David Durenberger, R.I.P.

A fine public servant and good friend of mine recently 

left this world. Sen. David Durenberger, a Republican

who was elected to fill the remainder of the term left

vacated by the death of Sen. Hubert Humphrey (D)

and served from 1978 to 1995, was the first senator 

elected in Minnesota from the GOP in many years.

A party moderate, Durenberger nonetheless assisted

led President Reagan's New Federalism effort in 1982,

an initiative to restore some functions of the state 

governments to the states and diffuse the federal 

government's power in the process. Additionally, he

was a 14-year member of the Advisory Committee 

on Intergovernmental Relations, where he further 

helped President Reagan and the government to 

come together in cooperation to function in a balanced

manner.

Durenberger also voted to confirm conservative jurists

Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court 

of the United States, and was Senate sponsor of the 

Medicare Catastrophic Act, and voted for the Americans

with Disabilities Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act,

among several legislative acts which drew support from

senators from both parties. He supported legislation that

was conservative as well as liberal in origin if he found 

the bills to be rightful, helpful, and needed.

Having lived in Minnesota for some years, I had been

a Duremberger campaign worker and an alternate delegate 

to the Minnesota State Republican on several occasions 

and came to know the senator pretty well, developing a 

firm friendship with him. He made some mistakes while

a senator --- he used his condominium in Minneapolis

to collect $40,000 in travel reimbursements and evaded 

limits on speaking fees, getting censured by the Senate 

in a 96-0 vote. But overall, Sen. David Durenberger served 

Minnesota and Minnesotans well, earning the respect and 

trust of people all along the political spectrum and from

both major political parties. I missed our chats about the 

issues of the day, and upcoming presidential elections,

and appreciated that he always made time to visit with me.

He put on no airs, never acted like he was too important

to hear from and converse with everyday people, and was 

a caring, effective, and reliable public servant.

Sen. David Durenberger passed away at age 88 just at the 

end of January. Farewell and Godspeed, David. It was a 

pleasure to have had you as a friend, a political ally, 

and a true public servant.

Requiescat in pace.

MEM