Glimpses of An Election

"...We got a lot of good people back there in Washington. They do us pretty good. 'Course, it's hard not to with the Master, Mr. Sam Rayburn, playing the traffic cop. None better. Hell, none even close. But we also got us some young-uns like Maury Maverick and Lyndon Johnson, too. Mr. Burton makes his point about experience, but what really counts is what you learn from it. Mr. Barry Clay has worked in government in Austin and in Washington, so let's hear what he's learned."

Very few people in the audience had ever seen Clay, and none of those this close-up. He was also curious about them, and for a few moments they engaged in mutual exploration expeditions.

Clay was thirty-five, just under six feet, brown hair with cowlicks front and rear, and a body that had been tested and toughened during training and combat in a Sea Bee's underwater demolition team. He was not a lawyer. He took his GI Bill degree in politics and currently made his living as a consultant with an investment firm.

Clay was valued in that world as an idea man who knew how the system worked, even though the bosses upstairs were wary of his independent idealism-and his moxie. Their view was that one Maury Maverick was enough, even in Texas. Clay knew he was not going to win this election. He was digging ditches to lay foundation blocks. He liked the work. He carried one sheet of paper when he stepped to the lectern.

"Thank you for your invitation.

"As I listened to Mr. Thorpe and Mr. Gillmor, I began to wonder if Mr. Sam Rayburn is also a candidate."

Smiles and laughter.

"If you haven't guessed it already, you might as well know that I have never met Mr. Rayburn. But I do know some important things about him that we ought to remember. The first one is something he said that I carry around in my billfold."

He pulled it out, a worn square of paper, unfolded it and held it

"'Every now and then a politician ought to do something just because it's right. '"

Happy laughter, even some applause.

"Naturally, Mr. Rayburn does what's right most of the time. Consider the way he tries to help business even when business doesn't want to be helped. That's why he worked so hard to pass the Securities Act, establish the Securities Exchange Commission, and create the Public Utilities Holding Act. Those actions helped business by making it more honest and responsible - and that helped all of us.

"He did the same kind of thing when he and Maury Maverick worked so hard for the National Youth Administration to help children and young adults. And I'm sure you know that those two men believe in and want to defend and strengthen our civil rights.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted this chance to talk with you. But we do have to understand each other. I am not running for Negroes against Mexicans or Whites, or the other way around. My idea is to figure out ways to help all the people."

Clay had his rhythm. He left his notes on the lectern and began to amble back and forth in the well, making eye contact with individuals in every pew.

"I can't get too upset about people getting rich so long as they do it fair. What I want is for the rest of us to get better off, too."

The crowd was moving with him; eyes, heads and shoulders back and forth with his pacing.

"Mr. Thorpe tells us that Mr. Burton and Mr. Crown will bring big money in here and say we'll get some of it. Well, we had lots of money coming in here since 1939, but you look around and try to find very much of it being spent to help all the people.

"I walked down here with a flashlight because there aren't any busses or street lights.

"I walked down here in the streets or on narrow gravel paths because there aren't any sidewalks.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

1. Maggie and Mr. Hank
2. The Reverend
3. Squalls Along the Flight Line
4. Flying Home to Church
5. A Visit with The Judge
6. Communion
7. Afterthoughts
8. Monday Morning With The Admiral
9. Into the Dining Room
10. On Toward Walking the Streets
11. Glimpses of An Election
12. The Dream and The Reality of Violence
13. The Admiral Loses More Than a Few Good Men
14. Down That Lonesome Road

• Cast of Characters
• Credits and Acknowledgements