Daddy ran for Mayor alot! I believe the exact number is 4 times, but because of the fact that I HAD to campaign it sure seemed like alot more! Voting was very important in our family, as the son of immigrants Daddy considered voting to be the ultimate privilege, and he was Very Very Proud to be an American.
As the years went by the advertising became a little more sophisticated, bet lots of people still have the T-Shirt above, or at least remember wearing one. This picture is courtesy of my Stepsister Kristin, my shirt is boxed up somewhere...
But I DO know where this amazing poster is that my friend Russell Keene was kind enough to give me, it is hanging right on my living room wall. This actual poster was posted in front of 1305 Truman Ave. Home of Lynn and Russell Keene II. Russell said he was always proud to have it posted there, and I am in turn grateful and proud to have it after so many years. Barbara at BIG lovingly framed it for me...
This is from the front page of the Citizen. He finally won in 1989 for a 2 year term. He looks so happy and proud, it actually brings tears to my eyes remembering this day. He loved Key West so much, and his platform was always to save as much of the old days and ways as possible. Would you believe he was actually endorsed by the New York Times, AND The Wall St. Journal? Unheard of for such a tiny island, but Daddy had a way of getting attention! He promised when sworn in not to bang the gavel too hard or too often.
And even though it took him so long to get elected, he had very good reasons why he was'nt. He always blamed it on kissing the mothers instead of the babies, and the fact that some people claimed he used a certain 4 letter word too much. But as he told the Washington Post "I just hope everybody in Key West who uses that word votes for me. If they do, I'll win in a landslide." And as all things always were with Daddy, he made it FUN! We had so many wonderful volunteers, and we would do crazy stuff, like make the "Captain" fish when our campaign headquarters would flood...
The main thing I remember though, no matter WHO was in office locally or nationally, ecspecially the highest office in the land, when people came to find out Daddy's opinion on this or that he might give you a colorful quote, but his bottome line was "I LOVE MY COUNTRY, RIGHT OR WRONG". So on that note, I hope everyone reading this voted, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that will be glad to see this election behind us...
XO
Smiles,
Toni
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