By RP Nation, on Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET Last Friday, we posted dedicated from the RP Nation to the recently diseased, one-of-a-kind politician, Gatewood Galbraith. This one came in late, but it was so lovely that we wanted to share it.
I first met Gatewood Galbriath in early October 1994. He was speaking in Glasgow, Kentucky. I drove out with several of my friends, and we weren’t sure exactly who was speaking that night at the meeting we were attending. I don’t even remember who organized the meeting. But when I heard the speaker introduced as Gatewood, I thought, “Cool! The pot guy!”
I don’t remember exactly what Gatewood did speak about, but I remember hearing the great quote from him, concerning did his father’s generation hit the beaches of Normandy so he could urinate in a cup in order to get a job?
I approached Gatewood after his speech was over in order to shake his hand, which he quickly obliged me, with his toothy smile shining down on me. I knew I’d vote for him in next year’s race. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, because I missed the deadline to change my registration to Democrat.
Of course, Gatewood wasn’t finished in his quest for public office.
Five years later, I’m working for a community paper in Bullitt County. I received a tip to come to a meeting one rainy morning in Louisville. I replied I would come, but couldn’t report on it because it was out of our limits. Come anyway, I was told.
Again, Gatewood was the chief speaker. And once again, I approached him after the meeting and asked him if he would be stumping in my county anytime soon. He said he was hoping to attend the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot later that day. I told him if he did, I’d give him coverage that he was certainly unaccustomed to getting in the press, and he readily agreed.
After the meeting was over, we sat down for lunch. It so happened I was seated next to Gatewood. A mutual acquaintance told Gatewood to watch out, he was sitting next to a reporter, and he knew how those people loved to twist what he said. Gatewood looked up and said, “That’s OK, he was up-front with me. I can tell he’s one of the few honest ones left.”
Needless to say, that was one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever been paid.
As it happens, Gatewood wasn’t able to make the shoot, but I didn’t know that at the time. I had other things to do that day, and when I finally made it to the soggy shoot and couldn’t find Gatewood, I feared I missed him. I went to bed that night, deeply ashamed of myself, thinking I let him down.
Well, Gatewood and I never had our interview, but we would meet several other times. And each election I could, I dutifully cast a vote for the “Last Free Man.”
Farewell, Gatewood, you’re already missed.
By RP Staff, on Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 12:15 PM ET OK, folks, round two of the 2012 GOP presidential primary, which means round two of the fearless predictions of our recovering politicians.
Last week, our RPs boldly made their Iowa caucus prognostications, and with the exception of RP staffer Zack Adams (who predicted the correct finish of the top 6 candidates) and Artur Davis (the only contributing RP to predict the correct order of the top 3), well…let’s say they are lucky to get a second chance.
But this web site is all about second acts. So stay tuned to this channel. At 4:00 PM EST, the contributing RPs, Friends of RP and RP Staff make their predictions.
And we ask you to join them in the comments section as well. No fun prizes, but instant fame and glory to the reader who is the closest.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
I was at a political rally in Somerset at the National Guard Armory.
It was the governor’s race in which Martha Wilkinson started but dropped out. Ms. Wilkinson provided a potted plant for a door prize.
As luck would have it, Gatewood won the plant. He was outside and rushed in to accept the plant.
Someone yelled from the crowd, “Why don’t you give away one of your plants Gatewood?”, to which he promptly replied, “Mine are too expensive to give away.”
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 2:00 PM ET I remember Gatewood attending a Transportation Forum in either 1995 or 1999 in Lexington and speaking to a large crowd of contractors, Transportation Cabinet employees and others.
He said that he had a clear Transportation plan: for someone who had been ran out of towns in Kentucky as often as he had, he had better know every way out of town there was.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 1:00 PM ET I will always remember Mr Galbraith with respect and admiration.
I first met him when I was an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky in the late 1970s, and we met again in 2010 when I was an expert witness in a trial during which he cross-examined me. He was thorough, incisive, of good humor, and a gentleman.
I will miss him and his particular brand of insights and the way he expressed them.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET
 Betty Pace and Gatewood
R.I.P. GOOD FRIEND.
Gatewood was an author friend of mine and we had some good laughs together. I will miss him.
One time my daughter and I arrived in Dallas, Texas at our hotel. When finding out that we were from Kentucky, the doorman asked if we knew Gatewood.
“He’s a wonderful friend of mine,” the door man said.
He took his phone from his pocket and said,”Do you want to say hello to him?” I talked to Gatewood a few minutes. That made for wonderful service from this hotel while we were there.
 Betty and the bus' driver
Gatewood’s bus was fully equipped with beds, table and chairs, bathroom and home site living.
Many times Gatewood would jump out of his bus in the middle of town, shake hands with onlookers and supporters.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET Gatewood had asked me to run as his Lt Gov back in 2007, and for several weeks we had a great relationship and laughed and shared ideas but ultimately I couldn’t make it happen.
I felt terrible when I had to tell him, but Gatewood just smiled and said, “no problem brother”.
Needless to say, I have several great stories about Gatewood that I can share with you. But the one theme they all have is the constant love Gatewood had for people and Kentucky.
The first time I got to meet Gatewood was at Fancy Farm years back around 2006? He had a table set up on the Democrats’ side and had a pile of his autobiography books lying on the table.
I walked up and asked “how much for your book Gatewood?” He quickly spouted off something like “do you believe in the freedom of and that Government shouldn’t and constitution this..,” he spoke so fast that I couldn’t tell you exactly what he said but I liked the words that stood out the most so I simply replied, “Damn Right”! He stopped and looked at me and said “they’re free, take one and let me sign it for you, brother”.
We talked for some time about Wille Nelson, and I shared with him the times I hung out on the movie set with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, during the remake of the classic movie “Stage Coach.” (My father was Waylon’s double.) I could tell he was skeptical at first, until I told him how Willie was very funny and comical, and you don’t see that when he plays music. During one scene where Willie (Doc Holliday’s character) has to deliver the baby that the pregnant Lisa Crosby’s character (Yes, she had recently shot JR on Dallas) is having, he says: “I have to take a look down there now,” and as he reaches between her legs, he suddenly pulls a rabbit out of his sleeve and holds it up and declares, “I believe it’s a boy.” Even the director was rolling on the floor.
We talked about how tough it is win an election without money, and that was why he decided to finally write his autobiography and to give it to anyone in the political arena so they would get to know the real Gatewood, not just some legalize marijuana caricature.
He really had a good idea to promote himself and much better than just some 30 second commercial. About that time a preppy fellow walked over and as he was eyeing the books there was something about his demeanor and when he asked Gatewood “how much for your book”, dryly Gatewood replied, “Fifteen Bucks”! Gatewood sure could call them!
During Governor Beshear’s 1st inauguration, Gatewood and I sat together, and as the Governor was being sworn in, I asked Gatewood what it would feel like to him to be up there instead. Gatewood started beaming with that Gatewood grin and said, “Marksberry, if I ever win the lottery, look out”!
We miss you brother and we promise to keep your spirit alive!
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 11:30 AM ET I knew Gatewood for many years and always enjoyed running into him, wherever it might be.
He was always upbeat and had something interesting to say. He was the kind of person who could make your day a little brighter just by speaking with him briefly.
His eternal optimism was always refreshing. You have to admire a man who stood up for what he believed was right (not a trait of a lot of politicians) and had no hesitation in expressing to you his opinion.
I remember running into him at Good Foods Co-Op on Southland Drive during the 2007 gubernatorial race, and he gave me an autographed copy of his book. I asked him how his campaign was going, and he said “we’re going to win this thing.”
I remember seeing him during prior campaigns standing on Versailles Road after the races at Keeneland with his campaign sign in hand, waving to everyone, as all of the traffic was going by, and I remember thinking it was a shame he was unable to raise more money so he would have a real shot.
I remember seeing him at Keeneland in October of last year, and I asked him how the campaign was going, and he said it was going well. “We’re going to beat Williams.”
I for one will miss seeing Gatewood, and I am sorry he never won one of his races. I believe he would have done a good job in public office, and he certainly would have “stirred the pot.” I also wish he had lived to run at least one more time.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET I did not know Gatewood well, but I do have a story about him.
While in private practice, I was with a firm that maintained office space in the same building as Gatewood. I remember I first saw him in the parking lot after his run. A gangling man in his fifties, sweating profusely and wearing nothing more than a very small pair of running shorts and shoes. It was not the kind of sight that goes easily unnoticed, nor was his periodic tai-chi routine.
Always a very likeable man, I once offered to buy him a drink at Lynagh’s. He slowly turned to me with his characteristically big smile shaded by the brim of his trademark fedora and responded boisterously, “Buddy, I haven’t had a drink for over 20 years…it messes with my buzz too much.”
I also watched as he explained to his friend Willie Nelson, why he chose an office across the street from the police department… “so we can keep an eye on each other.”
Gatewood was a very bright and witty man who was very comfortable in his skin and not afraid to stand up for everything he believed in. For this (and for my brief elevator ride with Willie Nelson) I admired him very much. The world will definitely be a little less pleasant without him.
By RP Nation, on Fri Jan 6, 2012 at 10:30 AM ET When I was a senior at UK in 1977, with my roommate, I attended a Halloween party held at Gatewood’s house which was in the old YWCA located somewhere in downtown Lexington.
My roommate’s father was the sheriff of Casey County, so we borrowed two deputies uniforms and attended the party. I recall that there was a goodly contingent of bikers and others in attendance who were not happy with law enforcement, and we got a number of evil stares.
I recall walking into rooms and hearing toilets flushing, small parcels being thrown under furniture, etc. It was big fun, but we were not the hit of the party.
I last saw Gatewood at the Master Musician’s Festival here in Somerset. I told him that he was like Elvis-he was everywhere. We had a good laugh and talked about his Halloween parties.
I will miss him. He was unique. He always had a good story and I smiled everytime I was around him. He will be missed.
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