Colorado, Wednesday, November 29, 1995
Gonzo journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (D) may be “mellowing like a fine bourbon,” but to his “political foes” in Roaring Fork Valley, Thompson is “still scary as the plague of cockroaches he fears may be invading” his area. Thompson “had been pretty much keeping to himself” following his narrow loss in a race for Aspen sheriff in ‘70, but was “roused to action” before election day ‘95 by a proposal to expand air traffic into Aspen’s airport; the traffic would have flown over his house.
“Few can match faxes” with Thompson. His “manifesto” against the depredations of increased Aspen development read: “The time has come for the whole human community of the Roaring Fork Valley to say that we will accept no more garbage coming out of Aspen.” It ended with the line: “There is some shit we won’t eat.”
Thompson and his “coalition” of Colorado citizens defeated the initiative. Following the victory, under Thompson’s “vociferous leadership,” someone “floated the idea” of a run for retiring Sen. Hank Brown’s (R) seat. The field is “wide open” for the Democratic nomination and he “figures he would start with a 20 percent support base.” Thompson said of his potential candidacy, “It might be worth it just to keep them honest.” In the meantime, Thompson is writing a script for a CBS cop series for his friend, actor Don Johnson, writing about motorcycles for Cycle World and Men’s Journal, and working on his novel, “Polo is My Life.”
Asked whether he would be interested in writing about the ‘96 presidential campaign, Thompson said, “I couldn’t do it,” especially if it pitted Bob Dole against President Clinton. He said Dole “belongs where he is” and Clinton is “white trash” who is “counting on people choosing him as the lesser of two evils.” Thompson said he was “suckered” into endorsing Clinton into ‘92: “Clinton is like the ‘Manchurian Candidate.’ He has no identity of his own except being on his presidential track since meeting JFK in the Rose Garden at age 14”.
Weller, AP/Denver Post, 11/26
