click to enlargeMy political career lasted about ten days. I had just graduated from high school. I worked as a semi-paid crisis counselor on the hotline at The Sixth Chamber (I worked there two years, for $50 a week). Although I was 17 when I filed for the City Council, I would have been 18 well before the election.
The city clerk didn't much cotton to a 17 year old from that hippie crisis clinic running for the council (and becoming one of her bosses). She refused to accept my filing papers. I appealed her decision to the Attorney General. The Washington State A.G. at the time was Republican Slade Gorton, who went on to become a U.S. Senator (before being edged out by Maria Cantwell) and 9/11 commission member. Yes, I was booted by Skeletor before he was Skeletor.
I was unable to mount a court challenge to Slade's decision (lack of $$$). So I became an "Observer." Six months later, I ran for a seat on the school board (running against my father-in-law to be's law partner, who never let me forget I challenged him). I lost.
Other than being a faithful voter, and occasional delegate to state conventions, I've been an observer and serious student of politics ever since.
A friend has seriously considered running for national office, and if he does, I will join up in a heartbeat. He is a Republican. If you don't truly love politics you probably can't concieve how I could work for the "enemy." It's not like they would make a yellow-dog Democrat with intemperate views the campaign manager, after all. Whatever I end up doing on the campaign, I'll be playing hardball. And we will win.
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