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Saturday, July 11, 2009
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Being governor is hard work
Staff Writer Just call him Gov. David Liedl.
The Pequot Lakes High School senior recently was elected governor of Minnesota Boys State, a summer leadership and citizenship program for students between their junior and senior years sponsored by the American Legion.
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Pequot Lakes High School student David Liedl put the finishing touches on a burger he made at Culver's in Baxter. Liedl, who recently was elected governor at Minnesota Boys State, spoke about his work experience in his campaign speeches. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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The Boys State convention took place June 14-20 at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. It's an opportunity for students to have firsthand experience in politics and to learn what it takes to become government leaders. The teenage boys run for political office, elect city, county and state officials and come up with bills to attempt to pass in the House, Senate and by the governor. A similar convention, Minnesota Girls State, is hosted for teenage girls.
Liedl's older brothers, Christopher, Jonathan and William, all had attended Boys State and had positive things to say about the experience so he decided to apply for the program. He was sponsored by American Legion Post No. 500 in Crosslake.
There were 385 students who attended Boys State. Liedl ran for mayor of his fictional city of "St. Peter," one of 14 cities at Boys State, and was elected. From there he was elected his county convention chairman for his political party - the Nationalists. The teens are split randomly into two parties, the Nationalists and Federalists. Each county nominates a gubernatorial candidate and Liedl was selected from his county and gave a speech at the Nationalists convention. He was then selected as the Nationalist candidate for governor and went about the exhausting task of running for office.
"I was so tired it was hard to think sometimes," said Liedl. "We were getting up at 6 a.m. and going to bed at midnight and 1 a.m. It was one of those things where you're a gubernatorial candidate and you've got to smile and shake people's hands, even if you're tired and don't want to do it."
Liedl and his campaign staffers went from dorm to dorm, along with an accordion player, the night before the election, getting to know his constituents and asking for their votes.
"I like to think I'm an approachable and friendly guy and I tried to meet everyone and find out where they're from," said Liedl. "I tried to be genuine and I think people want to vote for someone who is genuine."
Liedl gave a campaign speech and spoke about how his experience working at his parents Mark and Bea Liedl's restaurant, Culver's in Baxter, gave him a strong work ethic. He usually works long hours at the restaurant, as have his parents. This is his sixth summer working there.
"After a long day my dad always told me, 'Son, remember we're not in the food business, we're in the hospitality business,'" Liedl said. "'You can get service out of a vending machine but hospitality makes people come back.' I incorporated that into my political standpoint. (Politicians) should do whatever it takes to satisfy the voters that they serve."
Election night was June 18 but it wasn't learned until the next morning that Liedl had been elected governor.
"It was really exciting," said Liedl.
As governor, Liedl vetoed three bills that passed the House and Senate but all of them were overridden.
"They were enjoying doing that," Liedl said with a laugh. "It wasn't like in real life, it was a more laid back and friendly atmosphere."
Liedl will represent the Boys State program at the annual Department Convention as a youth champion, at the American Legion Department Convention July 16-18 in Mahnomen. In addition to being selected as governor, Liedl was selected as the first alternate to Boys Nation and received the Lee Krough award which is a $250 scholarship in addition to his scholarship for the 2009 governor.
Next year Liedl will return to Boys State as governor and introduce guest lawmakers and perform other duties until a new governor is elected.
"I think I gained a new respect for the American Legion," Liedl said of his Boys State experience. "I think in everyday life you forget what (veterans) did for us. They fought for us and died for us, but they also gave us this experience. It really was a life-changing experience - the people I met, the confidence it gave me and the firsthand experience in the political world. I feel like a better informed voter."
This year Liedl will serve as senior class president and vice president of the PLHS student council. He is hoping to attend the University of Notre Dame and major in pre-med to become a pediatrician but he said at some point he would like to go into politics.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
As governor, Liedl vetoed three bills that passed the House and
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