Emphasis Preaching Journal

Soapy Williams, the governor of Michigan from 1948-1960, was the sole delegate at the 1960 Democratic convention who opposed the nomination of Lyndon Johnson as vice president on the basis of Johnson's lack of standing for racial rights. His biographer, Thomas Noer, writes: "Williams never hesitated or wavered in his convictions or in the belief that he was right. It was his greatest strength but also his most telling political weakness." Williams said about himself, "I think I'm more a John the Baptist than a disciple.