Remembering David Jennings

Clip: Season 2023 Episode 38 | 2m 11sVideo has Closed Captions

We share a classic clip of Former Speaker Jennings from March 1986.

06/02/2023

Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback

Almanac is a local public television program presented by TPT

Open in new tab

ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU.

BEFORE WE HEAD OVER TO THE COUCH TO VISIT WITH THIS WEEK'S POLITICAL PANEL, IT WAS ANNOUNCED EARLIER TODAY THAT FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER DAVID JENNINGS DIED LATE LAST MONTH AT THE AGE OF 74.

JENNINGS WAS LONG ACTIVE IN MINNESOTA POLITICS AND A FREQUENT GUEST ON THIS SHOW, DATING BACK TO THE FIFTH EPISODE IN EARLY 1985.

HE APPEARED AS A POLITICAL ANALYST, REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER IN THE MID 1980S, COMMERCE COMMISSIONER IN THE VENTURA ADMINISTRATION, AND SUPERINTENDENT OF MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

HERE'S A LOOK AT A VERY MEMORABLE WEEK IN HIS TENURE AS MINNESOTA SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, WHEN HE GAVELED SESSION TO A CLOSE IN MARCH OF 1986 AMID CHAOS ON THE FLOOR.

TAKE A LOOK AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> TUESDAY WAS QUITE A DAY AT THE STATE CAP STOLE.

EARLY THAT MORNING, 5:00 AUTOMOBILE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE HOUSE ADJOURNED, EVEN THOUGH THE LEGISLATION WAS NOT FINISHED.

THE SCENE LOOKED A BIT LIKE WHEN WHERE HE IS KNOWLEDGE COMES TO THE MET CENTER.

>> YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, Mr. SPEAKER.

[INDISCERNIBLE CONVERSATIONS] [Overlapping Conversation].

>> PEOPLE YELLING AND CHANTING] >> MOTION PREVAILS.

-- VERY WORSE SPEAKER.

>> IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH ACTIVITY FOR ONE DAY, HOUSE SPEAKER DAVE JENNINGS THEN HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WASN'T A CANDIDATE, NOT FOR GOVERNOR, NOT EVEN FOR HIS OWN SEAT IN THE HOUSE.

>> THE STUNNED MEDIA CALLED IT A BOMB SHELL AND BOMBER DAVE JENNINGS IS WITH US TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

DAVE JENNINGS, HOW COME YOU ADJOURNED THE HOUSE AT 5:00 a.m. TUESDAY MORNING?

>> WELL, BECAUSE WE HAD COMPLETED ALL OF THE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HE BUDGET BALANCING BILLS, THE TWO BUDGET BALANCING ILLS AND WE WERE NOWHERE NEAR AGREEMENT ON THOSE BILLS AND I COULDN'T SEE HAVING THE ENTIRE LEGISLATURE SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR THOSE TEN CONFEREES TO REACH AGREEMENT.

I BELIEVED THAT THE BEST WAY TO BRING PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THEM TO SETTLE UP O THAT WE COULD GET IT OVER WITH WAS TO ADJOURN AND SENDS THE REST OF THE LEGISLATURE HOME SO THE