There are many ways to succeed or fail in politics, as in life. On Thursday evening, I had the chance to observe a man who is still standing tall after seeing plenty of both.
Slade Gorton has been a shrewd U.S. senator, a crusading attorney general, a reform-minded legislator, public enemy number one to tribes and environmentalists, and a distinguished member of the 9/11 Commission.
Gorton is the subject of a new biography by the state's Heritage Center (www.HeritageCenter.wa.gov). The 436-page book paints Gorton as a man of steely integrity, wily intelligence and rare accomplishments.
Gorton's biography is a must-read for anyone interested in Washington politics. A scene describing the cloak-and-dagger machinations of a secret bipartisan coup against the Speaker of the House in 1963 reads like the script of a film noir.
Gorton, 84, is still reed-thin, whip-smart and succinct, as he displayed during a question-and-answer session that I moderated Thursday night at the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library.
I asked him about a bill he pushed in the 1960s that outlawed billboards. Fiery Chehalis conservative Al Hamilton fought the law on behalf of his Uncle Sam sign.
Gorton replied succinctly that the Supreme Court decided - "erroneously!" Gorton noted in a crisp aside - in favor of Hamilton.
An audience member thanked Gorton for fighting on behalf of logging communities during the spotted owl timber wars of the 1990s, noting that "it was tough for a while."
"It still is," Gorton replied about life in timber towns.
Gorton once memorably said die-hard spotted owl supporters were "anti-human."
The biography, "Slade Gorton: A Half Century in Politics," by former Aberdeen Daily World editor and publisher John Hughes, is richly detailed and even-handed. It includes Gorton's failings, including his impatience, and the enduring enemies he made while fighting with tribes over sovereignty issues.
Gorton, elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980, lost his seat in 1986. Stunned, he took stock of himself and took advice from his friends to transform himself for a successful run again in 1988. In another close race in 2000, he was defeated but continued in public life.
As an example, he spent Friday by a session in Olympia finishing his work with the Washington State Redistricting Commission, the latest in his many acts of public service.
While controversial at time as an elected official, Gorton kept true to his beliefs and showed many acts of courage.
Meeting him was a reminder that life isn't about rewards, it's about working hard for what you believe in. Victories can be fleeting and defeats painful, but a life of service is a gift you can proudly give to others and to yourself.
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Brian Mittge is editor-in-chief of The Chronicle. Contact him with comments and news tips at bmittge@chronline.com or (360) 807-8234.
