When I was a kid the people my family, specifically my Mom and her friends hung out with and supported with her brilliant design and political planning ideas were:
Bob Bartlett (US Senator)
Gene Guess aka Eugene Guess
Ernest Gruening (Governor Alaska Territory)
Wendell Kay
later Nick Begich
and always Yule Kilcher (State Senator)
When I was invited to see Jimmy Carter inaugurated president, it was planned that I spend time with (one term Senator) Mike Gravel's team in Washington D.C. But the city froze up - symbolic of how Carter, as an outsider, was treated by the Washington D.C. insiders, so the old D.C plumbing didn't work and the poor aide was not able to stay in his own place much less have a guest.
So I was directed to Senator Ted Stevens office to ask for a place to stay. The long hallways were made of marble, some of the stairs were completely worn down along the edges, and I was a bit afraid of the old brass elevators. Ted immediately arranged to put me up with an attorney staff member and his family.
Much richer and more formal that than Gravel's aide they were not from Alaska and did not understand this idea of welcoming a young girl on her first trip all alone Outside to the United States when she represented the opposing team. Plus they had a somewhat sick baby. I was appreciative of the nice room they provided me in their large old house in Virginia. (It was funny one night when the bus driver got lost and I was navigating by the moon.)
But I spent some time with Ted, while he worked, read in his office, collected papers, and put them in his briefcase, crossed the streets with him, and though our politic differed enormously I gained real perspective - especially when Mike Gravel was no place to be found, too busy for the youngest member of the Alaskan contingent.
I learned there is something to just being reliable. When I see Ted behind President Bush Sr's inauguration I feel know something about how Ted feels. Most Americans have no idea how a very few Alaska politicians have heavily influenced American politics - way out of proportion to the number of Alaskans there are, but more related to the scale of Alaska's land and resources.
But none the less the time I spend as a child with Gene, Bob, and Wendell taught me something about power, and the silence of it.
Bob was such a refined quiet man, he was a statesman, and did not make a big deal of his own presence. I remember most strongly his heart, it was great - he loved greatly and he loved people. I can say he understood the Eskimos, Indians and Aleuts of Alaska, and had real compassion for them.
We did alot to honor Bob, made some wonderful enormous banners of a traditional Tlingit Haida Thunderbird and two side panels of felt glued on to a backing.
Of course I was a kid so a cut out a few pieces and went to play, but the glue was so strong in the house the adults got what I thought was very funny, and the firemen had to come with a huge vacuum and clear out the room, restoring the fresh air. Even non-political people worked on that project, like Venita Arns, who loved to stitch and sew.
Bob was the forever Senator until his death in 1968 I missed Bob. His wife lived in a fine house north of Fairbanks over looking a wide plain; I felt it when I visited her there with Yonni Fischer. Stevens was appointed to replace Bob, that must be a very interesting footnote to history however that happened.
Gene was sweet and funny, so easy to like, he seemed like a favorite father. I remember his broad smile and slightly cubby cheeks around that smile. He would sit around with us kids and tell us things, light stories of the day, something bright that happened or explain something.
Wendell was like a spy, I felt aware yet comfortable in his presence. The leather seats in his black big time attorney town car felt warm in the winter when he ferried his son and I from one event to another, speaking in grizzly low tones, with a liquid understanding of language that his son Eddie reflected in his visual and sonic poetry he recited to me through walks through our old town Anchorage in the snow and mailed to me from college with a picture wearing his pa's wolf fur parka. Seemed appropriate that Wendell owned a wolf parka, and more that Eddie lifted it.
Ernest was always an old man, balding older man to me and I was not so close to him - he seemed preoccupied with the State's business, a serious person, tall and very white. I believe my grandfather knew him well.
And then there was the forever governor Egan. I though Governor and Egan was his name, like a permanent title. He was very warm and always to remembered to ask me about all the living members of my family although he could recall my grandparents and probably my great grandparents as well. His memory for names and relationships was remarkable and very well known.
The most exceptional political friend I knew and spent more time with as an adult was Yule Kilcher with his stories of world travel, royalty, customs, and encyclopedic knowledge of 47 languages and dialects and his desire to educate me and expose me to other cultures and travel. He wrote me shortly before he died and encouraged me to be happy! I miss him the most perhaps because he was the most challenging person, brilliant among the brilliant; dedicated to human freedom and endeavor.
Now when I read about these men, read their stories, they were written by the parents of my old friends, and frequently they too have passed on. I miss you all.
PS. Yule Kilcher set up this…
http://www.kachemaklandtrust.org/
putting his 613 acre homestead into a trust for future generations.
He was already discussing this in 1969 with his next door neighbor, an attorney, when I traveled with him down to Homer from Anchorage.
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