LGM Film Club, Part 55: Ron Stumps for Slade
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Slade Gorton died today. Despite the Times obit saying he was a moderate, ol’Slade was not a moderate. He was a mean, nasty racist who especially hated Native Americans. In fact, when the tribes played the most critical role in defeating Gorton in 2000 by electing Maria Cantwell, it was a national announcement about Native political power funded by casino dollars.
In 1986, Gorton lost for the first time, in a tight reelection campaign to Brock Adams, who could have made a great senator had he not attempted to sleep with every woman he saw, which eventually drove him from the Senate. Tonight’s film is Reagan giving a stump speech in Washington to try and bring Gorton over the finish line. It’s mostly pretty gross.