The Mayor who Quotes Mae West

Rotarians root for Beverly O'Neill, Who Quotes Mae West:
Long Beach's Mayor talks about her new role to group's members.

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LONG BEACH — She's "the best damned mayor in the whole country," or at least that's what Long Beach Rotarians think of Beverly O'Neill, who spoke to the group aboard the Queen Mary on Wednesday about her new role as head of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Long Beach mayor was installed at a national meeting in Chicago on Tuesday, placing her in charge of a powerful lobbying organization representing more than 1,000 U.S. cities.
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O'Neill will serve for the next year in a post that has been held by New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and both Richard Dalys, Chicago's father and son mayoral dynasty.
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O'Neill became one of Long Beach Rotary's first female members in 1988, soon after the organization began allowing women members.
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She was introduced at the Rotary's weekly luncheon aboard the Queen Mary by Long Beach Rotary Board Vice President Terry Geiling, who called her "the best damned mayor in the whole country."
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O'Neill talked about her prestigious appointment as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
"It's probably the most important organization, other than Rotary, that I've been part of," O'Neill said. "Now I have a new audience for my Mae West jokes."
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O'Neill, who is known for peppering her speeches with quotes from the Hollywood bombshell, offered another famous West one-liner at the packed Rotary meeting, at which she received a standing ovation.
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"I used to be Snow White … but I drifted," O'Neill said, adding, "I was mayor of Long Beach but I have really drifted now."
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O'Neill's appointment has generated a buzz in the community because of the weight the position carries, and many believe it will help to get . . . .
- - excerpt from an article in the Long Beach Press-Telegram - -
By Don Jergler
Staff writer
Article Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Long Beach Press-Telegram
604 Pine Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90844
Los Angeles Newspaper Group
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- - http://MaeWest.blogspot.com - -