David F Cargo

Governor David F. Cargo

Died July 5, 2013

84 Years Old

David F. Cargo, New Mexico’s Governor from January 1, 1967 to January 1, 1971 was quite a guy.

He was the first chief executive of our state to occupy the office in the new roundhouse.  Oh, Governor Campbell was there for a few weeks/days in the waning days of his term – but Cargo was the one to take the big chair in the big office.

And, when he left the office and the Governor’s Mansion, his successor, Bruce King, complained that all he left behind was “this woodpecker” – a wooden carving of a roadrunner.  King also said Cargo took off with the piano from the mansion.  The piano later showed up, according to reports.

Covering Cargo, as I did while reporting for KOAT’s Big Seven News, proved to be a life changing experience.  Thanks to Dave Cargo I got to ride around in a limousine, and got to hitch a ride in a Gulfstream Jet owned by Pennzoil when he dallied in international relations with the Canadian government over the price of potash. Pennzoil at the time, I think, owned some potash production facilities near Carlsbad - and Canadian potash was flooding the marketplace – so Pennzoil asked Lonesome Dave to intervene – and he did.  It all ended up in some federal case that has long since gone away.   I remember 2 things about that trip, we had a bloody mary in our hands before the plane rose over Espanola, and the Mounties met us – red carpet & all – when we arrived in Regina, Saskatchewan.

David Cargo knew how to promote – and he was good at it.  He’s the kingpin of the movie industry production in New Mexico, even today. One trip to Chama with Cargo resulted in my riding in the limousine.  On the way back to Santa Fe, “Red” Pack, who was the State Police driver (they didn’t call them security in those days) and the Governor and I got a little hungry.  Low and behold, I had managed to stick a few Hershey bars in my pocket upon departure from Chama.  Cargo and I laughed about that many times.

David Cargo was one-of-a-kind.  He intervened in world politics again when he visited North Korea and “befriended” the Dear Leader.  And he had the pleasure of being chief executive during two of our states’ most notorious events – the raid on the Rio Arriba court house and National Guard intervention in riots at UNM during the height of the Vietnam War protests.

Through it all, as a reporter, I loved Dave Cargo – he was always ready to talk – and when he talked, he said something quotable.  He was a dream come true for a political reporter.   In today’s world he would be one of the regulars on cable TV political shows, I have no doubt.

Politics hasn’t been the same since Dave Cargo and Bruce King left the scene – and sadly it will never be the same.  In their own way they knew how to make deals and get along – something a lot of our politicians today should learn.

Enjoy your rest, Gov – you’ve left a legacy in your interest and concern for the people of New Mexico.  I just hope they appreciate it as much as I do.

Have a Heineken, Gov – you deserve it.

God’s Speed!

Oh, and the autograph on the picture sounds just like David F. Cargo, Governor  "To a great newsman, Rodger Beimer"