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This is Jenna Barry at the Medford Public Library in Medford, Massachusetts on December 5, 2024 here with former Mayor Michael McGlynn to talk about his decision to run for office. For me It would It it was easy because your parents are your greatest role models. And

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one day I came home from school. Um, I was 8 or 9, and My father said to me, how would you like to go and meet President Kennedy tonight? I said, yeah, yeah, I think I was so we went into the statehouse. President Kennedy was coming

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in to say goodbye to Massachusetts as he was headed to Washington to be sworn in. It was July 9, 1961. And my uncle Mike, who I spoke about, um, was a sitting state rep at the same time my father was. But Uncle Mike had a seat

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right on the end of the row with a main. Aisle in the House of Representatives is. So we get in there early, and Uncle Mike stuffed me under the. Desk Secret Service came in and cleaned out the room and they let everyone back in. Then they

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sergeant Ash comes out, Mr. Speaker, the president-elect of the United States, Kennedy, and he comes down the aisle. Everybody's cheering, going wild and He sees a little kid. He stops and how old are you? Say hello. Uh, uh, at the time, uh, see, it was January,

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so I was only 8. I was 8. Um, And then he went up and he gave his speech and then after that, It was like. Lights flashing, uh, all the people saying, hey, what did he say? What did you say? What did he say to you?

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And um I didn't say much and how can you hear anything with everything that's going on? Um, and then I got home that night. We didn't get home till maybe 10:30. I walked in the kitchen. I said to my father, I said, Dad. I want to

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be the mayor of Medford. So he was the mayor of Medford at that time. And he says, OK, good, go to bed, we'll talk about it in the morning. So from that point on. I knew The one job I just want to run for. Was Mayor

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Medford. And When I get back in like for the next 3 weeks, all I heard if you went down to Mikeellariani store corner Honeywell Ave or you went to Georgias store on the corner of Carolina was want to shake the hand and shook the hand of

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the President of the United States. I heard that over and over and over and get stuff, but I kind of liked it. Yeah and um. Yeah, it was, it goes back to that. And when I got elected mayor. Every, uh, what do they call it, guest

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speaker day, I went to the 2nd grade at the Brooks. And I spoke, and after I give him a little history. I would say, let me ask you a question. How many here wanna be firefighters? They're here to go up and I'd say, your father a

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firefighter? I said, yeah, how many you want to be a police officer? Mother or father police officer? Yes. Because they're our greatest role models, and I had two great ones. Um, How old were you when you became mayor? Uh, when I was mayor. 33 or 34.

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I got elected to the state legislature my senior year in college. And uh I, I was at UMass Boston. I used to go to school from 8 to 12 and then I work from 12 to 7:30. And I want to run a term before that. And

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my father said, um, no, you are not getting married until you have a job, and you are not run of the office till you graduate from college. So I said, all right, that's a deal. So my senior year. Uh, won the election in November, got engaged

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in December and married in May. My wife and I were going out for 10 years at that time. Anyways, the girl next door. Yeah. Sheila, Sheila Hampkin. Um So we're talking about, so you became a state representative and then what was that was you were 22?

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I became a state representative. The election was in November, so 23, 23. So then 10 years later you were you a state representative for those 10 years before you became 11.5. OK. So for like two months I was both and then I resigned from the the

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legislature. Um, But If you're in there and you didn't get, you need to get things done, don't walk away till you get them done. Because you no longer a member. So it's important. So I, I, I, I think I resigned end of February. From the legislature.

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That must have been helpful as mayor to really understand how state government works and to know so many people within it. Helped tremendously. I I tell everybody the greatest training ground. Uh, that I've ever seen is the Massachusetts legislature. People try to push you, pull you

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by you. I mean, it's, it's unbelievable. They, there are certain groups that think they can do just whatever they want to do. Um, and that's why I talk when I talk about my dad and a, a, a great role model. Um, he used to tell all

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of us because he saw stuff going on and stuff like that. I saw later going on. It's um. Never take a nickel from anybody. Never take bread out of anyone's mouth. And that's why, you know, during my term as mayor. If Somebody had a challenge in

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life, an issue they had to deal with. Somebody did something foolish that they shouldn't have done. I'd bring them in. I'd talk to them. I'd try to get him some help. And This is your one chance. You be honest with me on everything. I'll be honest

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with you. I'll help you. And they turn into your best employees. Yeah. So you were married for 28 years? 28, yeah. So I, a total of 40 years. And um Then it was time, my daughters were getting older. Um, My my wife put up with a

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lot for 40 years in, in, in government. And if if I was out on the plows, she'd take the calls at home and some people at that uh professional on the phone during a snow snowstorm. But uh I said it's time. Yeah, it's a long time.

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Yeah.