R.I.P. Bill Cochran, arguably Floyd County's last dynastic Democrat.

In January of 2009, when Bill Cochran left the Indiana House, I was 48 years old. He had been my state representative since I was a sophomore in high school. Ed Clere, his successor by the narrowest of margins, was just eight months old when Cochran took office in 1975.

For local Democrats, Cochran has proven to be irreplaceable. Since 2010, they're run five different candidates against Clere, sans discernible traction. Up, down or sideways, 34 years is nothing to sneeze at, and we'll probably not see the likes of him again, maybe from either party.

Click through for the whole story.

Bill Cochran, former state representative, dies, by Chris Morris (New Albany Coverage as a Last Resort)

Represented District 72 for 34 years

NEW ALBANY — William C. Cochran, a New Albany native who served 34 years as a state representative, died early Thursday morning after a sudden illness, according to Floyd County Democratic Party Chairman Adam Dickey. He was 84.

Cochran was active in local politics most of his life. He was a 1952 graduate of New Albany High School and is a member of the school's hall of fame.

Cochran served District 72 during his three-plus decades in the state Legislature, and helped secure funding for the development of the Indiana University Southeast campus. He received a Distinguished Service Medal from IUS.

Dirty but done: Cochran, Clere and DeNiro ... as young Vito Corleone.

Negative campaigning, also known more colloquially as "mudslinging", is trying to win an advantage by referring to negative aspects of an opponent or of a policy rather than emphasizing one's own positive attributes or preferred policies. In the broadest sense, the term covers any rhetoric which refers to an opponent, if only by way of contrast, but can also include attacks meant to destroy an opponent's character, which may veer into ad hominem.

--Wikipedia

By a razor-thin margin on Tuesday, Republican political newcomer Ed Clere bested incumbent Democrat Bill Cochran, a 34-year veteran of the Indiana House of Representatives (District 72).

Speaking personally, I have nothing against Cochran. I’ve voted for him many times previously, and in the end, I voted for him again in 2008 – although not because his candidacy gave me the warm fuzzies.

Far from it. My intention had been to vote for Clere. On the morning of the election, I still had a Clere sign in my yard in spite of a weekend’s worth of discussion and handwringing in the Confidential household (see below). I had considered removing the sign, but had neither the time nor the inclination to do so.

No sense admitting that I’d allowed myself to be duped. I ceased giving a damn either way, and just wanted it to be over so the bad taste might begin to be washed away.

It wasn’t until early Tuesday afternoon, when I was leaving the house to go to work after an early visit to the polls, that I noticed someone had uprooted the sign, turned it upside down, and replanted it in the same spot.

Imagine that. Overt symbolism, not petty vandalism … and in irony-free New Albany, no less.

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There’s little need to feel sorrow over Cochran’s departure from the political scene. He undoubtedly accomplished much of merit during his seeming lifetime in power, and while he may have been no better than dozens of other Hoosiers to have held a state legislative office, he surely was no worse. Unfortunately, his sense of timing finally betrayed him, because apart from the case in favor of Clere, there were a handful of legitimate reasons to be wary about what proved to be Cochran’s final re-election campaign.

One was the sheer longevity of Cochran’s incumbency, and the way that such hoary tenures tend to sap the lifeblood of creativity and fresh thinking from the seat’s holder. In the end, Cochran was reduced to making the very worst argument in favor of continuing in his position (paraphrased): I’ve been there forever and am so well connected that you might as well keep me.

A trace of idealism and a smidgen of excitement would have been appreciated. Instead, we got the functionary’s rote repetition: I can fix things for you. The fatigue and the disconnection were sadly palpable, and as a result, Cochran was politically vulnerable.

There also were related questions pertaining to Cochran’s age and health, and while these weren’t openly raised, they were quietly discussed. I heard them often. Cochran seems well liked, and it’s understandable that folks didn’t want to embarrass him. That’s commendable. Like I’ve already noted, in spite of my doubts, I eventually voted for the man again.

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Why did I?

Because my state’s centralized Rovepublicans took an "interest" in the match, disgracefully swiftboated Cochran with two barrages of nasty postcard mailings and a final pre-election weekend of attack television ads cut from the same cloth … and the latter, shockingly, proved to have been financed by the local campaign committee of the winning candidate, Clere, who originally disavowed a connection with the monied, autonomous cash dispenser whose ads he apparently ended up paying to air.

He disavowed it here, right in this very space. Wow.

I was left to ponder two pertinent questions.

Am I now annoyed because Clere was (treading ever so carefully through the thesaurus) disingenuous with us -- and, by extension, I was too much of a rube to do anything except take his earnest denials at face value?

Or, do I actually feel a grudging admiration for Clere’s clarity of ruthlessness in deploying an ends-justify-the-means strategy to topple the wobbly kingpin and seize the reins?

Right now, I’m leaning toward ignoring the first and answering the second of these questions in the affirmative, acknowledging that what’s done is done, and moving on. All indications are that Clere will be a responsive representative (why am I being nagged by the words "One Southern Indiana?), but future challengers should take note.

This new kid doesn’t fool around. He cooed sweet nothings ever so gently to the progressives, effectively silenced us, and then swung one damned fat stick against the old guy – who didn’t see it coming, and as a result, was decapitated in political terms.

Consequently, fairly or unfairly, and notwithstanding the other factors leading to Cochran’s defeat, the incumbent’s ouster will forever be remembered hereabouts as owing to the spate of disgusting, negative ads unleashed against him.

Yes, in most significant ways, that’s politics. Always has been, probably always will be, but as Mr. Clere Goes to Indianapolis with a garrot secreted in his pocket, there’s a palpable sense of Hamlet’s ghost floating somewhere nearby. I'm straining to hear what he has to say.

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As a coda, the Courier-Journal offered these observations.

Republicans targeted the race but did not reveal their plans until the closing weeks when they and pro-GOP groups dumped more than $143,000 in cash and in-kind contributions into Clere's campaign …

… "(Voters) are looking for change at all levels, and this is no exception," Clere said. "I think they're ready for a new voice and fresh ideas."

All of which leaves one final question unanswered.

If Clere’s victory owes in any way to these eleventh-hour slimings, how does any of it constitute “fresh ideas”?

Now that it's finished, I suppose we’ll see.

District 72 disappointment: A straight denunciation of attack ads without qualification? Sadly, perhaps too much for us to expect.

Disappointment?

Bluegill, that makes two of us … and I suspect the number will be growing.

Thanks to my co-editor for pointing to this earlier today. In Disappointed. Already., he describes viewing a political attack ad on television:

In the middle of it, I see Richard Nixon. And Elvis. And an old photo of Bill Cochran smoking a cigarette. Apparently, I was supposed to be outraged that taxes have been raised since 1974 and believe that dead people are somehow forced to write checks posthumously to pay them.

Recognizing the text and images as the same tripe that's been stacked in my mailbox lately, the only outrage I felt was directed at the state Republican party for not honoring Ed Clere's request to stop the insulting cannonade.

Then I saw "Paid for by www.edclere.com" at the bottom of the screen. And that wasn't funny, either.

I don't watch television, so my personal disappointment came a bit later. I stopped laughing over morning coffee and the Tribune, where reporter Daniel Suddeath brings the general public up to date on the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee's snail mailings on Bill Cochran, to which we’ve already devoted much discussion in the blogosphere.

Below the belt in Indiana District 72?, by Daniel Suddeath.

A knife dangles from an outstretched hand. Dirty fingernails clasp around its handle. This menacing image might encourage New Albany residents to lock their doors out of fear. But it’s not a scene from a horror movie. It’s a photograph slapped onto a political flier attacking District 72 State Rep. Bill Cochran for a 1994 vote against House Bill 1335. The bill, among other amendments, included stiffening sentences for convicted cult or ritualistic child abusers.

Previously, Ed Clere discussed the mailings in a statement at NAC.

Clere: "I am interested in substance, and no postcard can change that."

I had no prior knowledge of the postcard featuring a dirty, knife-wielding hand, and my immediate reaction was visceral. I’m sure that was the intent. The piece was conceived, produced and paid for by an arm of the Indiana Republican Party, and I did not know it was coming until it arrived in my mailbox.

I have been trying to run a positive campaign. Anyone who has heard me talk will agree that my focus is on what I would do, not on what Bill Cochran has or hasn’t done. A particular 1994 vote (the subject of the mailer), whether right or wrong, is of little relevance to me or any other reader of this blog. We are concerned about the future, and we vote based on substantive information, not scare tactics.

Far too many voters, however, vote based on misinformation and exaggerated, out-of-context claims. Our discourse is reduced to sound bites and colorful postcards that inflame rather than inform. In August, I challenged Bill Cochran to a series of debates, and he declined. The vacuum that remains is filled with assumptions, prejudices, “name recognition” and, yes, postcards.

I have contacted the state party and expressed my concerns about the mail piece. I don’t know what else, if anything, may be on the way. I hope any future pieces will focus on me and what I hope to accomplish in Indianapolis. I can’t guarantee they will.

Obviously, they haven’t stopped, but Rovepublican politics as usual is not the reason for my personal disappointment. It is these comments by Clere in this morning’s Tribune article, suggesting that the candidate is becoming more comfortable with the idea of the state committee sliming Cochran from afar (italics mine).

“I had no prior knowledge of any of the mailings. At the same time, I’m thankful the state party has taken an interest in my race,” he said. “I would have perhaps chosen to communicate the message in a more positive manor. But the message itself is based on his record.”

And …

Clere said the fliers could be a vacuum effect from lack of debates. He said Cochran would not agree to any debates, though Clere claims he first requested three to be held in August.

Hmm. It's not about his record, but it is, and anyway, it's his fault for not debating.

As an alternative, maybe "the mailings are disgusting, period" might be a more succinct way of expressing the truth of the matter, but that leaves unexplained the paid television ad, so leave it to the incumbent, Cochran, to see matters with crystal clarity (italics mine).

“It’s all just half the truth,” (Cochran) said. “I don’t even want to acknowledge [the fliers]. It will probably energize my supporters more than anything else.”

Yep.

Conversely, among thoroughly annoyed Clere supporters like me, and in spite of the last-minute nature of the process, it may well initiate the great District 72 rethink of 2008 ... and that's a gut-wrenching thing, indeed.

Disappointed. Already.

I made the mistake of watching Saturday Night Live last night thinking that Ben Affleck and John McCain on the same show might be funny.

It wasn't, and I had to sit through an incredibly unimaginative pelting of McCain's fear mongering commercials to find out.

In the middle of it, I see Richard Nixon. And Elvis. And an old photo of Bill Cochran smoking a cigarette. Apparently, I was supposed to be outraged that taxes have been raised since 1974 and believe that dead people are somehow forced to write checks posthumously to pay them.

Recognizing the text and images as the same tripe that's been stacked in my mailbox lately, the only outrage I felt was directed at the state Republican party for not honoring Ed Clere's request to stop the insulting cannonade.

Then I saw "Paid for by www.edclere.com" at the bottom of the screen. And that wasn't funny, either.

Open thread: Cochran defends his House District 72 seat against Clere.

NAC devoted three postings earlier this month to the District 72 (Indiana House of Representatives) race between incumbent Bill Cochran (D) and challenger Ed Clere (R).

Courier confuses chronology in otherwise solid preview of the Cochran vs. Clere District 72 house race.

Open thread: Cochran vs. Clere, District 72.

Clere: "I am interested in substance, and no postcard can change that."

I’ve found Cochran’s case for incumbency eerily similar to Mitch McConnell’s in the latter's bid to carry on as Senator from Kentucky in spite of being joined at the hip with George W. Bush. Paraphrased, it goes something like this:

I’ve been here so long, and I have accrued so much influence, you’d be foolish to turn me out.

Perhaps, but if that’s the case, why do we even bother having elections?

How did Cochran get elected in the first place?

It seems to me that the local Democratic machine venerates Cochran as an elder political statesman of sorts, and I fully understand that bringing home the bacon, and a three-decade long winning streak, have ways of guaranteeing the respect of your fellow practitioners.

At the same time, I’ve listened in vain for quite some time, waiting forlornly for Cochran to take positions on the local issues that we debate on a regular basis here at NAC. That the incumbent is a master of the art of re-election is obvious, but what I’d like to see is a system that doesn’t depend on the personal intervention of a 34-year political veteran to accomplish something.

What does he really think about our civic problems, ranging from slumlords to the continued starvation of local government by state and federal entities? Occasional smatterings of philosophy and theory would be a welcomed development, and Clere has provided them, both in words and his actions within the community.

At this point in time, there are other questions of a tactical political nature (think: timing) that should be asked, but I don’t need to ask them aloud to justify voting for Clere. He’s smart, civic-minded and willing to engage in give and take.

ELECTION Q&A: Indiana House - District 72 (New Albany Tribune)

Open thread: Cochran vs. Clere, District 72.

On Tuesday, NAC briefly considered the District 72 race, pitting longtime Democratic incumbent Bill Cochran against Republican challenger Ed Clere.

Courier confuses chronology in otherwise solid preview of the Cochran vs. Clere District 72 house race.

I’m getting a strong sense that several readers want to discuss this a bit further, so here’s the chance. My voting preference remains with Clere, but at the same time, I’m glad that El Bastard posted this comment last night.

I recently received a flier in my mailbox (one of many) from the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee which helped me decide to vote against Cochran's opponent. The flier depicts a filthy hand gripping a switchblade, and reads "Bill Cochran voted against increasing the penalty for cult and ritualistic child abusers." The flier purports this to be "HB 1335 (roll call 80) 1994." A quick search of the internet reveals only a marriage bill named HB 1335. However, this isn't the point. The point is that I'm pissed off by the GOP's fear-mongering in this case. This alleged bill is dated 14 years ago, and most educated people regard ritual abuse to be little more than a myth. Unless Clere speaks up and denounces these scare tactics, I'm voting for Cochran.

Larry Summers answered:

Ed did not know anything about the literature that was sent out by the party prior to being notified by people like me.

In fact, months ago he was told that the party was going to focus on other political races rather than his. It has been a surprise to me, someone that has followed his campaign very closely, that the state has even changed course.

Thanks, Larry, and I understand the propaganda’s off-premise source, but I’m with El Bastard on this point. Our household has received at least three different versions of the flier in question, and speaking personally, I find them abhorrent in the same appeal-to-utter-stupidity manner of the antique dealer’s casual racism. Surely there’s a higher plane of discussion as pertains to this interesting race, particularly from those who attended the face-to-face at S. Ellen Jones on Tuesday.

Experience vs. new ideas? Discussion, anyone?

Courier confuses chronology in otherwise solid preview of the Cochran vs. Clere District 72 house race.

Late note: The two candidates for the Indiana House of Representatives District 72 seat will appear together tonight at the monthly meeting of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association. The meeting is at 6:30 at S. Ellen Jones Elementary School. Incumbent Democrat Bill Cochran and his challenger, Republican Ed Clere, will each have 10 minutes to speak, and attendees will have a chance to meet the candidates and ask questions.

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Aside from a slight problem with numbers adding up (see below), the C–J’s preview of Indiana’s District 72 race pretty much touches the relevant bases.

Challenger Ed Clere says that new ideas (and new faces) are good.

Longtime incumbent Bill Cochran points to his record as a cautious functionary.

If that doesn’t summarize the American political conundrum, I can’t think of a better example. We pound fists on the barroom table, demanding term limits, and then rush to vote for a legislator who won his first primary when Richard Nixon was still abusing his office. I certainly don’t blame Cochran for stressing his experience, and he has a valid point that such savvy is quite useful to his district.

At the same time, I’m unaware of any instance of Cochran taking a substantive (palpable?) position on local New Albanian affairs to the extent that Ed Clere has, both in words and in deeds.

Furthermore, wouldn't it be better not to need "fixers" in government? With a functional, professional bureaucracy and the equitable application of rule of law (did Dan Coffey just shudder?), elected officials might have the latitude do be more like statesmen and less like janitors.

Indeed, change is the only constant in life, and it requires adjustments ... like the cognitive dissonance that comes from knowing that you’ll be voting for more Republicans than Democrats this time out.

Political newcomer challenging Cochran for House seat; Race boils down to new ideas vs. experience, by Lesley Stedman Weidenbener.

INDIANAPOLIS -- One of the state's longest-serving lawmakers is facing a challenge from a political newcomer 25 years his junior.

State Rep. Bill Cochran, D-New Albany, was first elected to represent District 72 in 1974, the year Jeffersonville real estate agent Ed Clere was born.

But while Cochran, 59, maintains that experience has been essential to making sure the district gets its fair share of the state's budget, Clere, 34, believes the region needs some fresh ideas and energy.

"We need representation that is in touch with the people of District 72 and Southern Indiana at large," said Clere, who lives in New Albany and owns Dragonfly Realty. "We need representation and leadership focused on the future."

Cochran argued just the opposite, saying that "a new voice doesn't get heard too well in Indianapolis."

"I have the networking I've made over the years. I have friends all over the state and at state agencies that can be contacted for various constituent problems," Cochran said. "A phone call to them can help constituents having problems with licensing, permits and other problems."

Did you catch the error?

Wikipedia has this to say about Bill Cochran's DOB: August 25, 1934 (1934-08-25) (age 74).

Just for the sake of accuracy, this makes the 74-year-old Cochran 40 years Clere's senior, not 25.

Candidates, masterplans, and learning to see while not hearing any of it.

Two instructive events took place in New Albany last night. One was a meet the candidate affair sponsored by the Uptown Neighborhood Association to better facilitate communication with District 72 State Representative candidates Ed Clere and Bill Cochran. Cochran was reportedly a no show.

The other, a not well publicized meeting at the Library to discuss the future of riverfront land including Main Street and the levee from the Sherman Minton Bridge to East Sixth Street. (Thanks to those who emailed.) A September Tribune article by Daniel Suddeath provides some background on the plan for a masterplan.

The bluegills were busy installing an exhibition of blind and visually impaired artists sponsored by The American Printing House for the Blind and weren't able to attend either one. It opens today at the Seelbach at 1:00 pm and runs until noon Saturday in Mezzanine Salon D.

Now would be a great time for a singalong, assuming someone out there knows the words from the meetings. The comments floor is yours.

Tonight: Meet the candidates uptown.

The Uptown Neighborhood Association is hosting a meet and greet for District 72 State Representative candidates this evening. Democratic incumbent Bill Cochran and Republican challenger Ed Clere will be on hand for conversation and questions.

The meeting begins at 7:00 PM in the basement of the Silver Street United Methodist Church, located directly behind the Swifty fuel mart at the corner of Spring & Silver Streets.