Ted Van Dyk is one of a small number of political sages who have something significant to say about the political process after taking active part in it over--is it possible?--some forty five years. I have found his new memoir, Heroes, Hacks and Fools (University of Washington Press) a surprisingly companionable accompaniment to the current primary election season.
Plunge back to the days when Van Dyk was a top aide to Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and, page by page, share the fascinated horror as one catastrophe after another took place in that election year, includng the Bobby Kennedy assassination and the riots that nearly broke up the Democratic convention. Today's controversies are like the proverbial Sunday school picnic in comparison.
Van Dyk's observations on presidents and candidates he has known and worked for (up to and including Bill Clinton) are insightful and always candid. And so is his running comentary on the changing political process.
There is an overall sobering judgement in the Van Dyk book that people in politics should be thinking about. In the old days, before all the wonderful "reforms" of recent decades, politics was more down to earth, parties were more important and media played favorites less often. He effectively is asking on behalf of many seasoned Republicans and Democrats alike, Are we better off now?
Van Dyk lives in his home state of Washington in semi-retirement and still writes for national papers and, lately, the online Crosscut. His book will be featured soon on C-Span and Discovery Institute will be hosting him February 20 at our Seattle offices for a book party on the topic, "A Democrat Looks at his Party--and the state of American Politics."
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