Every year, Missouri Boys State brings a distinguished list of speakers to share with the citizens. Many of the elected officials of Missouri attend to include the Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and U.S. Senators and Representatives. We also have other professionals, atheletes, and community service or military leaders. There is usually a question and answer period that Boys State citizens have become know for their thoughtful and insightful questions.
In addition, we present special recognition to one speaker each year. The George W. Lehr Memorial Speakers Chair was established in 1988 as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Missouri Boys State program. The Lehr Chair was created to honor the late Missouri State Auditor George W. Lehr, who was a Boys State participant in his youth and a tireless supporter of Missouri Boys State during his public life. The Lehr Chair was designed to assist the Boys State program in bringing the finest names in public service to the yearly Boys State session to interact with its participants.
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2013 - Bob Woodward
JOURNALIST
AND AUTHOR
see other scheduled speakers for this year |
Past Lehr Chair speakers include: |
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2012 - James Carville
MEDIA PERSONALITY AND POLITICAL ICON
see other scheduled speakers for this year |
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2011 - John C. Danforth
FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AND MISSOURI SENATOR
see other scheduled speakers for this year |
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2010 - John Bolton
FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
see other speakers from this year |
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2009 - Richard Armitage
Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
see other speakers from this year |
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2008 - Mike Huckabee
Presedential Candidate, former Governor of Arkansas
see other speakers from this year |
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2007 - Wesley Clark
Former Presidential Candidate and U.S. Army General
see other speakers from this year |
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2006 - John Ashcroft
Former U.S. Attorney General and Governor of Missouri
see other speakers from this year |
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2005 - Paul Begala
CNN Political Commentator and Author
see other speakers from this year |
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2004 - J.C. Watts
Former U.S. Representative and College Football Star
see other speakers from this year |
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2003 - Mike Peters
Syndicated Political Cartoonist and Creator of Mother Goose and Grimm comic strip
see other speakers from this year |
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2002 - Bill Bradley
Former Presidential Candidate and Former U.S. Senator
see other speakers from this year |
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2001 - William S. Cohen
Former Secretary of Defense |
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2000 - Lisa Myers
National Correspondent for NBC News - Washington |
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1999 - Rev. Emmanuel Cleaver
Minister and Former Mayor of Kansas City |
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1998 - David R. Gergen
Former U.S. Presidential Advisor |
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1997 - William J. Perry
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense |
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1996 - Lamar Alexander
Former Presidential Candidate and Former U.S. Secretary of Education |
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1995 - Dr. Robert M. Gates
U.S. Secretary of Defense, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency |
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1994 - Paul E. Tsongas
Former Presidential Candidate and Senator from Massachusetts |
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1993 - Edward D. “Chip” Robertson
Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice |
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1992 - Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond
Former MO Attorney General, Governor and current senior U.S. Senator |
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1991 - Thomas DeFrank
Author and White House Correspondent for Newsweek Magazine |
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1990 - Robert F. Hyland
Corporate Vice-President CBS Radio, St. Louis |
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1989 - William Proxmire
Former U. S. Senator from Wisconsin |
