Grand Old Partisan

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Bertha Landes, born in Massachusetts, October 19th 1868. Graduating from University of Indiana, she moved to Seattle when her geology professor husband was hired by the University of Washington. Landes won election to the city council in 1922, soon becoming its president. Two years later, with the mayor out of state, she fired the corrupt police chief, only to see him re-instated several days later. In 1926, Landes was elected to a two-year term as mayor. Her campaign theme was that Seattle needed some municipal housekeeping . Among her accomplishments were building the civic auditorium, curbing corruption and reducing crime. Landes served on the Women’s Division at the Republican National Committee. She was also active with the League of Women Voters. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. T...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Young Kim, born in Korea, October 18th 1962. She arrived with her family as a teen, first to Guam then Hawaii. She studied business administration at University of Southern California. Her career started in banking, followed by a sportswear company. Twenty-one years, she was community liaison for a Republican Congressman. This tireless activist appeared on her own television and radio programs. Kim served a term in the state house. After narrowly losing for the U.S. House of Representatives, in 2018, she won first of three terms. Voters are impressed by this legal immigrant and former small business owner and mother of four. Representative Kim’s most salient statement: 'I believe I am the future of the Republican Party." Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Waitman Willey, born in Virginia, October 18th 1811. Overcoming extreme poverty, he earned a college degree and studied law. He was presidential elector for the 1840 Whig ticket, then congressional nominee. This "universally esteemed" orator asserted the rights of western Virginians. They knew him to be ""man of fine attainments, extensive reading, and high moral character; a bold thinker." Willey voted a vehement NO at the state's secessionist convention. Patriots established an administration loyal to the federal government and elected him a U.S. Senator. Congress recognized the 'Restored Government of Virginia' and seated him.  West Virginia having entered the Union, in August 1863 Willey was elected one of the state's first two Senators. Re-elected as a Republican, he was delegate to the GOP's 1876 national convention. ...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I spotlight foreign leaders gifting elephants to Republican presidents. October 12th 1959, Dwight Eisenhower received a 440-pound pachyderm from the Congolese prime minister. The appreciative President described it as "a unique form of admiration, liking, and respect for the people of America." He explained that "the baby elephant, I understand, is on its way here now, and I shall have to find for it a home in one of our zoos.” Dzimbo had a long life at the National Zoo. June 1984, on a state visit, J. R. Jayewardene gifted an orphaned elephant to Ronald Reagan . Jayathu also found a home at the National Zoo. Sadly, it died of a disease contracted while still in Sri Lanka. And then there was the King of Siam’s offer to send Abraham Lincoln a herd of elephants , which the President graciously declined. This incident did re...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I acclaim Republican opposition to the Ku Klux Klan. In southern states after the Civil War, the KKK and other Democrat terrorist organizations murdered thousands of African-Americans and also white Republicans. Violence was especially horrific in South Carolina. Ulysses Grant warned that the state was "under the domination of systematic and organized depravity" and a "carnival of crime not paralleled in the history of any civilized community." An effective countermeasure was the GOP’s 1871 Civil Rights Act. October 17th , the President used this authorization to declare martial law in nine counties and suspend habeas corpus there. Federal authorities arrested thousands of Democrat thugs, including six hundred Klansmen. This ended what amounted to an insurgency. Tragically, however, Slavery Party mayhem continued throughout the form...

Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor Isaac Murphy, born October 16th 1799. After several years practicing law in Pennsylvania, he relocated to Tennessee. There, his father-in-law disowned him for opposing slavery. Th e couple settled in Arkansas. With civil war looming, Murphy was elected delegate to a state convention and cast the only vote against secession. A patriotic woman tossed him a floral bouquet. He soon fled to northwest Arkansas, a Unionist stronghold. U.S. troops captured Little Rock in September 1863. President Lincoln authorized anti-Confederate Arkansans to form a new government, and Murphy was elected Governor. He upheld the Union and, after fighting ceased, avoided recriminations against former rebels. His motto: "Industry, Education and Christian morality are the pillars of freedom." Remaining in office until July 1868, Governor Murphy lef...