Mark Shriver's new book A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver chronicles the life of Sargent Shriver and attempts to figure out "what it mean[s] to be good."
"There are a lot of great people in Washington, so called great people, men and women, but when the lights go off, they’re not good to the camera crew or to the waitresses at the restaurant," Shriver said in a PRESS Pass interview with David. "Dad was different; he was good, the same to everyone, whether you were the president of the United States or the guy at the gas station."
Sargent Shriver fought a long battle with Alzheimer's that he lost in January of 2011. Mark called the disease, "devastating financially and emotionally," and argued that "as a country, we don't spend enough money trying to find a cure for it."
Mark's father had an impressive career that ranged from U.S. Ambassador to France, to founder of the Peace Corps, to heading up the Special Olympics. However, Mark says that through all that, he remained a man driven by his family and his faith.
"Many politicians or political leaders are using now, faith to separate us, to divide us," but Mark Shriver said his father was different, "He really believed that if you were interested in feeding the poor, clothing the naked that that was, he wanted to work with you."
Watch the entire interview with Mark Shriver above to hear more about his father, including his unique way of showing his love through writing letters to his family.
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First time I have gone to Press Pass. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL FIRST!! Thanks for
sharing, Mark Shriver! Many years ago, the late sixties,your Dad took the time and effort to
attend a funeral of a young woman, dear friend of mine, in Springfield, Vermont. I guess that act
was just another example of the generous spirit he was.
My First Time in Press Pass! WHAT A FIRST! Thank you Mark Shriver! In the late sixties,your Dad flew up to southern VT to attend the funeral mass of a young woman who was a dear friend of mine. Wow, we surely did think that was so nice! Seems it was just another example of the GENEROUS ENRICHING SPIRIT that was YOUR DAD! Thank you for sharing.
I am also a first time Press Pass reader and contributor. I really appreciate the opportunity to view the additional interview footage.
However, I am troubled by Mark Shriver's failure (and an unfortunate Kennedy family tradition) to credit Hubert Humphrey for the senator/Vice-President's role in establishing the Peace Corps.
Further, I have not followed the work of Save the Children since becoming disillusioned with it following the 1998 scandal, uncovered by the Chicago Tribune, involving the organization. I realize the scandal was before Mark's time and hope that under Shriver's aegis the organization has been restored to the condition its generous donors expect (though any "my way or the highway" aid delivered only with evangelical strings attached has always bothered me).
I was lucky enough to meet Sargent Shriver during a family vacation in Washington, D.C. back when I was a teenager. During a stop at the Senate Office Buildings, family members split up to pursue varying interests.
The agreement was that I would meet my dad by the SOBs elevators at the appointed hour. Like clockwork, Dad arrived at the elevators to find me amiably chatting with a stranger, a stranger to my dad, anyway.
Kennedy-family fan that I was, I was mortified when Dad said, "Stacy, time to go," effectively ignoring Sargent Shriver. "Dad, don't you know who this is?," I wailed.
Without skipping a beat, Sarge grinned with amusement as Dad briefly pondered the question. As Dad came up empty, Shriver joked, "Yeah, Dad, don't you know who I am?"
Stacy Harris
Publisher/Executive Editor/Media Critic
Stacy's Music Row Report
I'M THE WINNER OF THE '2011' SARGENT SHRIVER ACHIVEMENT AWARD'
Henry Williams - Sargent Shriver Acheivement Award - YouTube
► 12:19► 12:19
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnt4PwhkNrcSep 14, 2011 - 12 min - Uploaded by SEKCAP
Henry Williams, of Independence, Kansas received the 2011 Sargent Shriver Achievement award, presented ...
Henry Williams - Sargent Shriver Acheivement Award - YouTube
► 12:19► 12:19
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnt4PwhkNrcSep 14, 2011 - 12 min - Uploaded by SEKCAP
Henry Williams, of Independence, Kansas received the 2011 Sargent Shriver Achievement award, presented ...
Henry Williams - Sargent Shriver Acheivement Award - YouTube
► 12:19► 12:19
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnt4PwhkNrcSep 14, 2011 - 12 min - Uploaded by SEKCAP
Henry Williams, of Independence, Kansas received the 2011 Sargent Shriver Achievement award, presented ...