CARL LEVIN THE LONGEST SERVING SENATOR IN MICHIGAN HISTORY HAS DIED OF AGE OF 87.
SENATOR LEYIN SPENT 36 YEARS IN
THE SENATE, ALWAYS WITH THE
REPUTATION FOR BEING A CHAMPION
FOR HIS HOME STATE.
>>> HE HAD BEEN LIVING LUNG
CANCER FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
OUR ROD MALONEY LOOKS BACK AT
HIS INCREDIBLE LIFE AND LEGACY.
>> CARL MILTON LEVIN WAS BORN IN
DETROIT ON JUNE 28th, 1934
TO SAUL AND BESS.
THE LEVIN FAMILY INCLUDING CARL,
HIS OLDER BROTHER SANDER AND TWO
OTHER BROTHERS LIVED ON BOSTON
LaSALLE BOULEVARD.
WITH DAD AN ATTORNEY, MOM A U OF
M GRAD, CARL GREW UP IN A
POLITICALLY ACTIVE CONSERVATIVE
JEWISH HOME.
HIS FIRST POLITICAL CLASS
FORESHADOWED FUTURE SUCCESS.
>> MY SUPPORTERS WORE AROUND
THEIR NECKS WITH A PIECE OF
STRING AND PIECE OF CARDBOARD
AND HAD A PIECE OF MAT SOE ON IT
AND SAID THISSH MAT IS A OON IT
AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH
BREAD OUT LEVEN.
>> HIS FATHER WORKED IN A LAW
FIRM WITH HIS BROTHER THEODORE
WHO WENT ON TO BECOME CHIEF
FEDERAL DRUDGE, THE DOWNTOWN
COURTHOUSE IS NAME FOR HIS UNCLE
THEODORE.
HE JOINED HIS BROTHER SANDY, AT
HARVARD LAW AND ROOMED TOGETHER.
AND CARL MOVED HOME TO PRACTICE
AND MOVED ONTO THE MICHIGAN
CIVIL RIGHTS AND MOVED ONTO THE
LEGAL AID DEFENDER’S OFFICE.
WHEN SANDER ENDED UP ELECTED TO
THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE AND
BECAME THE PARTY CHAIR AS THE
DETROIT RIOT HAPPEN, CARL
DECIDED TO JUMP INTO POLITICS,
TOO.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE SUGGESTEDRUN
FOR CITY COUNCIL AS SOMEONE WHO
MIGHT GET SUPPORT IN THE WHITE
AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
AND THEREBY HELP TO HEAL THE
CITY.
>> ELECTED PRESIDENT IN HIS
SECOND TERM TRYING TO BUOY AN.
>> IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE IN OUR
SOCIETY THAT CHILDREN IN THE
LOWEST ACHIEVING DISTRICT ARE
HAVING LESS MONEY SPENT ON THEIR
EDUCATION THAN IS SPENT ON OTHER
KIDS IN THE AREA.
>> IN 1978 LEVEN RAN AGAINST
ROBERT GRIFFIN AND WON, WINNING
REELECTION FIVE TIMES, ALTHOUGH
HE AND HIS WIFE BARBARA RAISED
HIS THREE DAUGHTS IN WASHINGTON,
D.C.
>>> I’M TOTALLY A MAYBE
BEGANNIAN, I DON’T FEEL ANY
CONNECTION TO WASHINGTON OTHER
THAN THIS IS THE PLACE I WORK.
>>> LEVIN STARTED OUT ON THE
POWERFUL ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE AND ENDED HIS CAREER
AS ITS CHAIRMAN AND WORKED HARD
BRINGING HOME FEDERAL FUNDS AND
PRIDED HIMSELF IN IF DETROIT
RIVER FUND AND GREAT LAKES, AND
NUCLEAR ARMS REDUCTION AND
SUPPORTED THE LIMITED USE OF
MILITARY FORCE.
ON 9/11 HE SAID.
>> THE WAR THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT
TO OUR SHORES FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN 50 YEARS REALLY THAT HAS
AMERICANS AND MY
LIFETIME WORLD WAR II. >> DETROIT’S AUTO INDUSTRY FAILED.
>> WE’RE FOCUSED, WE’RE FOCUSED
ON GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE AUTO
INDUSTRY BECAUSE THEY NEED IT
AND SUPPORTITY AFTER THAT
MORTGAGE MELTDOWN, HE MADE
HEADLINES BY GOING AFTER GOLDMAN
SACHS FOR DODGING INVESTMENT
PRACTICE.
>> BOY, THAT T-WOLVES WAS ONE
[BLEEP] DEAL.
HOW MUCH OF THAT [BLEEP] DEAL
DID YOU SELL TO YOUR CLIENTS
AFTER JUNE 22, 2007?
>> AFTER NEARLY FOUR DECADES IN
DR D.C. AT AGE 80 HE DECIDED NOT
RUN AGAIN.
HIS FAREWELL SHOWED THE DEEP
RESPECT HE EARNED.
>> I THANK THE CHAIR, I THANK MY
DEAR FRIENDS, THE LEADERS OF
THIS BODY AND MY BROTHER SITTING
HERE.
AND I’M NOT ALLOWED TO REFER TO
MY FAMILY SO I WON’T DO THAT.
>> A LARGER TRIBUTE SPOKE TO HIS
LONG MILITARY DEDICATION.
BECAME THE FOURTH NON-PRESIDENT
TO HAVE A SHIP NAMED AFTER HIM.
IT IS A GUIDED MISSILE FRIGAT --
FRIGATE.
>> I’M SO PROUD TO HAVE MY NAME
ON A COMBAT SHIP OF THE U.S.
NAVY.
>> HE VIEWED HIMSELF AS A
ROOSEVELT STYLE DEMOCRAT.
>>> WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO
OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
AND THAT MEANS LITERALLY PEOPLE.
>> HE WAS A TITAN INDEED.
POLITICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE
UNTRY AND FROM BOTH POLITICAL
PARTIES HAVE BEEN PAYING TRIBUTE
TO LEVIN’S LIFE AND LEGACY.
>> THAT INCLUDES HIS OWN NEPHEW,
CONGRESSMAN ANDY LEVIN HE
RELEASED A STATEMENT READING
"UNCLE CARL WAS ABOVE ALL A
FAMILY MAN.
THE WAY HE LOVED AND TREATED HIS
FAMILY RADIATED OUT AND SERVED A
AS A MODEL FOR HOW HE TREATED
COLLEAGUES, STAFF, CONSTITUENTS,
SOLDIERS AND THE WORLD.
YOU CAN READ MORE REACTION TO
THE DEATH OF SENATOR CARL LEVIN
AT CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
OUR THOUGHTS TONIGHT WITH HIS
WIFE BARBARA AND SANDRA LEVIN,