 And we're going to talk about Ralph. You're going to hear a lot of things about Ralph. And believe him all, because he is one hell of a guy. I want to present to you our good friend and neighbor, Congress and Dennis Hurtel. Well, thank you, Tom. I see so many great friends here to honor our good friend that you already know about all the help that he's given to so many Democrats, so many people in the community, so much time that he's given to all of us. When Tom had all the public officials stand, all I could think of were all the spaghetti dinners that Ralph had for all those public officials because they all were once candidates and they're still running for reelection. And Ralph is always there to help in any way possible, in any way possible. He's helped us all on legislative issues. He worked with me in the state house now in Congress. He's helped us all in campaigns and we know how much he does for the community at large. But we've all been to all those different spaghetti dinners. And I think everybody here has been to at least eight or nine. And Ralph is always ready to have one at the drop of a hat. He's had several for me for campaigns and once we talked about one night having an Irish party, a St. Patrick's Day party, we were all excited about it. We talked about what we're going to do. We're going to have green hats and we're going to have green bunting and what we're going to have to eat and everybody had different ideas and Ralph said spaghetti, right? Well, that was all right. When Howard Volpe, the congressman in Kalamazoo, talked about his son's bar mitzvah, Ralph offered spaghetti. And we've accepted his offer an awful lot of times but the one time my wife said no was on our wedding night 13 years ago. She said no, we're not having Ralph's spaghetti for the wedding. One time I went to 12 Ralph's spaghetti dinners in a week and you know how hard he works. He has to make the sauce, the special recipe and it takes him a while and he works all night and he's got other people to help him and he works in the kitchen all day and I went to 12 of those in one week and some 500 people came to. Some only 50 people came to because they didn't get the word out enough. So I went through the line. I was late at this 12th dinner and I ate the spaghetti and everything was great and Ralph came over and said, aren't you going to have second helpings? He felt bad. He was disappointed. I wouldn't have second helpings and I saw him at every one of the 12 dinners. So I felt bad about it and I said jeez, I'm going to have to apologize to Ralph and maybe even have that second help he'd take at home. So I looked all over for Ralph and they said he's back in the kitchen like he always is working. I couldn't find him. I looked every place. I found him in a storeroom. He was eating a steak in the back room. I mean I was surprised tonight and I haven't finished my dinner but I'm going to because I thought we're going to have spaghetti tonight. Mondale says where's the beef? You see Ralph, you say where's the spaghetti, right? Well that's enough about the spaghetti because we all appreciate it and it's helped elect a lot of good Democrats. It's not only spaghetti and the great sauce and the salad and the bread that comes with it. It's the fellowship. It's the hard work. It's the compassion, the caring, the giving of time, the giving of himself. That's why we honor Ralph Labrada. Thank you Dennis. Next we want to present to you a man who works with and knows Ralph especially well. Tom Turner, president of the AFL-CIO. Thank you very much Tom. To my good friend, spaghetti eating congressman. To all of my good friend, my blue-eyed soul brother. His eyes not so blue. The director of Region 1, UAW, Prairie Johnson and must a Democrat over there Rick Weiner. Rick says I've been hanging around Bob Merkel too long. All of the important people at the Dias and you the most important people belong to the Democratic Club of Warren and friends of Ralph Labrada and I see speaking of elected officials I see one good friend of mine who sits on the sump to board with me representing Macomb County Diane Kolikowski sitting in the back and a lot of other good friends. I'm delighted to be out here Ralph and Mike's Gazzari but more or less the more Ralph gave me an offer that I could not refuse and he says I don't care where you are scheduled to be you know tonight but you're going to be out in Warren there honoring me and you're going to be there so I'm here I want you to know that and I think when we look at Rick Weiner who is chairman of our party and you look at the success that we had on March 17th and I was kidding with him of saying that this past Saturday it's very unusual that you know the Democrats in the 18 congressional district throughout this state came together and elected you know a slate of candidates for Walermondale and whoever the others may be without any bloodletting and I think that says something for Democrats would you agree and tonight you have decided that you're going to elect one of your own or honor one of your own as Mr. Democrat tonight and I think all of you for that it's not easy to stand before you and speak about a colleague whom I have worked closely with over the years and especially since he became Secretary of Treasure of the Metropolitan Detroit AFL CIO my problem is that Tom Welch tells me that I only have time constraint here and that's the problem that I have because of the time allotment relates to all of the to tell you about the fine qualities that make Ralph the warm human being that he is despite Dennis and Tom all of the spaghetti's that he prepared and I want you to know before I met Ralph Liberato I think I was wearing something like in my respectable weight 195 pounds since I met Ralph I went up to 215 pounds now I'm down to about 208 with about 10 more pounds to go and that's because I've stopped eating so much of his spaghetti and it seems to me that I have never I don't know about you but I have never seen such an unselfish person in and out of the labor movement in and out of the Democratic Party as Ralph Liberato he is always ready to set aside personal considerations if you will so that he can help bring about the success whether it be social programs or whether it be union goals Ralph is the as you know the political director for ask me and he practice all the things that he preaches getting deeply involved in the political process of the Democratic Party at all levels from top to bottom it was pleasing to hear that you the Warren Democratic Club have joined with others in this congressional district to really elect Ralph as a Mondale delegate to the National Convention in San Francisco and that in itself says something to thank you very much our next speaker is one who is familiar to most of us the UAW Region 1 director Harry Johnson I keep losing my tag here let me say something to my brother as I normally refer to him as TT I'm sure damn glad to see him I was getting kind of lonesome up here Tom just Tom Wells just said to me you're close to eating my road well I had some I had to something to say about that but first of all and from your warm applause I want to say that each a heart out Coleman thank you yeah I tell you a little there's a kind of strange thing with Coleman young and myself I gotta get away from you for a moment young fellow that there are some people that for some reason and other things that Cobin and I look alike I have had people walk up to me and say how you doing Cobin and I says well you know you may be carrying that just a little bit too damn far now while I don't mind that in Detroit that south of eight my road I want the proper recognition when it gets north of eight my road especially when there is a curfew that's why I was so happy to see Tom Turner well I am pleased to be here very pleased to be here it is secure right now pleased to be here tonight to honor the Democrat of the year a raff liberado you call him raff liberado I will call him laugh raff liberator and the reason I call him liberator is because as I know him raff has rescued a many Democrats from the clutches of the Republican Party I'm even more pleased that we aren't having spaghetti tonight did you ever notice that wherever raff goes tomato sauce seems to follow him incidentally raff recipe for sauce is a close to God is secret Colonel Sanders made millions with the secret recipe raff maybe you should get out of the pastor business and then to chicken now I can easily say that that's not a racial ethnic slur or anything like that because in some quarters I'm known as a Hawaiian got to be all things you know when I used to run for election back in the local union when it came time we have had a very large population of Polish people there and at times I was known as Perry John ski or what the hell you had to get to vote somehow nothing or Perry Johnson ski I always got elected believe me okay but to tell you the truth raff we were pleased that you could be here tonight between bingos and I hear that you have more bingos going in the archdiocese of Detroit but seriously raff it is a real pleasure to be here to honor you the hard-working and dynamic chairman of the McComb Democratic Committee who is also a vice president of the Metro Detroit AFL CIO you know raff was a past president of local 160 and that's a local of the region one the UAW region one and he stayed on with AFL when we went many of you know we separated the AFL in the UAW and the RCAP programs separated some time some years ago and now that we are together again raff we our brothers once more although in our hearts we never were apart and let me congratulate you raff on your much desire of honor tonight we look forward to working together for a long long time for a long long time and just did I stayed in good grace with the big man over here and Tommy ought to have bought his tickets and he wouldn't have had no time constraint on you thank you it tells you something special about a Democrat when the state party chairman comes to pay his tribute Rick Wiener thanks Tom this place brings back some some fond memories for me and I know it brings back some special memories for many of us about little over two years ago a lot of you in the room and about four thousand or five thousand people who aren't in this room took part in a rally here for what was then to become the next governor of the state of Michigan Jim Blanchard that rally kicked off a successful campaign not just in Macomb County not just in the Detroit suburbs but throughout the entire state a campaign that brought not just the governorship to the Democrats but pride to each and every one of us so somehow I think it's fitting that those of us who were there and for that matter those of us who were only there in spirit reassemble here tonight to pay tribute to mr. Democrat Ralph Liberado you know they can hear a lot of stories about Ralph tonight probably ought to jokes about him some of them tasteless most of them true I'm sure there's no truth to the rumor incidentally that he did indeed invent spaghetti but there is truth to the rumor that he and indeed not the archdiocese invented bingo thank heaven for bingo and thank heaven for Ralph Liberado's bingo I can only say this and it's hard for me to be humorous about Ralph on the night of his tribute easy most of the other times incidentally he is a generous chair a hard working chair an active chair and I can only say if that we had 83 county chairs like Ralph Liberado the Michigan Democratic Party would certainly be a hell of a lot better off so I'm proud to be here to pay my tribute to Ralph Liberado tonight I'm proud to have him as a an active county chair in the Michigan Democratic Party and Ralph I'm looking forward to going to you to San Francisco with you to San Francisco as part of the Democratic delegation that will nominate the next Democratic president of the United States congratulations to you Ralph next I have the pleasure of calling on the chairman of the 12th congressional district my chairman Nancy White thank you Tom chair person that I was I was gonna do it but thank you very much the chair person I'm honored to be here tonight to be able to pay tribute to Ralph Ralph has a habit with me as you know I'm a member of the MEA and every time Ralph and I sit down together he says buddy we got to do something about this and Tom I can guarantee you he's doing the job for ask me when he sits down with me Ralph has done a lot for the 12th district as many of you know we have had a voter turnout project and a voter registration project if it hadn't been for Ralph Liberado in the Macomb County Democratic Committee it would not have been as successful as it has been we are going to continue working together in 1984 to elect Walder Mondale as the next president of the United States thank you next it's my pleasant duty to present Judy Locke who is the president or excuse me well I look here Judy yeah she's president of Warren Education Association I don't know whether spaghetti or we's got the biggest laugh tonight I was checking around and on Ralph's history and ask several people in the Macomb County area how was it that Ralph Liberado got his start as the biggest spaghetti fundraiser king in Macomb County and I was told about 12 years ago they had some dedication for you Ralph and as your gift you received a set of huge pots and pans and that's what got you on your start to being the spaghetti fundraiser Macomb County well I felt that the enough was enough and that a man that has done so much for the Democratic Party ought to be gotten out of the kitchen and on to the main floor and so having been a member of the gift selection committee for tonight Ralph I just want to share a little secret with you tonight you're going to receive a set of brooms and on top of that between you and me as unionists I expect you to charge union rates for that on behalf of teachers I want to thank Ralph Liberado for having been an advocate for education and education issues in the state he has been a great mentor for us for me personally as a fellow Italian American as a fellow unionist as a fellow Democrat he has been a shining example years ago someone told me if you want to be a Democrat you gots to loves the people and I think that Ralph Liberado is an example of that he is renowned for working in the grassroots and doing the kind of grassroots work that if we don't all share in that grassroots work we are not going to see successes and we're not going to be able to move the kind of democratic policies that help the working people and that help the people and Ralph I want to thank you for the love and the courage that you have brought to the people in the state through the democratic party next uh it's my pleasant duty to present Joyce LaLonde chairperson I got that right this time chairperson of the 14th district democratic committee Ralph I've sat here tonight and listened to numerous people talk about all you have done for Democrats the spaghetti dinners they turn out of voters they help that you've given in the kitchen and I want all these people here to know what you have done for the 14th district as I took over as chair of the 14th district in February by March with Ralph's help and getting us started in a bingo I was so far in debt that I cannot even see tomorrow so Ralph honestly though with Ralph's help he did help us in the 14th establishment bingo that we've been looking forward to establishing for a long long time and I really appreciate all the help that he has given us all the advice that he has given me as far as cheering this district it's a new experience for me and I just think it's a wonderful idea that we are honoring one of our own locally that we see and deal with on a daily basis congratulations Ralph I'd like uh next um to uh call on a fella that hasn't been in office nearly long enough um he got elected to the Kiskanee office on the same day that I did I haven't been there long enough either church paris thank you tom Ralph and I go back to uh a couple of years ago about 30 some when we were members of the united democrats here in Warren and Ralph at that time was a type of individual that gave of himself he never sought public office from the viewpoint of trying to improve and engrandize himself but he was definitely the epitome of a person who gave of himself to help others one of the things that makes us separate and distinct from the republican party is that the democratic party gives of themselves to other people who are needy and not like the republicans to take from everyone Ralph Ralph Liberado has been taken from the republicans in bingo we've been taking some of them on the bingo deals at stan select he's been running and we've been building up the treasury in the democratic party when Ralph became chairman we were in the hole a few a few million dollars I think our deficit was higher than Reagan's it was close but right now we now stand better than switzerland's we have all those bank accounts in our treasury thanks to Ralph Ralph not only is the king of the spaghetti benders not only is he the king of the bingos he is also king of the democrats and I am proud that he's my friend and he's your friend thank you and now with your permission and with the permission of the chefs we're going to hold dinner for just a little bit while we hear from our very favorite senator Carl Levin thank you very much Tom and I appreciate all of your understanding and waiting out there very patiently for dinner for the 45 minutes or an hour that I'll be speaking to you you can laugh it's not true I was a few nervous laughs back there I was wondering what happened to Ralph where Ralph there you are you showed up at your own roast okay let me just very very briefly mention a few things to you I number one I wanted to be here tonight just to say hello to Ralph I'm delighted that you're honoring him it's so appropriate he's been so helpful to so many of us over the years I only wish that I could stay to watch him roasted it happened to me a few months ago and it's enjoyable I got to tell you just make sure you digest your dinner well before you get on with the program secondly I wanted to thank all of you many of you in this room as I look around have been extremely helpful to me I've become sort of a son of Warren over these last few years we've opened up an office in Warren as you know I don't know if Janice Quads is here by the way she here where is she Janice we stand up Janice runs our office there it's at it's at Hoover and 11 mile road by the way for those of you who don't know where it is we spent a good part of today by the way at Taycom this morning getting into some of the intricacies of defense procurement learned a lot I'm one of those people that believe we don't know a whole lot in Washington and we've got to really come to the grassroots to find out how things really work and today we did a rather unusual thing the senate armed services committee this morning came to Warren and I think it's the first time there's been a committee hearing of the senate armed services committee in Michigan with anybody's memory and I was able to persuade the committee that we ought to come out to Taycom and to hear firsthand what it's like to work with the various regulations to work with contractors and defense procurement and so I've become very much attached to Warren for all kinds of reasons we've done very well by the tank line which is so critical of this part of Michigan I must say that for a president who claims to be so strong on defense we find that every single year that he has cut tank production and we've had to reinstate it in the congress it's taken a heck of a lot of effort we've had the cooperation of Dennis and a whole lot of other folks congressman Hurtel and others in order to do this but it is important to the security of our country that we do have a full production of those M1 tanks finally let me just say a word about politics today this is a year that we have our chance again to make a statement now I happen to be running for reelection which is of course somewhat on my mind and many of you have already contributed and participated in various ways but I'm going to be outspent you're looking at the only incumbent United States senator that is going to be outspent the republicans have decided that this is target number one I have been a critic of this administration for many reasons I'm proud of that record I'm not going to run from it I don't think the administration has been good for the northern industrial states and I think it's favored and I think it is favored wealthy americans at the expense of working people so this is a year that we as democrats and as americans are going to be able to make a statement about where we want this country to go in the next four years I'm going to be part of that effort I'm going to be part of a team I look at the words on this program that is printed so boldly which is what we are and must be we're not always united but if we're going to win the election this year in michigan and in the country after we slug it out in the primaries and have our usual family differences and disputes we've got to pull together otherwise a whole lot of favorites of ours are not going to make it so there's three beautiful words on that well I better add a few more because Ralph Liberato's name is on the front cover too but there's three beautiful words at the top of this front page your name united democrats have worn printed boldly those are all important words and there's no more important word this year in 1984 than the word united thank you very very much I'm going to just comment on the history of Carl Carl you travel in good company the last senator to do that job at the tank plant was Harry Truman really really I bet you'd like to know that with that that's Bob O'Leary who's in a run my campaign in the back of the room but we better make good use of Bob we're going to excuse you Carl and we really appreciate you coming to visit with us thank you we're very proud of you are the cooks ready is the kitchen ready do we know whenever they're whenever they're not well if they're not we'll check are you are you ready out there okay then let's let's get on with the program then while we're waiting pardon okay well we can we can handle that I first want to take this opportunity to welcome Governor Blanchard's representative Connie Shorter who is a resident of the county lives over here in Sterling Heights it is truly and indeed a pleasure to represent the governor here tonight in honoring a very special individual to McComb county I know if the governor were here tonight he would probably also mention a couple other special people I know I saw a representative Dennis Dutko here tonight don't know if Lloyd Weeks is here or Art Miller but I I know the governor would say if he were here tonight there you this organization the city of Warren is extremely fortunate to have the courageous leadership that we've had in Lansing and I know the governor strongly supports them and I would like now and I will try to make it brief Tom Welsh told me I better or I was in trouble Governor Blanchard has issued a state of Michigan executive office proc or excuse me special tribute to Ralph Liberado I will try to share the words with you during this dinner sponsored by the United Democrats of Warren in honor of Ralph Liberado the citizens of Michigan and I extend our sincerest best wishes and appreciation to him for his countless contributions on our behalf his many years of dedication and commitment have made a significant contribution to the quality of life in our state and we are fortunate to express the praise and recognition that he so richly deserves during this celebration Ralph Liberado's involvement with Democrats throughout Michigan has contributed to the party's growth development and its efforts to improve our society his genuine sincerity and compassion is not only truly commendable but also serves as an example for all people to emulate our nation has continued to grow into one of mutual respect and appreciation for one another through the contributions and chivalrous actions of individuals like Ralph Liberado his untiring and unselfish efforts reflect his keen awareness of the need for all citizens to be actively involved in the political process so that responsible and accountable policies can be formulated for the betterment of humanity Ralph Liberado's career in public service has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues elected officials and the citizens of our state we want him to know of our genuine appreciation and gratitude for all he is freely given I pay special tribute to Ralph Liberado as he receives the Democrat of the Year Award I wish him and his wife and his family all the success happiness and beauty that life has to offer sign james j blanchard governor uh i'd like to um next call on uh Lou Birdie I would like to have the members of the council and Carmela Ceba the county clerk or excuse me the city clerk join in a presentation would all of you folks come forward and Lou with your where you at thank you time good evening to you Ralph let me uh name several of my associates who this evening could be here our city clerk Carmela Ceba councilman uh Jim Fouts councilman Fred Ceba councilman Ron Bonkowski and councilwoman Diane Ceba who was here earlier Ralph it's my pleasure to present to you this resolution from your war in city council I'm not going to read it because actually this is a symbolic resolution the symbolism is really rather clear it represents the great affection and the high personal regard that we hope for you congratulations thanks I would like I would like to call now on Betty Slindi and the members of the macomb county board of commissioners to come forward dick and Diane and and the county clerk please mrs miller on behalf of the macomb county commissioners and the county clerk and the miller I would like to present Ralph liberado a resolution in appreciation for everything he's done for the macomb county commissioners for macomb county and for the people of macomb county I'd like to say one thing here tonight too on behalf of the board of commissioners much has been said about Ralph's commitment to labor and and politics but Ralph has served for about 10 years on our parks and recreation commission and he's had a deep commitment to that parks and recreation commission and I'd like to congratulate me on that for that too thank you folks I think it tells you something about Ralph for these folks to come out for this occasion next where am I at here if I get lost bring me back in Lloyd Weeks has a house and senate resolution and I want the members of the house and senate that are here to come forward I know that Ard Miller and Gildon L. O. R. here and Dennis dot go where's Lloyd everybody's here but Lloyd oh here he is here he comes Ralph some of the people like I had a couple people take a look at this and they said it included some some things that had not been included in some of the other resolutions that you had gotten over the years so but instead of reading it all off we'll present this to Ralph and it'll be up here for those who want to come up and take a look at it because Ralph has provided the kind of light that he has for so many of us we decided we ought to you know we plugged in see Ralph when you touch that little lay leaf at lights and it turns it on and off and that's a little present from my staff and myself and as I you were out and I said we decided it in our usual democratic manner we got to get this over here so you can see Ralph I'll try not my daughter builds these things you had to keep the business and the family all right and I next want to call on Stan Scoson from the Roseville Dems if I can get Stan out here and Stan is not going to make an attempt to climb these steps he's going to walk right down here in front and Ralph is going to lean over and receive this award talk a little slower than you so you'll have to bear with me behalf of the Roseville Democratic Committee we'd like to present you with a plaque and it says in appreciation of so many years of service to the Rome Democratic Committee and you've helped our club so much so we thought we would present you with a plaque on your fine behavior next we have a presentation from the Shelby Dems by Bill Finland this is for Ralph from the Shelby Democratic Club for being such a hard worker for all the right causes and thank god that Ralph is for all the right causes because have you ever tried to get something through one of his meetings if he wasn't for the cause you were working for if he's on your side he knows how to get it done and I've never seen anybody pare away the ball the fat the waste work and get the job done and there are a lot of people in this room who can do it well but nobody does it better than Ralph and boy what a leader we appreciate it thank you we're getting there folks next I want to call on Ralph's longtime friend Joe Ambrose thanks Tom and thank you everybody here in appreciation to Ralph Liberato I know Ralph approximately about 28 years or maybe a little bit longer I can remember the time when in this county it was controlled exclusively by the other party I don't want to mention them because this is a democratic dinner and I don't want to upset you but at one time they told us Macomb County was the place for all the hours and I said bull and that's when we started our democratic club here in Warren and at one time our club was so grateful and so large that nobody dared not run on a democratic ticket here in the county they came to the united democrats of warren to get their blessing years ago an old Macomb county board met down over at the colonial hotel or gas mass and everything else you could wear because once you pass that place you know we're going to come back out again and that's when we've been a lot of our meetings and Ralph done a very good job and we are proud tonight to present Ralph at this dedication and Ralph in recognition to Ralph Liberato for having been selected as democrat of the year of 1984 in appreciation for the many years of service to the city of warren the county of macomb and the state of michigan presented on this day the 18th day of april 1984 with deprivation the united democrats of warren ralph thank you thank you i'd like to uh ask uh mary marsonak from the sterling heights dem she's here someplace where are you at mary stand corrected uh it's from the sterling heights good fellows Ralph because you are a giving and caring person on behalf of the sterling heights good fellows from the kids thank you i believe that that completes all of the presentations and now we're going to a lot uh Ralph um about an hour and a half to respond you know when he first talked about the dinner this evening honoring me as a democrat of the year i thought we were talking about the city of warren and united dems of warren just a small gathering and i took my time today i even said to tom turner because we had a meeting of the a f of l c i o this evening i says tom i can still deliver the minutes leave about six fifteen and get there in time at seven o'clock had no idea when i walked in here tonight that there'd be so many of you that i've known for so many years in my family and i'm happy to see them here this evening i'd like to say something for the educators that one of the reasons my wife is not here she may be here a little earlier or later this evening name is del but she's in class tonight she'll be getting out about nine thirty and i've gone back to school i'm in my senior year toward a bachelor and i want to say that i uh really have an awful lot to say about education in the state my son has gone back to school uh he's going to become uh i forgot the term but working in ultrasound so more and more of us who have missed the opportunity in the earlier years of our life to go to college we have an opportunity now to go because of the new programs that are there and the things that are being done and the support by a governor of this state who believes in education so i just wanted to say that to nancy to Joyce Alon into Judy it's it's beautiful the way the system is working that we keep working together we're going to even do better into the future i just want to let you know that the sneaky people in war and even went out to my secretary in in lansing who's here this evening that really surprised me because i called about three thirty and i easily checked with the office to see if there's any messages and they wouldn't tip me off on where she was and so i said i wonder if she's gold-breaking today i'm gonna have to talk to her tomorrow about it and she walks in here this evening for this you know tribute that the war and Dems have been paying me and i'd like to introduce Eleanor Jones my secretary i'd like to also introduce to you members of my family my daughter lin liberato where's lin lin is on a camera is here this evening she has a degree in mass communication we're trying to do something with television into the future for the Dems of this county and also for the labor movement along with her is a technician um ken reid ken and cindy hoffman from the commission here in sterling heights one of the persons that's helped me a lot over the years it's retired now from chrysa corporation it's my brother charles charles you want to stand up my sister and her husband mr. mrs. hansel lefredi my son david it's always out helping me with that so-called spaghetti but he's getting a little tired of it so it doesn't come around too much david mother two daughters were not able to be with us this evening uh one is in canada the other i think is somewhere's in date in ohio uh with her husband at a conference but i i remember the last time 12 years ago when he had a birthday tribute to me and got me started on all the pots and pans because i saw this yeah i used to always go out and borrow pots and pans from local 160 of the uaw they're the only ones that had them i'd like to say thanks to perry johnson of the uaw tom turner who i work with very close all these years uh been terrific terrific to work with and i appreciate a town the only thing is when we go back to the merger we might separate in the separate counties and i don't like that because i love working with town where's he at okay i'll catch him he went to bathroom see i started something if you think if you think that's funny at the last jefferson jackson day dinner that we had they were looking for the governor and that's where he went is that a bathroom and i haven't eaten tonight but i had a couple of these um rum and coax and they just worked on me over time and i had to go and i said tom i don't care how you tell jokes i'm going but i feel pretty good now you know in the county you've heard a lot of nice things being said about me this evening but now they weren't things that i've done all by myself all of the clubs all of the democrats the work that's going into this i work very close with bob merkel of the uaw nancy white so just there's so many of them that i just can't talk about them all now i'd be here all evening telling you all the contribution that they've made toward the success in this county and when governor blanchard ran last time it's the first time in 20 some years that we ever brought a majority of democrats in macomb county and like the net governor and that's a record let me tell you we're going to keep that record up into the future the clubs i'm going to talk about all the clubs they're really active really doing some work for us out here we have the roseville club the warren democrats we have the sterling heist the north macomb we've been telling me get that spaghetti recipe in our book and i'm going to get it for you and clinton township shelby uh let me see the saint claire shores erison i'm trying to get them all but you know i haven't got all the notes i just want to tell you there are more democrats operating here if we can get that vote out we're going to do a terrific job for mind deal in 1984 it's the first time i ever made notes i usually get up and sit down very quickly because i believe in what you know hubert humphrey said a few years ago when he was running for president the most rallies are 10 percent recreation and 90 percent politics he said i'm going to turn that around and have 90 percent recreation and 10 percent politics and that's what i want to do here this evening i want to stay up here too long but i just want to give recognition to all who have been here in the work that they've done the committee i'd like to say to larry rock up patricia bill carol pesamenti nata gerby joe ambrose marie cost thanks very much for the work that you've done in putting this together this evening let's give him a big hand yonabell carl levin my good friend denis hertel you know he didn't know he was going to run for congress that we had an af of lcow convention and we said that's the favorite candidate and that's when he began to run and he was elected and we've got one heck of a congressman in that area i hope i haven't missed anybody but i believe in that 10 percent speeches and beyond that into recreation again i want to thank the united democrats of warren something i really didn't expect the tribute that they've paid here this evening to me and i just want to say again it's everyone together doing the thing and that's what's going to give us our victory november 1984 thank every one of you i love you very much