Legacy of a Governor: The Life of Indiana's Frank O'Bannon

By Andrew E. Stoner

Book Overview

Legacy of a Governor carries Frank O'Bannon's story from a far corner of Indiana, in tiny Corydon, to the governor's mansion in Indianapolis. Years before securing his own legacy, OBannon was... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 160008012X
• ISBN13: 9781600080128
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Rooftop Publishing
• Length: 445 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Legacy of a Governor

Legacy of a Governor is the life of Indiana's forty-seventh governor, Frank O'Bannon (1930-2003); and the author, Andrew E. Stoner, is the right person to share the legacy. This is the story of a gentleman's life journey from Corydon, a small town in Southern Indiana and the first state capital, to his rise to influence, power, and service in Indiana's capital city, Indianapolis. After receiving baccalaureate and law degrees at Indiana University, O'Bannon returned to his hometown of Corydon to establish a county seat law practice and help manage the family newspaper. When in 1970 his father Robert P. O'Bannon, a Democrat, decided to retire from the State Senate, where he had served two decades, Frank O'Bannon, a lifelong, loyal Democrat, ran for the office and easily won. During the next eighteen years, he rose to positions of leadership in the Senate, most of the time, unfortunately, in minority leadership, a leadership often more challenging than that of the majority. In 1988, O'Bannon yielded his own ambition to become governor to political reality and accepted the lieutenant governor slot on a Democratic ticket headed by Evan Bayh for governor. The Democrats won comfortably, ending the Republican's twenty-year control of the Governor's office. As Lieutenant Governor, O'Bannon presided over the Senate, where he had served many years, but, more importantly, used his experience to help move legislation of the Bayh-O'Bannon team, a crucial role because Bayh lacked legislative experience, had only two years in as Secretary of State, but had a lot of dynamism. In 1996, O'Bannon felt his time to be governor had come; and the people agreed. In a hard-fought campaign with Stephen Goldsmith, Republican mayor of Indianapolis, O'Bannon came from behind to win solidly. O'Bannon easily won a second term in 2000. Unfortunately, because of a national economic recession State finances were at a low ebb; and, just as State finances seemed to be turning around, Hoosiers were shocked and saddened to hear on September 8, 2003 that their Governor had suffered a massive stroke while at a trade conference in Chicago. He died a few days later. The overall impression of Frank O'Bannon on this reviewer is that of a successful politician, a great man, and a good man, who did not feel the need to wear his faith on his sleeve. Andrew Stoner, the biographer, a deputy press secretary to the Governor, has thoroughly researched his subject in library and archival sources such as books, documents, and particularly newspaper files. The extensive use of personal interviews adds validation and a sense of intimacy to the text. The volume appropriately opens with a foreword by the Governor's widow, Judy O'Bannon, who truly was an active, working partner in creating this Legacy of a Governor.