Joseph Patrick Teasdale (born March 29, 1936) is an American politician. He served as the 48th Governor of Missouri from 1977 to 1981. He is member of the Democratic Party.
Teasdale was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Rockhurst High School, attended St. Benedict's College and earned an undergraduate degree from Rockhurst University, and a law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law.
Teasdale is in the Rockhurst High School Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his standout multi-sport athletic career in high school. He is married to the former Theresa Ferkenhoff, and has three sons, Bill, John, and Kevin. His middle son, John, was a offensive tackle at the University of Notre Dame.
From 1962 to 1966, he served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. From 1966 to 1972, he served as Prosecuting Attorney for Jackson County, Missouri and was the youngest person to hold that post. Teasdale was defeated in the 1972 Democratic gubernatorial primary. In the 1976 election, Teasdale captured his party's nomination and, in a surprising upset, defeated incumbent Kit Bond in the general election. During his gubernatorial campaign, Teasdale traversed the state of Missouri on foot, earning the nickname "Walkin' Joe Teasdale." It is thought that Teasdale appropriated the device from Florida Governor "Walkin' Lawton Chiles."
Four years later, he fended off a primary election challenge from then-State Treasurer Jim Spainhower, but was defeated in the 1980 general election in a rematch with Bond.
Following his tenure as Governor, he moved back to Kansas City, where he is a private attorney.
Famous quotes containing the words joseph and/or teasdale:
“If you tie a horse to a stake, do you expect he will grow fat? If you pen an Indian up on a small spot of earth, and compel him to stay there, he will not be contented, nor will he grow and prosper. I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They can not tell me.”
—Chief Joseph (c. 1840–1904)
“The park is filled with night and fog,
The veils are drawn about the world,”
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