After studying politics and economics in college, I wanted to find out how it all really worked. I was fortunate to get a job working for Rep. Pete McCloskey, R-Calif., who died yesterday at 96.
He was very smart, a Stanford educated lawyer. He was a Korean War hero. He was a liberal Republican (do I even need to write that there aren’t any of those now?).
Most impressive to me were Pete McCloskey’s values. There was a framed poster on our office wall that said doing good creates concentric circles of good. His motivation was public service, and it was an honor to be part of that effort.
He co-wrote the Endangered Species Act. He co-chaired the first Earth Day. In his typical quixotic way, he ran for president on an anti-Vietnam War platform against Richard Nixon, getting one delegate vote at the Republican convention (a cartoon about that was on the office wall, too).
After he lost a Senate race, he went back to California to practice law. He said he didn’t want to stay to become a lobbyist (living the cliche of going to Washington to do good and staying to do well, making big bucks).
McCloskey’s obituaries by The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press accurately reflect the person I knew.
But I think these comments describe him best:
“He stood for everyone without a voice and was especially passionate about our environment — he was afraid of nothing or anyone who sought to take advantage of another,” says Joe Cotchett, his law partner since 2004.
“With a twinkle in his eye but a titanium backbone, Pete McCloskey spent his whole life campaigning for peace, justice, and a livable future,” says Denis Hayes, who organized the first Earth Day. “A powerful champion of endangered species, Pete, ironically, became one: the last remaining progressive, green, anti-war Republican.”
My thoughts are with Pete’s wife Helen, the rest of his family, my co-workers with whom I worked like crazy to keep up with him (he would fly in from California on the red-eye, come straight to the office, work all day and then run home to his Georgetown house).
I’ll always be grateful to you, Pete McCloskey, for the model of your values. And for encouraging me and helping give me the confidence to live a life that’s exceeded my dreams.
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