Bob Graham, Former Florida Governor and Senator, Dies at 87
After the 9/11 attacks, Mr. Graham became an outspoken critic of President George W. Bush’s response and voted against invading Iraq.
Bob Graham, a former Florida Governor and Senator, passed away at the age of 87.
He was a Florida Democrat who gained political traction through a clever populist strategy of working in various entry-level jobs to bond with his constituents. This strategy, known as "Workdays," helped him rise to the governorship, the United States Senate, and even run for the presidency.
Mr. Graham served as governor from 1979 to 1987 and as a senator from 1987 to 2005. He also made a bid for the White House in 2003.
Throughout his career, Mr. Graham was known for his steady leadership and focus on progress. He implemented educational reforms, economic programs, and environmental policies that earned him high approval ratings.
As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee during and after the 9/11 attacks, he became a vocal critic of President George W. Bush's response and voted against the invasion of Iraq. Mr. Graham led a joint congressional investigation into 9/11, which found no evidence of ties between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, nor the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
After retiring from politics, he taught at Harvard and established the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. He also authored books on government and national security. Mr. Graham's survivors include his four daughters, including Gwen Graham, who served as a U.S. representative from Florida and later became an assistant secretary of education in the Biden administration.