Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

6-13-2001

Interview Number

MOH 278

Abstract

Patrick Neil McTeague was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 25, 1937. His father served in World War II in the 1st Infantry Division, and his mother worked in a department store. He attended public schools and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He participated in the ROTC program, and was a Government and Economics major. He earned his law degree at Ohio State. He entered the Navy in 1962 as a Staff Legal Officer. He opened a law practice in Brunswick, Maine, and from 1968 to 1974 served in the Maine Legislature and was a member of the Labor Committee.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: Maine Legislature 1946 to 1949; Muskie’s two terms as Governor; the 1960 John F. Kennedy-Lyndon B. Johnson presidential campaign (Muskie and Kennedy pictured at Elks Lodge, Brunswick); 1968 vice presidential campaign; 1977 or 1978 attempted ambush on Muskie about Clean Water Act at building trades meeting; environmental protection; Democratic Party in Maine; Uncle Frank, the Pipe Fitters Union; Robert A. Taft, election of 1948, Cincinnati vs. Cleveland, Taft-Hartley Act; Harry Truman; 1948 Democratic National Convention; college life: Miami Independent Association, anti-fraternity group; Young Democrats national intercollegiate debate: Right to work law, nationalization of railroads; election of 1958 when Democrats gained in the House and Senate, Ohio governorship, major offices, Ohio legislature, Public Referendum on the right to work issue; 1968 election: running for Maine Legislature; Labor Committee: Municipal Public Employees Bargaining Bill; unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation, minimum wage; Ken Curtis’ 2nd term; Joe Brennan in the Navy; John Martin; Maine income tax; Maine voting for Richard Nixon, election of 1960; the Freedom of Information Act, OSHA, ERISA (retirement and health insurance act); comparison of Rumford, 1986 strike and Jay, 1987-1988 strike; Klu Klux Klan (KKK) higher membership in Maine than in any other northeast state; and BIW.

Use Restrictions

Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.

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