[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 19463-19464] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO THE LATE KANSAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN NORBERT DREILING ______ HON. DENNIS MOORE of kansas in the house of representatives Friday, September 2, 2005 Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Norbert Dreiling, of Hays, Kansas, who died on August 1, 2005. Norbert Dreiling will long be remembered in Kansas as one of the fathers of the modem Kansas Democratic Party. As Representative Jerry Moran of Kansas said in his very generous tribute to Norbert Dreiling before the House on July 19, 2004, ``Through years of dedicated service, he breathed life into a struggling Democratic Party and established a lasting two-party system in Kansas.'' Under Chairman Dreiling's leadership, for the first time an incumbent Republican governor of Kansas was defeated by a Democratic challenger, Robert Docking, who was elected governor four times--the most terms ever served by a governor in Kansas. In addition to his extensive service to his community, State and nation, Norbert Dreiling also maintained a successful law practice and was instrumental in promoting the Volga- German heritage of Hays and Ellis County, Kansas. Norbert Dreiling was born April 7, 1925, in Gorham, Kansas, and married Donna Jean Myerly in 1948. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, St. Joseph 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus and 4th Degree Bishop Cunningham Assembly Knights of Columbus, all of Hays. He was a graduate of St. Joseph Military Academy, Fort Hays State University and Washburn University Law School. He was senior partner in the law firm of Dreiling, Bieker and Hoffman, Hays. He was elected and served two terms as Ellis County Attorney, served as Kansas State Democratic Chairman from 1966 to 1974, and led several delegations to the National Democratic Conventions. He was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. He was involved in numerous non-political civic and educational activities. He was a charter member of Hays [[Page 19464]] Kiwanis Club, a charter member of the Volga German Society of Hays, a Fort Hays State University Endowment Association Trustee and the Washburn Law School Board of Governors. He was a member of the Board of Directors of St. Anthony Hospital and Farmers State Bank, both of Hays. He helped establish and create St. Johns Rest Home of Victoria and Hays, serving on the board for many years. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Fort Hays State University. He was honored by TMP-Marian High School in Hays and was the first recipient of the St. Thomas More Friend For All Seasons Award. Survivors include his wife, Donna Jean Dreiling, of the home; two sons, Mark Dreiling, Denver, Colo., and Curt Dreiling, Estes Park, Colo.; two daughters, Jan Schuster, Bradenton, Fla., and Kathy Dreiling, Colorado Springs, Colo; and 10 grandchildren, Kimberly McDaniels, Brian Schuster, Jeffrey Dreiling, Scott Schuster, Jackson Dreiling, Nicholas Dreiling, Krysta Dreiling, Sean Dreiling, Amy Schuster and Sam Talarico. Mr. Speaker, longtime Kansas Democratic Party activist Glenn Staab of Hays, posted a blog on the state party's website on the day of Norbert Dreiling's death that provides a fitting summary of the life and legacy of former Chairman Dreiling. I am reproducing it in the Record here in its entirety, followed by Topeka Capital Journal coverage of his death. Norbert Dreiling passed away today (8-1-05). Norbert was my first political hero. He was very generous with his time when it came to talking politics. I never visited him without taking pen and paper. Some of those notes are over thirty years old. Following is the column I wrote about Norbert that appeared in the Hays Daily News on November 23, 2003. President John Kennedy was assassinated 40 years ago last Saturday. It was my generation's ``moment in history.'' Every generation has a, ``Where were you when . . . ?'' I consider JFK's assassination my first political encounter. It is my first memory of a President, and the tragedy as it unfolded was my first taste of national politics. Since I'm always looking for an excuse to visit with Norbert Dreiling, the infamous anniversary gave me a reason to sit down and speak with him about his relationship with President Kennedy. Norbert Dreiling was the Ellis County Democratic Chair when a Senator from Massachusetts was considering a run for President. He was Democrat, and he was Catholic. The Kennedy people were looking for a ``bell-weather'' county to test the waters. Norbert had already been working with the Kennedy campaign for some period when our heavily Democratic, heavily Catholic county was chosen as that county to host a banquet. The event was sold out and exceeded Kennedy staff's expectations. Kennedy's announcement for President followed soon after. Norbert became very familiar with the inner circle of the Kennedy campaign, family and presidency. After Kennedy was elected, Norbert paid a visit to the newly elected President. Ted Sorensen, a member of the inner council, spread a large map of the United States to show Norbert the states and counties that had voted for JFK. Sorensen said, ``Ellis County was regarded highly by those who were active in this campaign.'' Kennedy's visit was the first Presidential hopeful's visit to Hays since Teddy Roosevelt in 1903. So, to date, three Presidential hopefuls visited Hays in the 1900's and were successful in their electoral bids: Roosevelt in '03; Kennedy in '59; Al Gore in '88 who won in 2000, but was not allowed to serve his term. Norbert was the Kansas Democratic State Chair as Robert Docking was successful in four consecutive two-year terms for Governor; which will never happen again, unless the state constitution is changed. It was during this time that I started reading Norbert Dreiling quotes and taking a real interest in politics. I can remember thinking that I would like to be that clever someday. I'm still waiting. I remember sitting in Norbert's office listening to his campaign stories. No one could tell a story better than he. He could mesmerize an audience with his speeches. Today, he battles against Parkinson's. His speech is halted and almost a whisper, but that hasn't hindered his opinions. His disdain of the current Bush administration is clear. He detests the ``permissive binge'' of big corporations. He adds that those who profess to support the constitution ``give little credit to those who hold the country together.'' When asked about present day politics, he said, ``The politics of this era should reflect the greatness of this country. There is much material wealth that could be available to assure that good could be done--especially for the poor and the disabled and here we are in another war. One asks if we did learn anything from Vietnam? The Balkans?'' To this day, Norbert is sought out for political advice. Patrick Murray was hired as the Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party last spring. The twenty-four-year-old Maryland Democrat was given instructions by state officials to visit with Norbert for his opinions and history of Kansas politics. Murray said of his visit, ``You can't plan for the future if you don't understand the past. The insight that Mr. Dreiling gave me on state and national politics was beyond measure.'' I asked Norbert for examples of people that give him credit for their political involvement. He said, ``A lot of people say a lot of nice things.'' When asked about family coming home for the holidays, he related that all his kids were coming home. It was a chance for us to agree on something besides politics. I told him to say ``Hi'' to his daughter Kathy, relating to him that she is still the best ``Dolly'' I've ever seen. He told me that although her lead performance as a junior at Hays High School in ``Hello Dolly'' was over two decades ago, people still stop him and tell him the same thing I did. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for family and friends, but I am also thankful for Norbert Dreiling and his influence in my love of politics. Our community owes much to Norbert Dreiling. He has been generous in countless ways. And one afternoon in November 1959, he brought a touch of Camelot to Hays.--Glenn Staab ____ [The Topeka Capital-Journal, Aug. 3, 2005] (By Chris Moon) Docking Campaigner Dies at 80 Norbert Dreiling, the western Kansas lawyer credited with ``making it acceptable to be a Democrat in Kansas,'' died Monday. He was 80. In the 1960s and 1970s, Dreiling led Democrat Robert Docking to an unprecedented four straight general election wins, earning admiration from Democrats and Republicans alike. Topeka lawyer Larry Tenopir, a longtime Democratic Party leader in Kansas, said Dreiling turned the fortunes of the Kansas Democratic Party during the Docking years--``just by making it acceptable to be a Democrat in Kansas.'' ``Winning had a lot to do with that,'' he said. Dreiling started his law practice in Hays in 1949 and also began volunteering as a Democratic precinct committeeman. That eventually led him into the heart of statewide politics in the late 1960s. But before and after that--his close colleagues chime in-- Dreiling was a lawyer. ``Norb Dreiling was the best lawyer I ever met,'' said Dennis Bieker, who has worked as a partner in Dreiling's Hays law firm since 1966. He said Dreiling had a way of communicating the most complex schemes in simple terms that jurors could understand--a skill he transferred to the political realm when he served as state party chairman from 1966 to 1974. ``He understood the basics of politics, which is communication 101,'' said Tenopir, who was a leader of the Young Democrats at the time. He recalled 6-inch-tall stickers used in a Docking campaign, which read ``Docking Stands for You'' and showed the governor standing up. In a speech last year before Congress, Republican U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran--also from Dreiling's hometown of Hays--called the Democratic activist ``the father of Democratic politics in the state of Kansas.'' Moran on Tuesday credited Dreiling for his work in the community, helping the local hospital, Catholic school and Fort Hays State University. ``He was the go-to guy for fundraising,'' Moran said. ``He's the epitome of a small town community leader, a lawyer, who wants to make a difference in his community.''