Reply #106: Howard Metzenbalm, Dick Celeste, John Glenn, Walter Mondale

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and Lane Evans. Metzenbalm ran as a liberals liberal in Ohio and only lost one race (a primary to Glenn). He supported gay rights, civil liberties, lavish spending on social programs, and told it like it was. I will never regret any votes I cast for him.


Celeste brought intellegence and charm to the Ohio Governor's mansion. It was so great to see him work his wonders. In a tax phobic state he increased taxes and won reelection. He single handedly commuted a huge number of death sentences so that his sucessor only executed a handful of people instead of the dozens he would have. He also protected gay state employees from discrimination back in the 1980's. He would have run for President in 1988 but he had a mongo Clinton problem.

John Glenn was the stable hero who ran for Senate. Not flashy, not overly out there, but oh so steady. And he took DeWine to school in his last race.

Mondale was honest, a trend setter with Ferraro, and would have made a great President. Sadly about three other people agreed with me so he didn't win.

Lane Evans was my Congressman in college. Great speaker, good man, and brave to run with his current disease. He is very liberal given his neck of the woods and a man of great integrity.

Finally, and on a sad note, Harvey Milk. He died when I was only 10 so I was hardly politically aware but I was a regular reader of Time by the time his killer went to trial. I didn't know, but suspected, I was different like Milk was. When his killer got such a light sentence it taught me a very hard lesson. People can harm you without recourse if you are a hated enough minority.