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Remembering Senator Slade Gorton

Slade Gorton
Photo credit: United States Senate / Public domain.

Discovery Institute president Steven Buri reached me with the hard news that our greatly valued colleague, Slade Gorton, has died. He was 92, having lived an extraordinarily productive — and exemplary — life. He was a trusted member of the Discovery Institute Board for almost two decades, always pithy and smart. But long before his time on our Board he was an ally and friend for many of us. I have stories about Slade that go back to the early 1960s!

And I don’t think it is widely enough recognized how Slade, after his 40-year political career, continued to nurture newcomers, particularly young people whom he considered to have leadership promise. In coming days there will be myriad tributes to this fine man and his legacy in principles, policy, and people. Please join me in saluting his memory and expressing gratitude for his friendship and service. Some will submit that his kind are gone, but I know that they are still around, because he helped get them there.

Bruce Chapman

Cofounder and Chairman of the Board of Discovery Institute
Bruce Chapman has had a long career in American politics and public policy at the city, state, national, and international levels. Elected to the Seattle City Council and as Washington State's Secretary of State, he also served in several leadership posts in the Reagan administration, including ambassador. In 1991, he founded the public policy think tank Discovery Institute, where he currently serves as Chairman of the Board and director of the Chapman Center on Citizen Leadership.

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Discovery InstitutefriendshipgovernmentgratitudeleadershipmentoringpolicyPoliticssenatorsserviceSlade GortonSteven BuriU.S. Senate