Tom McCall

Thomas Lawson McCall (March 22, 1913 – January 8, 1983) was an American politician, a Republican, and the thirtieth governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975.

Political career

McCall made his first run for office in 1954, winning the Republican nomination for Oregon's Third Congressional District seat. He lost in the general election to Edith Green, who went on to hold the seat for the next two decades.

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In 1958, when Mark Hatfield was elected governor of Oregon, he vacated the position of Secretary of State. McCall thought Hatfield had promised to appoint him to the unexpired portion of the term, but the job went to Hatfield associate Howell Appling instead. When Appling chose not to run for re-election in 1964, McCall sought and won the job. He was elected governor in 1966 and re-elected in 1970.

Related Topics:
1958 - Mark Hatfield - Howell Appling - 1964 - 1966 - 1970

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While his activity on behalf of Oregon's environment brought nationwide attention to his state, McCall brought a measure of both common sense and imagination to his office.

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Vortex I

In 1970, McCall was faced with a potential riot in Portland. In May of that year, a week-long student protest at Portland State University over the Kent State shootings had ended with charges of excessive police violence. The American Legion had scheduled a convention in Portland later that summer; local antiwar groups were organizing a series of demonstrations at the same time under the name of the "People's Army Jamboree", and expected to draw 50,000 protesters.

Related Topics:
1970 - Portland State University - Kent State shootings - American Legion

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After vain attempts to convince the People's Army Jamboree to either not carry out their plans or to move the date, McCall decided to hold a rock festival at Milo McIver State Park near Estacada, Oregon called "Vortex I: A Biodegradable Festival of Life", in imitation of the famous Woodstock Festival held the previous year.

Related Topics:
Rock festival - Milo McIver State Park - Estacada, Oregon - Woodstock Festival

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"I think I just committed political suicide," McCall is reported to have remarked immediately after approving the event. Vortex was the first and so-far only state-sponsored rock festival in US history.

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The festival was a success, attracting between 50,000 and 100,000 people. The feared violent clash between the antiwar groups and the conservative American Legion was avoided, and the city of Portland passed the summer relatively uneventfully. And in the general election that November, McCall was returned to office with 56% of the vote.

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