Politics Makes Strange Befellows, and Frat Brothers

[Freddie Stubbs]

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

Published: April 26, 2004


As a Democratic candidate for Senate, Tony Knowles, a former governor of Alaska, would seem to have little in common with President Bush. The two men hold different views on an array of issues, like abortion, taxes and civil liberties. And Mr. Knowles is trying to oust the Republican incumbent, Lisa Murkowski, whom Mr. Bush is working hard to re-elect.

Yet the two men are brothers - that is, fraternity brothers.

As if there aren't enough former Yalies seeking office this year (more on this later), Mr. Knowles can now be added to the list. Like the president, the former Alaska governor is a member of the Yale University Class of 1968. And like Mr. Bush, Mr. Knowles belongs to Delta Kappa Epsilon, DKE, a fraternity whose members were not exactly known for their studious habits. Mr. Bush was once DKE president.

Most astute observers of politics know by now that both Mr. Bush and the presumptive Democratic nominee, John Kerry, were members of Skull & Bones, the secret society, while they were at Yale. (Mr. Kerry graduated in 1966.) Careful followers of Yale trivia might also know that Howard Dean, Mr. Kerry's onetime rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, is also a Yalie, Class of '71. Mr. Knowles said he did not know either Mr. Kerry or Dr. Dean. But he squirmed a bit in his seat when asked about Mr. Bush.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/26/politics/trail/27TRAIL-FRAT.html