Retirement of Sen. Cranston
Cranston was an “accidental senator” much like Bill Clinton will be an “accidental President.” Republican Minority Whip Sen. Tom Kuchel was predicted to be such a sure winner in the 1968 Senate race, Democrats such as Pat Brown and Jesse Unruh didn’t bother to run. When, to the astonishment of most everyone, Max Rafferty triumphed over Kuchel in the 1968 Republican primary, Cranston was elected in the Senate for the next 24 years, much to the chagrin of California’s Democratic Party bosses.
Similarly, in 1991 President Bush was forecast to be such an easy winner in 1992, Democrats who might have run for President chickened out. Third- or fourth-choice Bill Clinton was then elected President.
Let’s hope that Accidental Clinton will not be as big of a disappointment as Accidental Cranston has been for all these years.
JAMES T. HUMBERD
La Quinta
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