Raymond Flynn
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| Ray Flynn | |
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Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts
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| In office 1984 – 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Kevin H. White |
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| Succeeded by | Thomas M. Menino |
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| Born | July 22, 1939 Hyde Park, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Democratic |
Raymond Leo Flynn (born July 22, 1939), also known as Ray Flynn, was elected Mayor of Boston (1984-1993), appointed American ambassador to the Vatican (1993 - 1997) by President Bill Clinton.
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[edit] Early life
Before entering politics, Flynn was an All-American basketball player at Providence College, was selected Most Valuable Player in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) during his senior year, and was the last player cut from the then-World Champion Boston Celtics.
[edit] Political career
Flynn began his political career as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1971 to 1979, representing the South Boston neighborhood during the turbulent busing crisis of the early 1970s. He later served on the Boston City Council from 1978 to 1984, before successfully running for mayor. He was reelected in 1988 and 1992. He resigned in the middle of his third term when he was appointed by President Clinton to be American ambassador to the Vatican.
Flynn is a life-long Democrat, he is a pro-life activist and endorsed President Bush in the 2000 presidential election. He was instrumental in drawing the pro-life, Catholic vote to pro-choice Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas in his 1992 bid for the White House against candidacy for re-election of the pro-life George H.W. Bush. This was done by his strong endorsement for Bill Clinton and his policies during extensive travel throughout the country on Raymond Flynn's part in behalf of Bill Clinton.
Following his service as ambassador, Flynn ran unsuccessfully in the 8th Congressional District seat that was being vacated by Joseph P. Kennedy II in 1998.
[edit] Private Life
In 1999, Flynn became president of Catholic Alliance, a national lay Catholic political advocacy organization.[1] In this role, while remaining a Democrat, he and Catholic Alliance endorsed George W. Bush for president in 2000 over Al Gore.[2] He became president of another lay Catholic political advocacy organization, Your Catholic Voice. Flynn left this group to start Catholic Citizenship in 2004, where in 2007, he is its National Chairman.[3]
In 2007, he was named Grand Marshall of the 246th consecutive New York St. Patrick's Day Parade.[3]
[edit] Trivia
Flynn played himself in the Cheers episode "The Stork Brings the Crane". In the episode Flynn has his entourage take away Cliff Clavin, who writes Flynn once a week.
He has run 18 times in the New York City Marathon.[1]
[edit] Bibliography
Flynn is the co-author of two books:
- Ray Flynn, Robin Moore. The Accidental Pope: A Novel. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312282982.
- Ray Flynn, Robin Moore, James Vrabel (2002). John Paul II: A Personal Portrait of the Pope and the Man. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312283288.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=18211
- ^ http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/slipsky/?id=95000579
- ^ a b http://www.catholicvote.com/Documents/FlynnBio.pdf
| Preceded by Thomas Patrick Melady |
US Ambassador to the Holy See 1993-1997 |
Succeeded by Corinne Claiborne Boggs |
| Preceded by Kevin White |
Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts 1984 - 1993 |
Succeeded by Thomas Menino |
