Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

Authors

Greg Beam

Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

8-9-2000

Interview Number

MOH 223

Abstract

Jadine (Raynes) O’Brien was born August 1931 in Whitman, Massachusetts. Her father, John Raynes, was in the chicken business. Her mother, Eunice Raynes, worked in a dress shop. Jadine worked in the same dress shop and put herself through school at Westbrook College in Maine. She was inspired by John Kennedy to get involved with politics and particularly, the Democratic Party, which she did with her husband Jack O’Brien. After college, she worked for Peter N. Kyros, Sr., then got involved in Portland city government and directed the Model Cities Program. Later, she ran for Congress against Peter Kyros in 1974 and lost, then went to work for the Center for Community Dental Health until 1979, when she went to work for Governor Joe Brennan as a member of his cabinet. Later, she worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. She has worked as a lobbyist for more than 16 years.

Scope and Content Note

Interview includes discussions of: family background; John Kennedy; registering voters with George Mitchell in Portland, Maine in the 1960s; George Mitchell; Model Cities, Portland, Maine; Portland West Advisory Committee; Charlie Allen; Peter Kyros; 1974 congressional campaign and the challenges she met as a woman; Joe Brennan; Ed Muskie; Jane Muskie; Democratic National Convention in 1968; Muskie’s temper; Bill Hathaway; Angus King; Bob Masterson; John O’Leary; David Flanagan; Independent Party; Blue Cross Blue Shield; and Henry Bourgeois with the Model Cities program in Lewiston, Maine.

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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