The Capital Times compares Ed Garvey to Bob La Follette:"...and though he had succeeded in spreading the message of his Progressive movement to every corner of the nation, Robert M. La Follette was cast as a loser in the election of 1924."Does that mean we can call Ed Garvey a loser?
The Capital Times is giving Garvey and another political lefty their equivalent of the Order of Lenin. It's worth noting then some of the accomplishments in Ed Garvey's life:
Green Bay Packer Fans remember fondly Garvey's role as executive director of the NFL Player's Association during two NFL player strikes, 1974 and 1982. Fun times, fun times.
In 1986, Democrat Ed Garvey took on Republican Senator Bob Kasten and was defeated in a year when every other Republican US Senator lost. Kasten won 52%-48% despite the Garvey campaign's attempt to use Kasten's drunk driving arrest against him. Years later Ed Garvey would decry attempts to attack Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager for driving drunk in a state-supplied vehicle.
In 1998, Ed Garvey was the Democratic Party's nominee to take on former Governor Tommy Thompson. Garvey got his clock cleaned, 60% to 39%. It is interesting to note that if former Governor Tommy Thompson came out of retirement to take on current Governor Jim Doyle, Ed Garvey did slightly better than Doyle would now (Thompson 58%, Doyle 36%). I think the Capital Times should use that bit when they introduce Garvey to give his award.
Ed Garvey, among his other pursuits, is currently the editor and main force behind Fighting Bob, a website claiming to continue to struggle for progressive politics in the spirit of Bob La Follete. Rather than re-hash the "loser" label, let's allow one of Ed Garvey's fellow Democrats, Bill Christofferson, to give his description of Ed Garvey's work,
Most of what I learned about negative campaigns was in the first one I managed, Ed Garvey’s U.S. Senate race in 1986. We won the primary with a negative ad and then started the nuclear war on TV that Robert Kasten finished.Let's all raise a glass along with the Capital Times tonight for Ed Garvey. Let's remember his career fondly.
Garvey has spent the last 17 years decrying money, consultants, polling, and television. He’s also spent more time attacking and criticizing other Democrats, publicly and behind their backs, than anyone I know. It’s good to know the Fighting Bob website will carry on the tradition.
Maybe the site should be called Fighting Alice, in honor of Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s motto: “If you can't say anything good about someone, sit right here by me.”
ht: Epilogue
Update! Bill Christofferson wants to know where to send flowers.
