Sage advice from a true role model
I had a nice telephone chat with Dan Evans recently. He’s a former Washington state governor (1965-1977), and former U.S. Senator (1983-1989). He’s 79 now, lives in the Laurelhurst area of Seattle with wife, Nancy, and he’s busier than ever serving on boards, being a grandpa to 10 grandchildren, writing his autobiography and penning opinion pieces – he recently came out in favor of a revote in Washington’s crazy gubernatorial contest.
Many of the candidates we chatted with in the fall election told us that the Republican Evans was their role model, even if they didn’t share his party affiliation. So it seemed a fitting time to collect some bipartisan wisdom from Evans as legislators from Washington and Idaho start back to work this week.
Advice for freshmen state legislators: “Pick something you are good at and interested in and focus on that. It’s too easy for a freshman to want to do something of everything. Don’t spread your attention too thin.”
One piece of clothing elected officials should own: “An open-collar sports shirt. Instead of being formal all the time, use that as an indicator that it’s time to relax.”
How elected officials should handle the media: “Be open. And meet often with your contacts in the media. I had 1,200 press conferences when I was governor. Never argue with the media. There were times I felt misunderstood. And times that you bask in credit you don’t deserve. Keep talking. Keep open. Keep responding.”
The only press report that got to him: “After my third inaugural, the barber had really worked on my hair; it was really thinning at the time. Adele Ferguson (political columnist) wrote, ‘It looks like he has a hairpiece.’ I saw her about two days later and said, ‘Adele, run your fingers through this hair.’ “
Five qualities a person needs to thrive in elected office: “Integrity. Honesty. Guts. Intelligence. And empathy. You’ve got to understand the great broad group of citizens out there. You’ve got to have empathy with them to understand.”
Favorite office: “Governor. You can sure set the agenda. You can speak out on what you believe. In the Senate, you need to be in the majority and you need seniority. Lots of good ideas fall by the wayside if you aren’t in the majority or senior.”
Fondest public life memory: “The first inaugural. I still kind of shiver remembering being escorted down the House and seeing so many colleagues and being sworn in in front of friends and family. And the first time stepping into the governor’s office. I sat down and I looked at that clean desk, not a paper on it, and said, ‘Well, let’s get started.’ It was the last time I saw the desk that clean.”
One scene he wishes he could do over: “I came up to Seattle in the peak of the civil unrest in 1969 or 1970. I came to the central YMCA and said I’d spend the day talking to anyone in the community. There were six black teens and they were talking about everything that was going on in their community. Finally one of them pulled a chair up, pointed his finger at me and said, ‘Governor, if I had a gun now I’d shoot you.’ I said, ‘What good would that do?’
“He said, ‘One less honky to deal with.’ I said, ‘You’ve told me all the things you thought was wrong. Why don’t you come down in a week and tell me what to do?’ As they were leaving, one young man said, ‘I wish you could come to dinner with us to see how we really live.’ I had another big dinner to speak at. I wish I had said, ‘Oh the heck with it. If he wants me to come to dinner with him, I’ll come.’ ”
What happened next: “The next week they did come down. And they had a list of 20 demands. They said, ‘Our people all live in the central area. Why can’t they put the services where the people are?’ I said, ‘That is a great idea. We will open a multi-service center in the central area in 30 days.’ And we did.”
What his grandchildren could teach elected officials: “Babies in the first year of their life laugh more than they do the rest of their life. They do everything with enthusiasm. Officeholders hold onto their game face. They ought to show their emotions more.”