Those of you who were in Arizona in the 1980s will remember Ed Buck as the guy who led the Mecham Recall movement. Well, he got another 15 minutes of fame yesterday when he heckled Meg Whitman at a West Hollywood Campaign event and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie jumped off the stage to tell him to be more polite.
More info on Buck here. Here's how he described himself when he ran for the West Hollywood City Council.
An early AIDS activist, Ed Buck organized the first AIDS education program in Arizona. As a successful businessman, Ed pioneered the use of electronic information services. Since retiring to West Hollywood in 1991, Ed has been a volunteer for animal rescue. He has fostered over 50 dogs in the last four years, finding good homes for them all. Concurrently, he has been a vocal supporter of ethics and campaign finance reform.
UPDATE: One of the commenters to this post reminded me that Ed Buck was described at the time as a "Republican Businessman." I had forgotten that part. Here's how Time magazine described him in 1987.
...Ed Buck, a gay Phoenix businessman and conservative Republican who launched the recall movement last July...
Sure, "Conservative Republican". Back before the blogs held them accountable. Newspapers simply made stuff up with impunity. They still make stuff up, but now they usually get busted.
I lived in West Hollywood when I was in a band. Why the hell would you retire there? It's insane!
Posted by: Jim Torgeson | September 23, 2010 at 11:53 AM
I saw that, and I was wondering if that was the same Ed Buck that bedeviled Ev Mecham. Thanks for clearing that up. I recall correctly, though, (and at this point, with all the after-effects of years of craft-brewed beer and aluminum cookware in my system, such statements are highly in doubt), wasn't Ed Buck touting himself back then as a *Republican* activist leading the charge against his fellow Republican, Ev Meacham?
Posted by: ExurbanKevin | September 23, 2010 at 03:35 PM
Kevin--You are correct. Ed Buck masqueraded as a Republican in his deceptive effort to give himself credibility in criticizing Mecham. I didn't see the Democrats complaining about that. Why are they complaining now about "fake" Green Party members? As always, the left is made up of a bunch of crazy hypocrites.
Posted by: RonJ | September 23, 2010 at 04:48 PM
Ed Buck here, 25 years older, and many centuries wiser. When we recalled Mecham, I was still a Republican. I didn't leave the Republican Party, it left me. I can remember Barry Goldwater saying "out of the boardroom and out of the bedroom" when referring to the role of government. That's the GOP I was a proud member of. Then I can remember Newt's "Contract with America". I wonder if we can sue the GOP for violating the terms of our agreement. My principals have not changed, but to keep true to them, my political party had to change.
Ed Buck
West Hollywood.
Posted by: Ed Buck Buck | September 23, 2010 at 08:40 PM
Mecham para sobre ex gobonator!
Posted by: Dr. Lao | September 23, 2010 at 08:53 PM
Ummn, so which part of the Contract With America dealt keeping government out of our bedrooms, if that indeed is your objection?
I am not a lawyer (Greg is here to do that, thank God), but I do believe that in order for a breach of contract suit to proceed, the specific contract items that are broken need to be listed out.
Or maybe the contract was entered in bad faith by one of the parties, and by the sounds of things, it wasn't Newt who's to blame for that.
Posted by: ExurbanKevin | September 23, 2010 at 10:21 PM
Ed Buck - Thank you for moving out of Arizona.
Governor Christie - You rock!
Meg Whitman - I'm sure you can take care of yourself, but Christie is sure fun to watch!
Posted by: Travis | September 24, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Ed Buck Buck--You're certainly 25 years older, but you are still a flaming liar--or as Sam Steiger called you--"an unshirted liar." Your whole life has been one of deception and negativism and it appears you haven't changed your stipes. And quoting Barry Goldwater isn't going to help. Quote Barney Frank instead; his liberal leanings more reflect yours than any Republican. And thanks for moving to SoCal; their loss is our gain.
Posted by: RonJ | September 24, 2010 at 12:42 PM
That's "stripes." of course, but considering it's Buck, it could still be "stipes," (i.e. the stem of a fungus).
Posted by: RonJ | September 24, 2010 at 02:19 PM
Mr. Buck,
You denigrated a good man (may Governor Mecham rest in peace). For that you will have to answer to your creator. I will, however, respect your right to believe as you will and speak out if you must, because that is the American way. But presentation is everything. I must say that grandstanding for the sake of the spotlight is unbecoming. And you have history to prove that. I wonder, based on your public appearances if you believe the messenger is more important than the message.
Posted by: Jonathan Eddy | September 24, 2010 at 03:19 PM
Chris Christie: shut up and listen, now, assholes!
Damn straight.
Posted by: Mesa Econoguy | September 25, 2010 at 01:26 AM
Was the GOP pro-abortion and pro-same sex marriage before it "left" these people?
Would love to know when/where Goldwater said that, by the way.
And for those who always drag out that quote, how do you feel about government in the school room and hospital room?
Posted by: Joe G. | September 26, 2010 at 01:07 AM
Really? My Republican party is still fighting to defend Gov. Mecham? Really?
Posted by: jack | September 26, 2010 at 07:02 PM
Get a life, Jack. Regardless of your feelings about Mecham, Ed Buck was/is a scoundrel; and that's what this post is about. Besides, a jury found Ev innocent. It was a political witchhunt in the legislature that kicked him out of office, not the people.
Posted by: RonJ | September 27, 2010 at 01:28 PM