ju «t out ▼ may 19. 1999 ▼ 29
projects an odd sense of distance, as if there were
an impenetrable space around him. As a member
of his family once said, ‘This is not a warm and
fuzzy person.’ ”
When The Washington Post finally broke the
story, Packwood’s supporters defended his ac­
tions by maintaining that the senator’s past ac­
tions cannot be judged by current ethical stan­
dards. They claimed that Packwood, who is ap­
A new book chronicles Bob Packwood's trajectory
proaching 65, is simply the product of another era:
a time when it was OK to harass women because
from feminist champion to pariah
you thought they liked it, and hey, even if they
didn’t, there weren’t laws protecting them from
that treatment anyway. Others speculated that
by Inga Sorensen
Packwood is simply a political opportunist: one
t was 1982 when Mark Kirchmeier, then a
who saw the potentiality of the women’s vote and
abortion—this as a member of a political party
reporter for the w eekly new spaper
went after the vote legislatively, while simulta­
whose platform currently calls for a draconian
Willamette Week, first learned of the alle­
neously going after women sexually.
ban on women’s reproductive freedom. While on
gations that Oregon’s powerful Republi­
Kirchmeier appears to subscribe to the latter
the floor of his private office, he is said to have
theory. “Bob Packwood is a hypocrite,” he said in
can U.S. senator, Bob Packwood, had a
stepped on women’s feet, pulled their hair, and
penchant for groping his female associates. jammed his tongue down their throats. If that isn’t
an interview. “Unlike some other politicians, he
“I was covering the AuCoin camp back then.
doesn’t seem to have a philosophical commit­
bad enough, Packwood is being pummelcd for
ment to anything except his
I knew that Julie Williamson, [then a staffer for
allegedly launching a
own political survival.”
Democratic U.S. Rep. Les AuCoin] had once
smear campaign against
Gay men and lesbians—
worked for Packwood. I said to her, ‘He
his accusers in order to
and even the anti-sexual
intimidate and discredit
minority rights group Or­
them.
egon Citizens Alliance—
So much for being the
have solid reasons to echo
Gentleman from Oregon.
Kirchmeier’s sentiments.
Kirchmeier, who spent
[Packwood] seems like he’d make a pretty good
nine years gathering re­
t . During the debate over Bal­
&
lot Measure 9, Packwood
boss.’ She replied, ‘Yeah, if you like getting laid.’
search for his book, at­
refused until the very last
That’s when I got a sense that something was not
tempts to provide some
moment to take a stance on
insight into Packwood’s
quite right,” he says.
NK
i
the initiative.
Kirchmeier has recently published a book,
motivations and charac-.
Nearly all of the state’s
ter. He talks with the£
Packwood: The Public and Private Life from
V*:
political leaders— Demo­
Acclaim to Outrage, that chronicles the personal
senator’s legislative col-;
crats and R epublicans
leagues, lobbyists, jour-j
and political life of the enigmatic lawmaker, who
alike—came out against the
until recently was a figure revered by women’s
nalists, friends and asso- [
measure; many announced
rights advocates for his legislative support for
ciates, to come up w ithal
their opposition very early
some answers. (Pack-S
abortion rights, parental leave, the Equal Rights
in the campaign. Packwood
Amendment, and day care.
wood declined to be in-5?|
held out, say some, because
It would take another decade before the me­
terviewed for the book.)
We don’t get the an- Packwood with Gayle Rothrock in 1969; she the OCA was threatening to
dia— many of whose members had long known of
swers. What we do get is later accused him o f sexual misconduct
run a third party candidate
the rumors of Packwood’s inappropriate behav­
which could adversely affect Packwood’s re-
a biographical sketch of Packwood’s upbringing
iors— would treat the story with a sense of com­
election effort. (He was in a very tight race with
(distant parents, including a dad who was a
mitment and seriousness. Shortly after the No­
AuCoin at the time.)
“chronic alcoholic” and highly respected Oregon
vember 1992 election, The Washington Post—
According to critics, Packwood helped ar­
lobbyist). We are told that as a young man,
not The Oregonian or any other newspaper closer
range a meeting between OCA leaders and sev­
Packwood, who wears “thick glasses” due to his
to home— broke the scandalous tale of the maver­
eral powerful U.S. senators, including Texas Re­
poor eyesight, is shy yet smart and ambitious. He
ick senator’s alleged sexual misconduct.
publican Phil Gramm, in order to deter the OCA
goes off to college and then to New York Univer­
Today Packwood, who currently stands ac­
from running a candidate. (They also speculate
sity Law School, where “fresh from the open
cused of sexual misconduct by an estimated two
that Packwood was told to either support Ballot
spaces of Oregon and its predominantly white,
dozen women (including Williamson), is the cen­
Measure 9 or refrain from taking a public stance
Christian population, [he is] impressed by the
ter of ongoing Senate Ethics Committee and Jus­
on
the issue.) The day after the deadline had
sheer
numbers
of
people
of
all
colors
and
reli­
tice Department investigations. From the victim’s
passed for an OCA-backed candidate to file pa­
gions [he sees] on the streets of New York City.”
perspective, Packwood is also the focus of vitriol
pers
to run, Packwood issued a statement saying
Once
awkward
and
socially
inept,
Packwood
de­
prompted by the pain he is said to have caused.
he opposed the measure. Needless to say, the
velops a sense of confidence and a fire for politics.
And from a reporter’s perspective, Packwood is
OCA
was furious, and many gay men and lesbians
In the mid-1960s Packwood marries wife Georgie
the focus of intense speculation because his ac­
felt their lives had been used by Packwood as a
and wins election to the U.S. Senate, where he
tions appear, at best, incongruous, and at worst,
political football.
goes on to champion environmental and women’s
downright abusive and often strange.
Kirchmeier doesn’t address gay and lesbian
causes.
The whole situation reeks with an ironic stench:
issues
much. In fact, he only dedicates a few
Kirchmeier writes: “An introvert in the quint­
On the floor of the Senate, Packwood has passion­
paragraphs to the topic. Despite that, the informa­
essential extrovert’s profession, Packwood
ately crusaded for the right of women to choose
The campaign trail
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tion is interesting and perhaps symbolic of how
Packwood operates.
According to the author, Packwood was the
keynote speaker for the 1978 Oregon Women’s
Political Caucus convention. During a question-
and-answer period, a young woman asked the
senator whether he supported anti-discrimination
legislation for gay men and lesbians. Kirchmeier
writes: “Surprised, he responded, ‘No, 1 think
homosexuals are disgusting.’ After a moment of
awkward silence, the crowd burst into catcalls.
‘Several people just walked out,’ said Anne
Greenfield, a National Women’s Political Caucus
board member.”
The reaction may have shocked Packwood
and opened his eyes to the new reality that gay and
lesbian rights were a central plank of the women’s
rights movement. Kirchmeier writes: “Seeking to
heal the breach, Greenfield arranged a summit
between the senator and feminist leaders at the
private home of a Packwood supporter active in
abortion rights. The agenda included abortion,
ERA, and an ominous new issue—gay and les­
bian rights.” Not long after, Packwood agreed to
co-sponsor a federal gay rights law.
“Gay and lesbian rights is not a gray issue. It’s
black and white. It’s not something you can dance
around,” says Kirchmeier. “But that’s what
Packwood did. At first he called gays ‘disgust­
ing,’ but when he realized that position could hurt
him politically, he became pro-gay.”
The whole Packwood saga has been uncom­
fortable for those who once supported him, par­
ticularly women’s rights groups. No prominent
women’s organization backs him, and many have
called for his resignation. In an interesting twist,
Log Cabin Republicans, an organization of gay
and lesbian Republicans, has sent a letter asking
its national membership to donate to the Packwood
Legal Expense Trust Fund. The letter, which is
signed by the group’s executive director. Rich
Tafel, says: “Now, I believe we should help
Senator Packwood raise funds for his defense
before the Ethics Committee. He has already been
forced to spend $1 million, and has not yet even
had a hearing.”
As I said before, the irony reeks.
Kirchmeier’s book reads fast, much like an
extended copy of The Oregonian. But it’s a good
beginning.
As for what will ultim ately happen to
Packwood, who currently heads up the illustrious
Senate Finance Committee, well, writes syndi­
cated columnist Ellen Goodman, don’t expect
much: “The portrait of men in power is not very
pretty. Capitol Hill [is] a place where men can
listen to Clarence Thomas’ straight-faced claim
that he had no opinion on abortion and then
question Anita Hill’s credibility.”
Packwood: The Public and Private Life from
Acclaim to O utrage by Mark Kirchmeier.
HarperCollinsWest, 1995; $20.
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