, not his tenure in office. But I do think he had enemies looking for a way to get to him.

RIP.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. Those in control feared him.

On both sides of the fetid moat some call the aisle.

I met and liked him. In some ways, he reminded my of Quinn, who also faced a lack of support and many, many knives pointed at his back.

[murielm99]

4. Mayor Daley had a lot of power then.

He never stopped being angry with Walker.

I voted for Walker in the general, but Simon in the primary. I think it was better than Simon never became governor. He became a beloved and legendary Senator in our state. TPTB would have found a way to ruin Simon, even though he was a thoroughly honorable man.

My family has known the Simon family for three generations. I hope Sheila runs for office again. She is much like her father.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. but for the bow tie, that is.

I loved Simon as senator. Hell, I liked Chuck Percy, who would have been far more liberal than many of your D senators today. Simon was a real asset, much like Dick Durbin is today.

I am on the board of a group that gave an award to Durbin a year ago, and wow, can he give a warm, off the cuff, and totally convincing talk in a large room. He had people lining up to hug him afterwards. (Picture a roomful of hostile, very conservative, white, mostly old immigrants who still swear at Stalin)

[kas125]

6. I voted for him, too. My in laws had a fundraiser for him

at their home where I met him as I was holding my baby son. We ran into him again two or three years later and I was astonished that he not only knew who we were, he still remembered our names. He was quite a guy.

[Wabbajack_]

7. I heard he wanted to run for POTUS at one point

And later on he helplessly listened to the guy in the next cell getting raped. What a turn.

[murielm99]

8. Yep.

Illinois politics.

I can be cynical about them, because I work hard for the party. That does not mean I think prison rape is funny. It is unspeakable and horrifying.

[Wabbajack_]

9. Off topic here but

I'm getting pretty sick of the hypocrisy on "Law and Order: SVU" regarding prison rape, they seem to cops taunting suspects with it is "justice".