I always struggle with romanticizing the early days of my political awareness. I grew up in central Arkansas during a time when Democrats ruled the roost pretty much statewide. Sure, there was that guy from Harrison, John Paul Hammerschmidt, representing Northwest Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives, but he was an Arkansas anomaly for many of the 26 years he served as a congressman.
In the 1970s I went from being 5 to 15, so I'd say the years I started paying attention to politics to any degree fell between 1978 and the late 1980s -- you know, back when all the good music was on the radio.
Politicians of the era seemed larger than life. Dale Bumpers' journey from the "best lawyer in a one-lawyer town" to the U.S. Senate was intriguing, and anyone who heard him speak was treated to someone who knew how to persuade with humor and grace. Bill Clinton was fascinating, probably because of his relative youth and his charisma, as well as his fight to retake the governor's office from Republican Frank White, who had unseated Clinton in 1980. It was the same story with the state's young attorney general, Steve Clark, who today heads Fayetteville's Chamber of Commerce. I remember asking a question during Clark's appearance at Boys' State in Conway circa 1983. Clark suggested I should go to law school, a compliment that he surely had offered at other youthful assemblies, but it made me feel pretty good.
Nationally, I was fascinated by Ronald Reagan, who seemed in my young eyes the epitome of leadership.
These political figures of my youth seemed tough and ready to take on the world, unwilling to shy away from serious questions and prepared to explain to voters why their vision for the future mattered. I'm sure my memories are a bit idealized.
But I was thinking about these political stars of my youth a couple of weeks ago after I went to a forum hoping to hear from the six candidates (two Democrats, four Republicans) running to be the county judge in Washington County. I knew it was an event sponsored by the League of Women Voters, which in past years had been nonpartisan enough that most candidates would show up.
I was disappointed that only two candidates, Democrats Josh Moody and Charles Ward, showed up. The four Republicans -- Patrick Deakins, Sharon Lloyd, Mark Scalise and Tom Terminella -- weren't there. They had all sent their regrets.
It's not unusual these days for candidates, or their handlers, to shop for venues. Maybe it was always that way, but it seems years ago candidates had a stronger sense of responsibility to appear and explain their visions for office, even if they couldn't be sure the audience was a favorable one to their political ideas.
It also didn't help, probably, that the League of Women Voters had joined forces with the Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition to sponsor the forum. That group is officially nonpartisan, but its resistance to jail expansions and push for alternatives to jail often appears to come from left of center. Its founder, Beth Coger, will be the Democratic justice of the peace for District 9 on the Washington County Quorum Court in January.
If anyone had a reason not to show up that night, it might have been Matt Durrett, running to keep his post as prosecuting attorney. His opponent is Stephen Coger, the son of Beth Coger. Even so, Durrett did show up, faced the barbs of his opponent and articulated why he felt he ought to be given another four-year term. That seemed respectful of the voters to me.
I wish the Republicans county judge candidates had been there. I would have liked to have heard from them.