This Day in Norwood History-January 11, 1962-Clement Riley Announces Run For Governor

It was Riley for Governor night Thursday at Holiday Haven with some 700 political leaders, town officials, friends, and fellow townsmen gathered to honor native-born Registrar of Motor Vehicles Clement A. Riley, who announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Representatives of the press, radio, and TV were on hand and a Cape Cod radio station broadcast the entire proceedings at the testimonial banquet.

Other receptions will take place at Worcester, Spring- field, Lowell, Hyannis, Kingston, and Cambridge, and plans are being formulated for similar testimonials at other localities for Democratic Town Committee members and grassroots workers.

Riley pledged a program emphasizing what is right in Massachusetts.

“Unified action at the top level of government is the greatest and paramount need of the State of Massachusetts,” he said, observing that “we cannot get together and get things done unless we have unified action and cooperation between the governor’s office and the legislature.

‘‘This simply means we must have a Democratic governor who can get along with a predominantly Democratic legislature,” said the Registrar.

He advocated repeal of the compulsory automobile Insurance law and expressed belief in the importance of developing the Boston waterfront, the need for expanding shipbuilding facilities, complete transportation system overhaul, a community college program, a State medical school, additional facilities for sick and aged, government-sponsored civil defense shelters and expanded services for retarded children.

“Only a Democratic governor will have the courage and the vision to make these beliefs a reality,” said Registrar Riley, adding, “with your support I want to be that governor in 1962.”

Solid achievement is the only measure of a good governor whether he be a Democrat or a Republican, said Registrar Riley, adding, “My medical and educational programs would be far more thanpress statements. They would be processed and passed with the cooperation of a Democratic legislature. They would emphasize, by action, that the Bay State is still the medical and educational center of the world.”

Rt. Rev. Christopher Griffin, formerly a Norwood curate and now pastor of Our Lady of the Railways Chapel at South Station and chaplain of the Senate, gave the invocation.

Speakers included Joseph Dineen, political editor for the Boston Globe; Robert Capas- so of Norwood, administrative assistant to the Registrar; and Sheriff Howard Fitzpatrick of Middlesex County.

Others who spoke on behalf of the new candidate were Boston City Councillor Peter Hines; Dr. Thomas O’Leary of Stoughton; Jim Jensen of T.V.; and committee supporters Jim Athy of Worcester; Selectman Bill White of Mil- ton and T.V Sports announcer Bill Coleman.

Gail Riley sang two selections at her father’s announcement banquet. Atty. Dennis P. O’Leary of Norwood is Chairman of the Citizen’s Committee of Norfolk County which sponsored the affair.

Chairman Robert Browning of the Norwood Democratic Town Committee stated that delegates to the convention have not been nominated, but the committee has pledged support of Registrar Riley for the Democratic nomination for governor.