[Arkinsaw]

Can anything good come out of the Rockefeller family?

His father, Winthrop Rockefeller, was a hero both in war, and in public service. Without Winthrop Rockefeller, there would be no Republican Party in Arkansas. He moved to Arkansas to make his own life away from the family.

Not only did he create a real Republican Party here, he forced the Democrats to reform their party somewhat and his era saw the end of the old-time brutal Democratic Machine.

Rockefeller faced a Democratic machine that held overwhelming majorities in both houses and attacked him in every way possible, including personally. When he came into office he was a big powerful man and when he left he was broken.

He did much to modernize the state, he quietly oversaw the completion of the integration of the schools that had been an embarassment under the Democratic Faubus junta. He modernized the prison system and ended many abuses there.

Can anything good come out of the Rockefeller family? Well, a hero did here in Arkansas.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Not to mention what Winthrop, Sr. did to drastically improve race relations in the state. It was he and NOT the Democrats in the state that did that. The 'Rats were electing and nominating segregationist racists well into the '70s.

[joey'smom]

If only he hadn't smashed up all those slot machines -- what a party pooper!