Consider the last time you acted politically. If the memory is not especially pleasant) you are not alone. Americans are increasingly leery of all things political) finding it polarizing) frustrating and a whole lot less rewarding than leisure or professional pursuits. Governors Tim Kaine and Ted Kulongoski, both Mizzou alumni and fierce believers in the democratic process, would like to change that. Story by Amy Spindler Finding the middle ground tious sense of'Th is is what makes life worth bis feet firmly on the ground." Virg inia Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine laughs living,'" Kain e says. "We all hear that we're Kaine's experience as a lawyer propelled heartily when he hears that his local news­ supposed to make a difference in someone him into the race for the Richmond City paper dubbed him as a man who doesn't else's life . But for most of us, there has to Council."[ did a lot of fair-housing cases and travel well on a bumper sticker. "We ll , that's come a time when it's not just a lesson you civil rights work, which I like because it feels a compliment," he says and then explains: hear, but you reall y get it under your skin good to build bridges," Kaine says. "Every "I'm not a super party-line guy. I've got and want to do it. For me, that was the expe- so often I had a case before City Council and views that are very much characteristic of often saw racial block voting. It really dis­ the mainstream Democratic party, but I "I never thought about turbed me because it sent a message to the work with a lot of Republ leans on issues, running for office until I community that the leadership was separated. as well." was practicing law. Every It made me mad, and it was bad enough that I Kaine, BA '79, who campaigned as a fiscal actually decided to run so often I had a case before for office." conservative and dedicated Christian, was Kaine served four terms on the Richmond Richmond's elected in November 2005. As party lines City Council and City Counci I, including two terms as mayor, beco)J1e increasingly polarized nation a Ily, often saw racial block voting. before serving as lieutenant governor in 2001. he's a refreshing anomaly, which is perhaps It made me mad, and it was "Differences in opinion are a good thing why he was chosen to give the Democratic bad enough that I actually because you hash them out and come to a response to President Bush's State of the decided to run for office.n more elevated understanding of things. But Union in January 2006. "I had been in office -Tim Kaine differences that keep people apart are some­ for about five days," he says. "[ fe lt honored thing that I stil I find a lot of. I like to get and surprised." people together and make things happen. I During that speech, he told of his work rience of working with Jim." view myself as a problem solver." as a missionary in Honduras: "I learned to After eight months in Honduras, Kaine As governor, he faces pressing issues like measure my life by the difference I can make returned to the United States and began his solving Virginia's transportation problems in someone else's life." Kaine's idealism second year at Harvard Law School, where and improving public schools and higher comes from his mentor, Jim O'Leary, he met his wife, Anne. "Anne's former boy­ education. He created the Start Strong whom he met in Honduras while teaching friend is now a professor of economics at Council by executive order to expand access carpentry at a vocational school founded Harvard," says Whitney Hicks, MU professor to pre-kindergarten programs. "Brains are by O'Leary. emeritus of economics and a family friend. virtualJy fully developed by ages," he says, "Jim was a guy who didn't own much "She once told me that she traded in some­ "yet we put a vast majority of our public dol­ more than the clothes on his back. He was one who had his head in the clouds, as most lars into public education after kids' brains such a joyous person and had a real in fec- economists do, for a person [Kaine] who had have developed." FALL 2006 !IIZZO II I 19 His transportation plan calls for bet- dernic programs. Kulongoski's Education Enterprise proposes to allocate 61 percent, ter communication between the state and "I was raised by nuns in local governments, greater accountability up from 58 percent, of the state's general a Catholic boys home, of transportation funds and sustain- fund to education and skills training. able investments. The Virginia Transit and it was just a different "The skill-training piece is critically Association commended Kaine for his experience. They taught me important because not all high school stu­ proposal, which would double funds to to always be nonjudgmental dents are going to go to a four-year higher improve infrastructure and service of of others and to never forget education institute," he says. "People want a living public transportation. Kaine hopes to raise where I came from." a skill that provides them with wage, health care, and a vision that they s1 billion by increasing transportation­ - Ted l<ulongoski related fees ; this would protect the state will retire someday and that their kids will budget's general fund, and consequently, have greater opportunity than they did." funds for public education. re-election, understands younger Ameri­ Kulongoski, who attended MU on the GI Bill, Financial need and the School of cans' skepticism toward politics. "I see our knows the value of higher education. As a journalism's reputation drew Kaine, a political process as something necessary," former truck driver and bricklayer, he also Kansas City, Mo ., native, to MU. He planned he says. "But in today's world, many see can appreciate the importance of job secu­ to study journalism but quickly changed his it as a hindrance to getting something rity for blue-collar workers. mind. "The journalism students I hung out done." A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal Kulongoski grew up in a Catholic boys with were all too cynical for me," Kaine says. opinion poll echoes his sentiment; 68 per­ home and views the experience as different, "I thought, 'If I hang out with these guys for cent of respondents said that the majority not disadvantaged. "You deny nuns ever had four years, I won't be fit to live with.' I didn't of Congress members are not working on any impact on your life, and then you get want to go into a cynical profession, so I behalf of the American people. older and realize they had a great impact," became a lawyer and a politician. Go figure." "There has always been passion and dis­ he says. "They taught me to always be non­ Kaine, who graduated in three years, pute and conflict in politics, but historically judgmental of others and to never forget found his niche in the economics depart­ people fought over things that were worth where I came from ." ment. He was a teaching assistant for the fighting over," Kulongoski says. "Like slavery, Kulongoski jokes that he became a law­ late Walter Johnson and enjoyed home­ the role of government and federalism, a vari­ yer because he didn't have the grades to get cooked meals with Hicks, then chair of ety of issues that engendered passion, that the economics department, and hi wife, actually moved forward the common good." Marjorie. "They were my guardian angels," Kulongoski, BA '67, JD '70, has a passion Kaine says. for the common good that has kept him in When not in class, Kaine spent most of the public eye for more than 30 years. Before his time outdoors. "I love hiking, camping, becoming governor, he served in the Oregon canoeing and caving. My best memories are House of Representatives and Senate, and the camping and canoeing trips I went on as insurance commissioner, attorney gen­ with friends," he says. eral and justice on the Oregon Supreme Kaine valued his friendships and helped Court. "I really thought I would retire from launched SIMA (amis, 'friends' in French, the Supreme Court," Kulongoski says. "The spelled backward) with college buddy David good news is, if there's a vacancy I can Roloff, BA '78, M Ed '85, an MU Alumni always appoint myself again." Association staff member. "Only in the '70s Kulongoski says education and skills could there be a campus organization with the training are worth fighting for now. As in sole mission to promote friendship," Roloff many states, Oregon's public schools and says. "Tim was one of the most good-natured, universities were hard hit by the 2001-03 truthful and smartest friends I ever had." recession. Budget cuts shortened the school year, increased class size and curtailed aca- What's worth fighting for? Oregon Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski meets farmers Kris elected in 2002 and currently up for Hoien and Michael Moss in Hoien's greenhouse. 20 I }IIZZOI FALL 2006 into the College ofVeterinary Medicine. He MU graduates serve in state and federal governments especially remembers economics Professor Governors Timothy Kaine, BA '79, and Ted Kulong Pinkney Walker, as well as a public speaking oski, BA '67, JD '70, join an impres­ sive group of MU graduates serving course he took.