Reply #42: I spent a wonderful day with him during his '76 campaign.

[dw]

I had the privilege of chauffeuring him around Oregon, from Portland down to Corvallis, where he gave a speech to an overflow audience of students at OSU, to Salem to meet with the former and then-current governors of the state, and then back to Portland for a speech at the Hilton.

All throughout the day, Gene told insightful and hilarious stories about life in the Senate and on the campaign trail. He had a wonderfully droll sense of humor, and at one point along the way we both just howled for minutes on end as we theorized the ideal platform if an Oregonian were ever to run for president.

The highlight of the trip was a conversation McCarthy had with the Republican ex-governor, Tom McCall. Two accomplished warriors from the old school, with pure and fully acknowledged respect for each other, discussing how a coalition government might be pulled together if McCarthy were to win the election.

Almost thirty years ago, and I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I’m afraid we’ll never see his like again in our lifetimes.