Mark Warner Biographical Notes

Democracy in Action: What is your first political memory, going way back when you were a wee lad?

Former Governor Mark Warner: I was living in Indiana and the Birch Bayh for Senate jingle, and it was like "send him to Washington, he's Indiana's favorite son, his first name is Birch and his last name is Bayh..." I'm butchering the song but that was the Birch Bayh theme song.

Which year would that have been?

Warner: 1960. I was six or five and a half, and of course when I was at that point my family was Republican and we would fight with our cousins who were Democrats, and I remember the family Nixon-Kennedy battles. I've got to say we were, our family was more for Nixon, but by '68 I think I had changed.

Were your parents politically active?

Warner: They weren't that active. My dad got active in politics after I graduated as a Republican. He'd serve on the local Republican town committee.

When you were growing up?

Warner: More after...when I was in college. I think all the battles at the dinner table during high school made him more political.