Ray Moore An Oral History Washington State Oral History Program Office of the Secretary of State Ray Moore An Oral History Interviewed by Sharon Boswell Washington State Oral History Program Office of the Secretary of State Ralph Munro, Secretary of State Copyright 1999 Washington State Oral History Program All Rights Reserved First Edition 1999 ISBN 1-889320-10-2 Library of Congress Subject Headings 1. Moore, Ray 1912-present 2. Legislators—Washington—biography 3. Washington—politics and government Washington State Oral History Program Office of Secretary of State Legislative Building PO Box 40243 Olympia, WA 98504-0243 Telephone: (360) 902-4158 CONTENTS Dedication Forewords Helen Sommers Phil Talmadge Ed Seeberger Sid Snyder Marty Brown Preface Acknowledgements Introductions Sharon Boswell Grace Spencer Biographical Highlights 1. The Early Years ................................................................ 1 Childhood. Olympia in the ’20s and ’30s. Roland Hartley. Clarence Martin. College Years. First Jobs. Marriage. World War II. 2. Business ........................................................................... 17 Brokerage Firms. Business Ventures. 3. The Beginnings of a Political Career ....................... 22 Campaigning in the ’30s and ’40s. Wendell Willkie. 1946 Senate Campaign. Arthur Langlie. King County Republican Chairmanship. Cincinnatus. Albert Canwell. Charlie Hodde. Eisenhower Campaign. 4. Behind the Political Scenes ................................................. 46 Family Life. Mental Health Association. Governor Albert Rosellini. Warren Magnuson. Switching Parties. Campaigning for the Seattle City Council. Second Marriage. 1974 Campaign for State House. Helen Sommers. 1976 Campaign for State House. 5. An Elected Official ......................................................... 64 In Office. Phil Talmadge. Bill Day. August Mardesich. Role of the Press in Politics. Residency Controversy. 6. The First Years in Office ................................................ 83 Governors Dixy Lee Ray and John Spellman. Peter von Reichbauer. Senate Upset of 1980. Jeannette Hayner. Governors Booth Gardner and Mike Lowry. Choosing a Staff. 7. Committees and Boards ..................................................... 94 State Investment Board. Tax Advisory Council. Workings of Committees. 8. Caucuses, Partisanship, and the Art of Legislation .. 106 Working of the Caucus. Issues of Partisanship. Tricks of the Trade. 9. Campaigns and the Party System .............................. 116 Campaign Ethics. Andy McLauchlan. Campaign Strategy. Two Party System. Term Limits. Party Platforms. 10. Ideology, Convictions, and Dogma ........................... 128 Capital Punishment. Violence in America. Income Tax. Legislative Change. Animal Rights. ACT Theatre. Civil Rights. Urban League. Presidential Appointment to the Washington State Advisory Committee for Civil Rights. 11. The Political Process: Lobbyists, Legislators, and Special Interests ........................................................ 137 Bud Coffey. Tom Owens. Women in Politics. Characteristics of Leadership. Good Government. Special Interests. 12. Predictions for the Future .................................. 150 Income Tax. Pension Plan. Gambling Commission. 13. Life in the Public Eye: Controversy and Conflict .. 160 State Investment Board. Residency Issue. The Press. 14. Conclusion .............................................................. 172 Appendices A. Ray Moore’s Profiles of Washington State Elected Officials B. Ray Moore’s Reflections on Government Index Click here for photographs and documents included in the printed verison of this oral history. This book recounts Washington State’s political scene as I saw it during 1925 to 1994. The most fulfilling and exciting years for me were, of course, 1979 through 1994, when I served in the state Senate. I dedicate this text to Jim Hughes and Virginia Moore, who shared the task of keeping me organized—no small feat. I would like to thank a few special people who, over the years, helped me beyond the call of duty: Myrna Beebe, Kandy Bruesch, David Cheal, Anne Crampton, Ellie Dornan, Pat Durham, Brenda Fitzsimmons, Stanley Gallup, Blaine Gibson, Gene Gotovac, Jennifer Jaech, Scott Jarvis, Dace Johnson, Sue LaVack, Catherine Mele, Linda Mitchell, Mary Quinlan, Tracy Ratzliff, Diane Schoppert, Jonathan Seib, Shirley Wayland, Nina Weld, Vickie Winters, Nila Wood, Patrick Woods, and Marcella Young. About the cover photo When asked to supply a picture of himself for the cover, Senator Moore insisted on using this photo taken at his Senate desk. He stated plainly that this picture, more than the others he saw, captured “the real Ray Moore.” FOREWORD ABOUT RAY MOORE Senator Ray Moore and Virginia Moore are remembered by our constituents for thousands of examples of help and support they provided during his legislative service. Ray has many other special characteristics. His resilience is extraordinary. He experienced many losses, but never defeat—always returning and then winning solid approval from our voters. I celebrate his independent streak—searching his conscience and his personal expertise and taking tough controversial votes. I am proud of his very early support for tolerance and equal opportunity for all. And I especially enjoy his sense of humor—pervasive and irrepressible. Thank you to the Oral History Program for preserving the warmth and diversity of Ray Moore’s many contributions to our community. HELEN SOMMERS Washington State House of Representatives FOREWORD ABOUT RAY MOORE I am delighted to have the opportunity to prepare a foreword to the oral history of Senator Ray Moore. Ray’s political career spans five decades of Washington history and touches upon issues and people that are of amazing complexity and richness. Ray was an active participant in the public power vs. private power wars. He was present at the Goldmark trial. He was deputy chief clerk at the House of Representatives during the postwar Republican landslide. He was the Republican county chairman in King County. He broke with the Republican Party over the issue of the death penalty and the inability of the Republican Party to address the problems of basic food, shelter, and clothing for people. He was a Democratic state senator for sixteen years. He was a major player in Washington’s Legislature in the decade of the 1980s and well into the 1990s. This recitation represents only a snapshot of Ray’s achievements. Ray and I were first elected to the Legislature in 1978. I sat in seat 49 in the Washington State Senate Chamber and Ray sat in seat 48. We were prepared not to like one another. I was born in April of 1952 and was all of twenty-six years old when I came to the Washington State Senate. Ray was born in April of 1912 and was a freshman legislator at the age of sixty-six. I was seen as a liberal Democrat who campaigned that year against Initiative 350, the school busing initiative. Ray was seen as a more conservative Democrat who had strongly campaigned for Initiative 350. Despite our differences in age, background, and political philosophy, we became instant friends. Of Ray’s political experiences, I am sure he has spoken at length in his oral history. There are a number of things about Ray that probably may not be revealed in his oral history. First, Ray’s extraordinary devotion to his wife, Virginia Moore. Virginia was Ray’s friend and confidante throughout his years in the Senate. They were truly a team. Second, Ray’s real commitment to human services issues. Ray is deeply committed to a government that ensures basic food, clothing, and shelter for all of its citizens. It was for this reason that Ray quietly developed an organization called Food Lifeline. This organization was designed to use the best thinking and people of the private sector FOREWORD to insure that food would be delivered to people in need. This was a classic Ray Moore project, bringing people together to focus on the basic needs of people. Finally, Ray’s wicked sense of humor. I trust that Ray has told the story that he has related to me so many times of his meeting with President Eisenhower in the early 1950s. President Eisenhower was not accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Sherman Adams, and was asked by one of the Republican Party leaders about his position on public power. As Ray relates it, Daddy Warbucks, the term Ray always used to refer to Eisenhower, had no idea of the controversy that was involved in the question. He responded by saying, “I believe the public should always have the power.” A great story. When discussing the possibility that certain members of the Senate might change their outlook and become more statesmanlike in their activities, Ray was fond of noting the old Serbian proverb: You can’t polish a turd. I am also particularly fond of Ray’s description of the members of the Senate in activity. We would sit in our seats, 48 and 49, and watch the flurry of activity of members of the Senate discussing bills with one another and going over the issues of the day. Ray would turn to me and say, “There’s a lot of low cunning in this room today.” I can still recall with some fondness the night that Ray was asked to stall for time on the floor of the Senate. Ray got up and told jokes and stories, and made the appropriate motions to confirm certain gubernatorial nominees who were introduced with a true Moore flare. It was a bravura performance and truly indicative of the Moore style. In all, I am more than delighted to commend Ray’s