Murphy's Law Hits Home for Tommy

(For our younger readers (still time to sign up for DP2008, kids! You don't even have to ask your parents permission!), Murphy's law states that "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.")

Tom Murphy may not be the man behind Murphy's Law, but for a good part of his life he oversaw many more laws... that's right, United States laws!

Former Georgia House Speaker Tom Murphy, a cigar-chomping country lawyer who towered over state politics when Democrats were at their zenith, died at 10 p.m. Monday, nearly four years after a stroke left him incapacitated. He was 83. A cantankerous character in a white Stetson, Murphy detested seat belts and Republicans with equal zeal. Most people addressed him simply as "Mr. Speaker," and in his record run as House leader he often wielded more power than the governors he served.

"While the family of Speaker Murphy has suffered the greatest loss, all Georgians have lost a true friend and a great political leader," [current House Speaker Glenn] Richardson said. "The stresses and responsibilities the job of speaker creates are too many to be counted, and yet, Speaker Murphy handled it all with dignity and distinction for 28 years."

Not mentioned in the article: Whether or not Murphy used to go around Georgia humming, "Speaker of the House. Doling out the charm. Ready with a handshake and an open palm..."

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]