Pubdate: Thu, 14 Feb 2002
Source: Capital Times, The  (WI)
Copyright: 2002 The Capital Times
Contact:  http://www.thecapitaltimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/73
Author: Samara Kalk

Part 1 Of 2

BROTHER ED: ODD MAN COMING IN

He's a smaller, sweeter version of his big brother. But Tommy Thompson's 
there, written all over his face.

During his first Madison fund-raiser Wednesday night, Allan Edward Thompson 
Jr. - better known as "Ed" - practiced his older brother's legendary 
congeniality, which includes physical displays of camaraderie and the 
salesman-like use of a person's name sprinkled through a conversation.

"You're the only one I've seen who's got any common sense," Carlton Hamre 
told Thompson when they were introduced at Jingles Coliseum Bar, where 
about 50 Thompson supporters turned out for a brat and chicken sandwich 
buffet dinner.

After Hamre, a Dane County Board member and chairman of the town of Vienna, 
walked away, Thompson double-checked the man's first name with the reporter 
who was interviewing him. "Carlton," he repeated.

"Usually I'm good with that," he said. "It takes a moment of concentration."

Remembering names is not something he learned from Tommy, who is three 
years his senior and the longest-serving governor in state history. The 
elder Thompson spent 14 years in office until he resigned last year to join 
President Bush's Cabinet.

"I think Tommy picked it up from me," said Thompson, 57, with a grin.

Thompson, who runs a supper club in Tomah, began his political career in 
April 2000 when he was elected mayor of the 8,400-population town 100 miles 
northwest of Madison, or 30 miles northwest of Elroy, where the Thompsons 
were raised. Now running for governor on the Libertarian Party ticket, 
Thompson has yet to get the support of his brother publicly or privately.

He maintains it doesn't bother him.

"Well, he hasn't supported the other guy," shrugged Thompson, sitting in 
the middle of a empty banquet table in the back of the room.

He is not asking for his brother's support, Ed said. "I like it just the 
way he is doing it."

Last month Tommy said he didn't think Ed should run for governor because 
third-party candidates can't win.

At a party in his honor at the Concourse Hotel, Tommy told a reporter: 
"I've talked to him before, and my brother is a lot more hard-headed than I 
am. When he makes up his mind, he goes. You've got to give him credit for 
it. And I wish him well."

Ed Thompson also shook off the fact that his brother - now Secretary of 
Health and Human Services - came to Milwaukee on Monday with President 
George W. Bush to attend a fund-raiser for Gov. Scott McCallum.

Tommy was really there on the podium with Bush, said Thompson. "It didn't 
seem overly warm between him and McCallum."

Josh Thompson, 22, the youngest of Ed's four children and his informal 
campaign manager, said he expected to raise $4,000 from the evening's 
fund-raiser. Before walking into the upstairs banquet room, they had 
already sold 50 tickets and received $2,500.

The suggested donation was $50.

"It's a far cry from the $10,000 for a picture with Bush," said Josh, 
referring to McCallum's Monday night event, where about 200 people paid up 
to $10,000 each to have their picture taken with the president. About 800 
attended the $1,000-per-plate dinner.

"That's $2 million that went to the McCallum campaign," Josh said. By 
comparison, Thompson has raised just more than $100,000 - total.

"Anyone who wants a photo with Ed, we'll give it to them for free," said 
Josh, who is one class away from a degree from the University of 
Wisconsin-Madison, where he is majoring in political science, international 
relations and German.

Josh travels to Madison from his father's campaign headquarters in Tomah 
for class on Monday nights. He started Students for Ed Thompson, which was 
meeting every Monday and now meets every other week.

Sandy Glodowski, 28, a UW law student, is active in the college group. She 
joined the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin a year ago and attended a 
fund-raiser for Thompson in Milwaukee in September.

"I think that libertarianism is a good political ideology," she said, 
putting down her chicken sandwich.

"Democrats and Republicans and our system right now is pretty corrupt with 
the caucuses and fund-raising. I think the state needs a fresh face - 
someone who can listen to the people, someone honest."

Not only does Thompson bring name recognition to his campaign, he also 
brings charisma and enthusiasm, said Libertarian Party of Wisconsin 
chairman Bob Collison.

"Anyone who gets around him likes him and understands that he is an honest, 
truthful, compassionate person," Collison said.

"Ed can get the attention and imagination of what I call the politically 
homeless people - people who are disenfranchised with the old two parties - 
and his message is different from the Republicans and Democrats and that is 
getting back to the concept of limited government with accountability," he 
said.

Adam Dick, an attorney in New York, said he gave up a six-figure salary to 
make $1,800-a-month as Thompson's operations director. The campaign is also 
interested in getting Doug Friedline, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura's former 
campaign manager, but Friedline is asking too much, Josh Thompson said.

"We don't have the money to spend. The campaign is running very efficiently 
right now," he said.

Dick, who grew up in San Antonio, heard about Thompson from a friend in 
Hurley, who suggested he check out the campaign.

"The main thing that really hit me was that Ed was such a good person," 
Dick said. "When you meet Ed you can't help but like him. So I thought I'd 
come out here and help make him the next governor."

In mid-September, Dick and his girlfriend moved to Tomah, where the 
campaign office is around the corner from Thompson's TeePee supper club, 
the restaurant managed by Thompson's fiance, Tina Turner, and his 
29-year-old son, Allan Edward Thompson III, or "Chip."

Among his Madison supporters, Thompson can count marijuana legalization 
advocate Ben Masel, who arrived at the fund-raiser early and stuffed $42 
into a Thompson campaign envelope.

Masel first met Thompson last summer in Tomah, while Masel was touring the 
state to promote a hemp-powered vehicle. Thompson made a mayoral 
proclamation in support of the hemp car.

In Tomah, Masel said he stopped in a couple of convenience stores and asked 
local teenagers to assess Thompson.

"They said they were getting a lot less harassment since Ed took over," 
Masel said.

Matt Treadaway, who started Matt's Express, a freight hauling and moving 
company in 1984, came to the event with his father, Gayle, who made a $100 
donation.

It was his first political event he'd ever attended, he said.

"I'm definitely not a Democrat supporter," said Treadaway. "The deficit is 
getting so high it concerns me. I, myself, would like to see someone in 
office that can manage money. I don't think the Democrats can do that."

Thompson's day in Madison Wednesday started with an early morning visit to 
John "Sly" Sylvester's WTDY radio show, where Thompson was warmly received 
by callers. Then he spoke to the Golden Key Kiwanis Club meeting at Mount 
Olive Lutheran Church. At noon he did an interview with the UW student 
newspaper The Daily Cardinal.

One of his themes: He is "totally convinced there is corruption in our 
government."

Is that an indictment of the past four Tommy Thompson administrations?

"I don't believe Tommy's corrupt. I believe it's corrupt now," Thompson said.

Instead, Thompson kept focusing on the current caucus scandal and blaming 
Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen and Democratic Senate Majority 
Leader Chuck Chvala.

"I know Tommy's heart and I know in his heart he's not corrupt. Politics 
is. And I believe that politics corrupts. Tommy's a career politician. I am 
not - nor do I intend to be."

Nevertheless, he is learning the political ropes - and fast.

On Friday, a reporter from the Washington Post will arrive to spend five 
days with him.

The itinerary includes a Friday fish fry at the TeePee and a Saturday night 
boxing match in Janesville that Thompson, a former boxer, will help to 
officiate.

The reporter will also follow Thompson to a meeting with ABATE, a state 
group against a federally mandated motorcycle helmet law, and to the senior 
center in Tomah that Thompson helped set up.
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MAP posted-by: Beth