William Milliken
Encyclopedia
William Grawn Milliken (born March 26, 1922), is an American
politician and served as the 44th Governor
of Michigan
from January 1969 to January 1983.
, the son of James T. Milliken, a mayor of Traverse City and a Michigan State Senator
for the 27th District, 1941–50, and the grandson of James W. Milliken, also a State Senator from the 27th District, 1898-1900. William G. Milliken served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II
, flying fifty combat missions as a waist-gunner on B-24
bombers and survived two crash landings.
from 1965 to 1969, and became governor after George W. Romney
left office to serve in President Richard Nixon's
cabinet. Milliken was subsequently elected to full four-year terms in 1970, 1974, and 1978. He was considered to be a moderate Republican governor in the Nelson A. Rockefeller mold. In June 1982 the governor led the formation of the Council of Great Lakes Governors
.
Milliken was governor for 14 years and is the longest-serving governor in state history. With governors now limited
to two elected terms in office, it is unlikely that any will serve longer than Milliken.
In December 1982, Milliken appointed Dorothy Comstock Riley
to the Michigan Supreme Court
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Blair Moody
. Riley had run for election to the Supreme Court in the 1982 general election and had been defeated. Milliken was leaving office in less than a month and newly-elected Democratic Governor James Blanchard
argued he should have made the appointment to replace Moody rather than Milliken. In 1983, the other Supreme Court Justices voted 4-2 to remove Riley from the court. Riley was elected to the Court in 1985.
in his bid to unseat George W. Bush
as President of the United States
: "The truth is that President George W. Bush does not speak for me or for many other moderate Republicans on a very broad cross section of issues."
In 2008, Milliken endorsed John McCain
for President, but backed away from his endorsement in October after McCain's campaign began attacking Democratic candidate Barack Obama
. Milliken told the Grand Rapids Press
"He is not the John McCain I endorsed." Milliken voiced disquiet at the direction of the Republican Party: "Increasingly, the party is moving toward rigidity, and I don't like that. I think Gerald Ford
would hold generally the same view I'm holding on the direction of the Republican Party."
In 2010, Milliken endorsed businessman Rick Snyder for the Republican nomination for Governor of Michigan
.
) in honor of the former Governor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and served as the 44th Governor
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from January 1969 to January 1983.
Biography
Milliken was born in Traverse City, MichiganTraverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
, the son of James T. Milliken, a mayor of Traverse City and a Michigan State Senator
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
for the 27th District, 1941–50, and the grandson of James W. Milliken, also a State Senator from the 27th District, 1898-1900. William G. Milliken served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, flying fifty combat missions as a waist-gunner on B-24
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
bombers and survived two crash landings.
Governor of Michigan
Like his father and grandfather, Milliken was elected as a state senator from the 27th District, serving from 1961 to 1964. He was the 52nd Lieutenant Governor of MichiganLieutenant Governor of Michigan
The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor, and one of four great offices of state...
from 1965 to 1969, and became governor after George W. Romney
George W. Romney
George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
left office to serve in President Richard Nixon's
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
cabinet. Milliken was subsequently elected to full four-year terms in 1970, 1974, and 1978. He was considered to be a moderate Republican governor in the Nelson A. Rockefeller mold. In June 1982 the governor led the formation of the Council of Great Lakes Governors
Council of Great Lakes Governors
-History:The Council of Great Lakes Governors is an organization of Great Lakes Governors dedicated to promoting regional cooperation.The Governors of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin created the Council of Great Lakes Governors in 1983...
.
Milliken was governor for 14 years and is the longest-serving governor in state history. With governors now limited
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
to two elected terms in office, it is unlikely that any will serve longer than Milliken.
In December 1982, Milliken appointed Dorothy Comstock Riley
Dorothy Comstock Riley
Dorothy Comstock Riley was a lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Michigan, serving on the Michigan Supreme Court and the first woman to serve on the Michigan Court of Appeals...
to the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Blair Moody
Blair Moody
Arthur Edson Blair Moody , known as Blair Moody, was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.-Early life:...
. Riley had run for election to the Supreme Court in the 1982 general election and had been defeated. Milliken was leaving office in less than a month and newly-elected Democratic Governor James Blanchard
James Blanchard
James Johnston "Jim" Blanchard is a politician from the US state of Michigan. A Democrat, Blanchard has served in the United States House of Representatives, as the 45th Governor of Michigan, and as United States Ambassador to Canada....
argued he should have made the appointment to replace Moody rather than Milliken. In 1983, the other Supreme Court Justices voted 4-2 to remove Riley from the court. Riley was elected to the Court in 1985.
Former governor
In 2004, Milliken broke with party ranks to endorse John KerryJohn Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in his bid to unseat George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
as President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
: "The truth is that President George W. Bush does not speak for me or for many other moderate Republicans on a very broad cross section of issues."
In 2008, Milliken endorsed John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
for President, but backed away from his endorsement in October after McCain's campaign began attacking Democratic candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. Milliken told the Grand Rapids Press
Grand Rapids Press
The Grand Rapids Press is a daily newspaper published in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the largest of the eight Booth newspapers. It is sold for $.75 daily and $2.00 on Sunday.AccuWeather provides weather content to the Grand Rapids Press....
"He is not the John McCain I endorsed." Milliken voiced disquiet at the direction of the Republican Party: "Increasingly, the party is moving toward rigidity, and I don't like that. I think Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
would hold generally the same view I'm holding on the direction of the Republican Party."
In 2010, Milliken endorsed businessman Rick Snyder for the Republican nomination for Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
.
Honors
In fall 2009, the state of Michigan named a new state park (William G. Milliken State Park and HarborWilliam G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
The William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is a state park in Michigan, and the state's first to be located in an urban area. Located just east of downtown Detroit along a portion of the city's International Riverfront, it covers on the Detroit River, and includes a 52-slip harbor of refuge...
) in honor of the former Governor.