Chuck Ruhr, owner of a Minneapolis ad agency, reflects on the Aug. 13, 1973 Time magazine promoting the state. The issue included a cover shot ("The good life in Minnesota") and six-page spread to Minnesota ("A state that works").
Ruhr shares a fun anecdote that the fish being held by Governor Anderson on cover was a northern pike…not the “state fish” walleye that locals would have expected.
SPEAKER 1: I think that was really the beginning of much of the good publicity that Minnesota has had. Up until that time, I think Minnesota was what's referred to sometimes as a flyover state, but I think that really started to launch Minnesota into the national spotlight. It was really the kickoff for that, I think.
SPEAKER 2: Not to make fun of it, but it was an unusual picture. How did that come about?
SPEAKER 1: Well, they wanted something typical Minnesota and what's more typical than fishing in Minnesota. And a governor fishing in a plaid shirt out in the outdoors was the ultimate Minnesota statement. And that's what they got.
SPEAKER 2: And people responded positively, I suppose, around the country.
SPEAKER 1: Oh, I think so, both locally and nationally, just was instant recognition. And one little sidelight on that I thought was fun and interesting was-- one of the small criticisms from some of the purists came was that the fish that the governor was holding up was a northern, and the real fish in Minnesota, for those who know, is supposed to be the walleye. So that raised a little comment locally, but was fun.
SPEAKER 2: Now, did the Governor Anderson actually catch the fish himself, or was he--
SPEAKER 1: Well, I don't know that. And I guess if I did, I wouldn't say anyway.
SPEAKER 2: Do we know what happened to the fish?
SPEAKER 1: No, I don't. No I don't. I suppose it was filleted someplace, but there was talk at the time that he did not catch the fish. But I don't really remember that.
SPEAKER 2: Rampant scandal.
SPEAKER 1: Right. All by today's standards.
SPEAKER 2: Right. What did this do for Governor Anderson's political career? As I recall, wasn't it about that time that he started getting mentioned as maybe a future presidential candidate, that sort of thing?
SPEAKER 1: Oh, sure. That was following the election, if you recall at that time, that he came out of really nowhere to win that election and won it big. And so that gathered some attention for him. And then not long after that, the Time Magazine article came out, and that was imaginal exposure. And he was mentioned all over at that time as possible vice president, Senate, anything that was up and forward, he was mentioned for at that time.
SPEAKER 2: You think that would still have that kind of impact today if say, Arne Carlson were to appear on the cover of Time Magazine with a fish?
SPEAKER 1: Well, I'm sure it would help whoever was able to do that, but, one, I don't think it would be quite as possible today. And, two, I think it would be greeted a little more cynical than it was at that time. At that time, there was other than the little walleye comments, the reaction was just a universal pride in Minnesota from Democrats, Republicans, independents that saying, hey, that's our state. And you could just tell all over the state that people were just very proud to have Minnesota, not so much the governor, but to have Minnesota represented on the cover.
And if you remember that article, it was not really about the governor, although it was somewhat about that. It was really about the State of Minnesota. And as I remember, the main theme was a state that works in government, works in business, social systems that work. And so people were very proud of it. And today, I think people might be a little more reserved or might have a little more cynical view toward that.
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