McCloskey was dedicated pol (Former U.S. Rep. Frank McCloskey dies)

[IndianaGreen]

McCloskey was dedicated pol
Former U.S. Representative, mayor, county Democratic chairman dies of bladder cancer.

By Bill Ruthhart
November 2, 2003

BLOOMINGTON -- Former U.S. Rep. Frank McCloskey died Sunday afternoon in his home after a long battle with bladder cancer.

McCloskey, 64, was diagnosed with cancer in September 2002, and was hospitalized from Oct. 18 to 30. He then returned to his Bloomington home where he spent his final days with family.

But even in the hospital, McCloskey focused on his life's work -- politics.

"When I went in to visit him in the hospital, he didn't even say hello," said Monroe County Democratic Party Vice Chairwoman Regina Moore. Instead, he wanted to be sure a poll worker would stop by so he could cast his ballot in the Nov. 4 election. Moore said he asked, " 'Can we get someone here, to vote me, because I'm not sure I'll be around in a few days.' "

http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/089083-2431-092.html

[VolcanoJen]

1. RIP, Rep. McCloskey.

:-(

[Judi Lynn]

2. Very sad.

(snip) Bloomington city Councilor Dave Rollo said he became close friends with McCloskey after working for his campaign. "He gave so much to the community that I feel somewhat robbed that we lost Frank," he said. (snip/)

Sounds completely irreplaceable.

[salin]

3. I feel a great loss.

I went to visit him in the hospital just over a week ago. It was good news when he got to return home. While many of us who knew him hoped for the best at his release home, it was wishful thinking.

And yes, per the story, when I went to visit him, local politics and elections came into the room.

But not just local, and not just politics. While in the hospital - he received a call from the premier (prime minister? correct title?) of Bosnia. Frank became very involved in the burgeoning democracy movement in the various countries of the former Yugoslavia.

He will be missed greatly, not just in Bloomington, or south central Indiana - but in a range of places (including Bosnia and Kosovo). God Bless you Frank, and may peace be with your family.

[salin]

4. "I feel somewhat robbed that we lost Frank"

says city councilman Rollo... this sums up my sentiments to a tee.

[salin]

5. please join me on the lounge thread - dedicated to Frank:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=356235

Even if you didn't know of him - read a little and be inspired - he was a true progressive, and took some big political risks to do the right thing. We need more Frank McCloskey's.

[juajen]

6. I'm sad, too, IG

A good American. May he rest in peace.

[RainDog]

7. A good and decent man

I'm so sorry to hear that Frank has died. He would stop by my place of work whenever he was in good enough health and we would talk about the issue du jour.

I would send him emails with articles, or give him print outs of various editorials or speeches, too. He was always encouraging to me and said he was glad I was "politically aware."

Maybe it would be a good thing to read A Problem From Hell, by Samantha Power, in honor of Frank. He is featured in this book, which won a Pulitzer, because of his efforts to stop genocide in the former Yugoslavian states.

[salin]

8. Rain Dog

I would love to get a copy of this book. Sounds like a good way to begin to honor Frank.

[RainDog]

9. I just got a copy of the H/T, and if there was ever a

piece of crap for a newspaper, this one is surely it.

First of all, the business editor wrote the story. He failed to mention so many important things about McCloskey's work, including the reference to the Samantha Power book, which, you'd think if it won a Pultizer, would be worth a mention.

Then, the hack who passes as a senior reporter, Kurt Van der Dussen, has a front page article (starts there...I guess for "fairness" with this convoluted first sentence:

"The man who is as synonymous with Republican politics in Greene County as lame-duck Linton Mayor Jimmie K. Wright is with its Democratic politics is getting close to retirement."

This rates a front page story when the man who achieved the most of any Bloomington politician dies. McCloskey doesn't even get the main headline, either.

Maybe he died to late for their deadline...I don't know the time that McCloskey died, but I do know the H/T deadline for regular articles is 3 p.m.

For those interested in small town republican dirty tricks, you should follow the trial of Scott Wells. If anyone is interested I can tell you about it in another thread, but you can read about it via The Bloomington Alternative...and get some news from the Herald Times. However, I believe the newspaper had to retract things it wrote about Wells at the time of his arrest, again demonstrating what a piece of crap newspaper this city has to deal with.

In the interests of disclosure, I should mention that I had applied for a job at the H/T but could not even get called for an interview. I suppose I was underqualified since I was only Phi Beta Kappa, was nominated to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship by my dept (but couldn't because you can't be married, which I was, to apply), I also received awards for my undergraduate research from my dept and also from the liberal arts-wide honors division for outstanding student. I had an NEA grant in media in 95 and wrote for indie prods, a magazine, and all while taking care of two small children and dealing with a husband with major medical problems.

...but maybe I wasn't overqualified, because after I met an editor of one of the parts of the paper, I was hired to do freelance without ever bothering to look at my resume...but I knew someone the editor knew, so I guess that made me qualified.

anyway, sorry to go off on a thread about McCloskey, but this whole thing certainly fits because McCloskey did many, many things to make the city more than a backwater whose only redeeming feature was a major university located within the city limits.

At this time, the city faces the threat of developer greed trashing what could be an interesting city because of their love of stores like Menards rather than local business/development.