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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 2000)
Reynolds accepts'Other Guy'status REYNOLDS from page 1 find them - describe him as saint ly, world-famous, legendary. And since January, 10 months before die election, they’ve labeled him something else: Congressman Osborne. . If Osborne is concerned, he hides it well. After all, how con tentious could a campaign be when the candidates might have to attend the same family reunion? “You know,” Osborne said, “we are related so we can’t say anything bad about each other.” It is true: The Saint and the Other Guy, it turns out, were cut from the same cloth. Not by blood, but by marriage. The Other Guy's brother, Don Reynolds, is married to Osborne’s first cousin, Jeanne. Meanwhile, in the other cor ner, well outside the limelight, is the 68-year-old Reynolds. Also a man of high-standards, high repute and strong character. A man known to farmers around his hometown of St Paul as someone to count on. He is also known as businessman Reynolds, farmer Reynolds, school board member Reynolds, school teacher Reynolds and no chance-in-hell Reynolds. Or - if you prefer - the Other Guy. For now, he doesn’t mind. “They don’t remember my name, but it is going to be on the ballot in November," Rollie Reynolds said. “We'll count the votes then. Until then, they don’t have to remember my name. I will be the other guy.” *** Rollie Reynolds initially entered the race as a disgruntled political greenhorn determined to make things right in the Nebraska’s 3rd District, the largest in the United States. A long-time Rotarian, he attended a meeting in his hometown of St. Edward last September to hear Bill Barrett, the retiring 3rd District representative. As the Rotary Club meeting progressed, someone asked Barrett what was to be done about the state of agriculture in Nebraska, as contentious an issue as immigration would be in California. According to Reynolds, Barrett told the audience to wait a few years and agriculture would right itself. To Reynolds, a former farmer who worked the land out side St Paul, this sounded pre posterous. Already, too little was being done to help farmers, he thought It was at this Rotary meeting in St Paul that Reynolds had an epiphany: No one - certainly not Barrett - would do anything about agriculture. No one would speak for the voiceless farmer. “So I talked to a few people (after the Rotary meeting) and decided something needs to be done,” Reynolds said. “And I was going to do something about it It was then that I decided to run.” He made his decision without thinking of foe ramifications of a campaign or holding office. He had done neither before announcing his candidacy on Sept. 28,1999. Bom and raised in a Democratic household, his only previous political ex£>erience had come during a stint on foe local school board during the 1980s. But political inexperience didn't dissuade him. I am sick and tired ot politi cians who won’t take a position," Reynolds said. U1 have been fooled by politicians’ good looks inthepaisL "But I don’t want anyone to say I got into this under false pre tenses." **# Reynolds was educated and worked in St Paul. After graduat ing from high school in 1948, he attended the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture whete he received a bachelor’s degree in 1952. During the Korean War, from 1952 to 1954, Reynolds served in the Air Force. After the war, he returned to Nebraska and began teaching veterinarian agriculture at St. Paul High School. In 1960, Reynolds left the classroom and resumed life on his family’s farm where he raised crops and live stock full and part time. In 1968, he began working as an agricultural sales representa tive. When he wasn’t traveling, Reynolds was commander of the St. Paul American Legion Post and served on the St Paul School Board. And as a salesman, he claims to have visited nearly every com munity in Nebraska, something he touts as a qualification for political office. After moving to Grand Island in 1988, Reynolds underwent a transformation. He quit smoking, settled down and renewed his Christian faith. That same year, he and his wife of 47 years, Lou, joined Trinity United Methodist Church, where he continues to serve as a Stephen Minister, counseling the distraught and aggrieved. He also tutored for the Rotary Qub and served as a board mem ber for the Grand Island Free Clinic. It wasn’t until 1999 that his sense of duty overlapped into partisan politics. As a child, Reynolds was already forming political beliefs. These beliefs were instilled by his parents, who both held “county chairs” in Hall County, Don Reynolds said. Rollie, like his par ents before him, became what his brother describes as a Nebraska Democrat: fiscally unforgiving and conservative with a selective social conscience. “Our parents raised money for (former Nebraska Democratic governor) Frank Morrison and would then vote for Eisenhower,” Don Reynolds said of familial politics. “If Mom and Dad could see him now, they would be proud.” ♦** Watching Reynolds work the crowd recently during Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island - a town split by the Tom Osborne Expressway and smack dab between St. Paul and Osborne’s hometown of Hastings - would surety inspire pride in his parents. The event is an opportunity for state politicians to press the flesh: The slate of speakers in the Farm Credit Service's tent on Main and Fourth streets is a who’s-who of Nebraska politics: Senate candidate and former Gov. Ben Nelson is here as is his opponent, Attorney General Don Stenberg. The real star, though, is Tom Osborne. The undisputed main event Reynolds’ time in the tent immediately precedes Osborne’s. The tent sports faux road signs promoting loans and crop-pro tection services for farmers but absent is his homemade podium with “soapbox” printed on the front. At the front of the tent, Reynolds wraps up his speech and, after a few questions, scans tire seats for more. People look at each other. There are none. Then, at the invitation of the emcee, Reynolds drops his cam paign bomb: The American gov ernment has forgotten the indi vidual fanner. We need to run our own show. Let’s get agriculture moving again. A smattering of applause. . So what kind of support can the Other Guy count on against the Saint? A Wednesday Omaha World-Herald poll put Reynolds far behind with 81 percent of the vote going to Osborne. Perhaps even more daunting, 78 percent of those working in agriculture - his core constituency - said they would support Osborne in a September World-Herald poll. Even in his own party, only 13 percent said they would vote for Reynolds while the rest will cast a ballot for Dr. Tom. “About a million people in Nebraska already know who (Osborne) is,” Don Reynolds said. “And in that way, I think he has already won.” Consequently, one salient fact remains: Few people, includ ing his brother, Nebraska Democratic Party Chairwoman Anne Boyle and Reynolds him self, believe he will be sitting in Washington next year. Although Boyle remains optimistic, insist ing that - like Reynolds - voters wait until the votes are counted, she seems pragmatic and sees a greater role for Reynolds during uie cuxuuil "It is a district that everyone knows is unbalanced,” Boyle said of the difficulty for Reynolds get ting his agricultural message across against a celebrity candi date. "It is important for a candi date to do what Rollie is doing. I am proud of him.” When Reynolds first announced his candidacy in September 1999, few knew him, but his chances of making a run at Congress were no worse than any other candidate’s. But after Osborne entered the race in January 2000, Reynolds chances dimmed considerably. He became a question mark, the “other guy.” And so it began. Tb Reynolds, it doesn’t matter whether voters remember his name. What mat ters is if Osborne goes to Washington, he needs to know agriculture counts. Meanwhile, Reynolds is content to be the can tankerous voice of agriculture and not football-themed politics, the persistent voice of political conscience in Tom Osborne’s head. “Agriculture has become part of his campaign,” Reynolds said of Osborne’s amended platform. “Part of that is due to what I have said. And I am going to continue to do that.” Although he colors himself a man of die people, support with in his community and party seems hard to come by. There is ample room on the Rollie Reynolds bandwagon. Jim Keyser, the senior minis- * ter at Trinity United Methodist Church, said the congregation supports Reynolds but “shake their heads and think, ‘Poor Rollie,’” when considering his chances. But Keyser said it was tragic too few people listened to Reynolds as the purpose of his campaign is critical to the liveli hood of the 3rd District “As agriculture goes in Grand Island, so too goes die Conestoga Mall and so on,” Keyser said. Even Boyle acknowledges that Reynolds is in a lopsided campaign in a lopsided district with little more than a moral vic tory in th^ offing. In fact, so hope less seems his chances, the National Democratic Party has refused to give Reynolds money it has earmarked for winnable races. “It was a business decision,” Boyle said of the lack of campaign finances from the National Democratic Party. “That money goes to tight races in critical areas. <4TT _1 1_ •_1.T_ lie euiiuutid iimioeii veiy welL I think a lesser person would have given up. When I think of him, I smile. He is an inspiration.” As a Democrat, Reynolds remains the lone candidate. Although he claims he can still win die race, and a moral victory could be possible in defeat, he appears resigned to his fate. “I am gaining ground, but I don’t have to win to be success ful,” Reynolds said. “If I can save a few farmers from going broke then I have been successful.” Jim Berton, the Republicans’ 3rd District Congressional chair man, claims to know very little about Reynolds. But, it becomes apparent he has followed the campaign when he curtly dis misses it as a "campaign of sour grapes.” Why Reynolds would be bitter, he does not make clear. Jay Stoddard, the Democrats’ 3rd District Congressional chair man, falls in line behind Reynolds. But, Stoddard - more than anyone - seems convinced of Reynolds’ sincerity and ability to serve. Still, Reynolds’ most insistent and ardent supporter sees the broader picture. “We call it the David vs. Goliath campaign,” Stoddard said. Reynolds admitted disbelief in his candidacy and that his opponent is Tom Osborne. He said it is an experience he will never forget. “Sometimes I can’t believe this kid from a sandy farm out side St. Paul is running against the world-famous Tom Osborne.” And so it went on a hot August afternoon. There was business to be done, and all the campaigning was through for the day. The Saint was holding court in the tent. Reynolds walked slowly relieved he didn’t have to lug his soapbox to his car. As he walked, he talked about the tractors no one seemed to be buying. He spoke passion ately about farming and cam paign issues. For a while, they seemed to be minor details. As he talked, he seemed to morph into something else: Reynolds the farmer, Reynolds the teacher, Reynolds the husband and father, Reynolds the voice of farmers in Nebraska. Anything but Reynolds the candi date. Anything but the Other Guy. As he parted, he flipped on his bright-red seed cap and replaced his glasses with rose-tinted sun glasses. He shook hands and wished a visitor well. He looked both ways and wondered aloud: “How do I get out of here?” Panelists address racism in 21st Century RACE from pagel Panel members mentioned personal struggles that mem bers of their race fight day to day. Thomas said his people, American Indians, are often neglected in the push for civil rights. “We are the other group that people forget to acknowledge,” he said. Thomas, a Vietnam War vet eran, said the only time he didn’t experience racism was when he was in Vietnam. And because of the discrimi nation Thomas said he faced, he said all he wanted was respect and equality. “My topic (for the discus sion) was that all men are creat ed equal, which is a myth in the United States.” Jones addressed problemas facing blacks in America. He said the new problem of the 21st Century is issues that should be addressed as racial, such as a larger black prison population, are blamed on other things. “Until America transcends a state of denial, no solution is possible,” he said. Carranza said by 2050, whites will make up only 53 per cent of the the United States population. And to deal with this, the United States must prepare by protecting individual rights and language rights, he said. “This is not a gradual shift, it’s a revolutionary shift,” he said. Despite cultural and ethnic differences, the panel members agreed something needed to be done about racial discrimina tion in the United States. “We have come this far through law, politics and protest, and without 50 years of progress, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about race,” Williams said. i am am am am ma am ^ ..COUP"" Goorf^ ■ I ■ ♦ • ' yy- ' : ONE FREE wash : ! I _150^1 Y . Pew K/Of GROWING OP IN OOK UOt^GfT'/MCOMG AMFAf . s- : i >' §3 HAvE EvEfL HEAJU) OP An/ /AP &fOi-ocr c/-Arr. Ray Ch/n/ eta^tgo on/g /n/ /n/n/g^-city Lor /^is/GG^Gf. /w ON/G YGA/ty HG COACHGD 20 OP H/f 26 fTVDGN/T? 7"0 fCO^G A 3 OH- feGTTGfc. ON/ THG GxAm. We Neet> Mo^e Ray Chinr. \ CuMe lRAjjs/ You CMU jOtM TKf COAPf OP OUTTrA»wD/ts/C AWD DlS/fe'Wfe* MsCfcWT COW-tCV ClADu^TVf CP kU ACAOfMJC MA/OAf WHO COMMIT TWO Yf AfLf TO TCACH ihJ QOk. WAT/OWI MOtT WWftCA-lXfOUACCO fCHOOi-f. I INFORMATION SESSION Thursday, November 9,2000 • 7:00 p.m. University of Nebraska, Lincoln Nebraska Union, 14th & R Sheets TEACHFORAMEMCA « F-tfcO-TPA-iZJO WWW.T^ACNrOAAMEArCA.OAC fECOWD APPLICATION DEADLlWE If JAnoAKY *6,200 *