Calvin Jackson Hobson III was one of my favorite Oklahoma politicians. The fact that I say “was” is a sad reflection on a man who served this state well for more than two decades, and as my representative for half that time.

Cal was the first Oklahoma legislator I visited, not long after moving into his District. He was a freshman representative, and I remember his office not being easy to find. We sat and talked at length while he rifled through paperwork. As a 26 year old environmental activist, fresh from California, I picked his brain on everything from nuclear energy to bottle bills, and it was immediately clear that Cal wasn’t a two-bit politician like so many of his colleagues. He showed thoughtful conviction without being condescending. He listened, yet wasn’t shy to disagree when he actually did. I liked him right away.

I wish I could say we became friends, but we never had that type of relationship. We corresponded occasionally; I would send him a recommended stance on a certain issue, usually conservation related, and every once in a while I would get a large envelope with letters and clippings Cal wanted me to see. I only talked to him a few other times after that, mostly at community meetings in Little Axe, where he would not hesitate to come and be lambasted by disgruntled residents over the latest hot button issue that more often than not, he was on the right side of to begin with. His was always the voice of reason in a storm of controversy.

That’s why it’s so disheartening for me to see Sen. Hobson ending his fine career on such a sad note. (NewsOK reg.req.)

Senate President Pro Tem Cal Hobson, who has discussed his alcoholism with fellow lawmakers, plans to relinquish his leadership post during a meeting of House Democrats on Wednesday, sources told The Associated Press .

I don’t know when Cal’s drinking became a problem, but he began losing political favor with me over the past five years or so. Since after being elected a state senator in 1990 and redistricting soon cutting me out of Cal’s district, his political shift didn’t concern me much. When his alcoholism came out, I conveniently blamed his increasing “poor judgement” on his weakness. And I’ll chalk that up to the heavy workload Cal handled so well for so long. Even with the crux of alcoholism, he proved to be a better senator than most.

As Sen. Hobson ends his term, he gets not only my best wishes in tackling his debilitating disease, but also my appreciation for a job well done in serving the people of Oklahoma with such dedication. I may not have been his friend, but he definitely was one to Oklahoma.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005 at 8:59 pm and is filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.