Clarke Reed

Clarke Thomas Reed (born 1928) is an American businessman and politician from Greenville, Mississippi, who was from 1966 to 1976 the state chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party.

Reed was instrumental in the nomination of U.S. President Gerald Ford, at the 1976 Republican National Convention held in Kansas City, Missouri. As recalled by Dick Cheney, who was then chief of staff to the president, Reed "was pissed at Reagan and what he'd done picking (U.S. Sen. Richard) Schweiker" as his vice presidential running mate. Schweiker was a liberal Republican from a state whose delegation could be crucial at the convention. "And in the anger of the moment," Cheney said, Reed "committed to Ford."

Reed was the father of writer Julia Evans Reed.

Provided by Wikipedia