Many people don't know this, but I grew up attending rodeos. My father, at one time a team-roper, instilled a love for this sport in me at an early age. I even achieved momentary fame one year when I fell into the arena of the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. But those stories are for another day.
Today, its a time for mourning for those in the rodeo world, as well as many politicos, as former Congressman and world-renown rodeo announcer Clem McSpadden has passed away after battling cancer. He touched the lives of countless Americans in both worlds, and will be missed in the rodeo and political arenas. Never again will we hear his voice over the speakers at some dusty roping event or see him walk the halls of the Capitol.
My own personal stories about him are numerous, but my favorite actually is from a congressional campaign I was involved in working against Mr. McSpadden [I never could call him Clem] several years ago.
The candidate wasn't particularly well-versed in rodeo etiquette, nor was he really aware of McSpadden's power in that world. You see, if you never attended an event that Mr. McSpaddend was announcing, or felt the power of hearing him recite his Cowboy's Prayer, then you have missed out on something that is deeply American and especially Oklahoman. Generations of people in our state, particularly in rural parts, grew up listening to him, and revered him. Unfortunately, this candidate knew more of his political persona than this other side of Mr. McSpadden.
So, we went to our first rodeo [literally, not figuratively] where he was announcing. I had warned the candidate and the staff that this wasn't going to be a very good event for us, as once Mr. McSpadden did his thing, we were going to be likely out of favor with the crowd. Yet, on we pressed to the Pryor rodeo.
It was a great summer evening for the event, after some rain the skies had cleared and it was un-seasonably cool. The event began as so many others have for years and years in small town America, with the pledge, the singing of the National Anthem while a lone rider held a flag in the arena, and then, the prayer. This was when Clem McSpadden could truly shine. While he was fantastic announcing throughout any rodeo, emceeing a political event or even recording commercials, when reciting this particular passage, he captivated every individual in the arena. People stood, removed their hats, bowed their heads and even held hands as he led them in a simple, yet powerful prayer.
Then, after this deep display of religious emotion, as he held all of these people with their attention focused singly on his voice, he did what he always did. He introduced a friend. Not just any friend, but the candidate he was supporting, the candidate we were running against in that hotly-contested primary. I had seen it before, it had been my candidate many times, but not this year, this was the first time I had stood on the other side of this power.
"Folks I want to introduce you to a friend of mine" he would begin in his rich baritone with its recognizable drawl. "I've known him for a lotta years, and not many a better man have I ever met." High praise from a man who knew thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. "He's running for Congress this year, and I think he'd make a pretty good one" this endorsement many a candidate would have sold his family to receive, but the best part was yet to come. "Now, I won't tell you who to vote for, but I will tell ya' who I'm votin' for, my friend Bill Settle."
There it was. Simple. Gentle. Elegant. Never over-bearing, just a suggestion that this was a good man, and maybe you might consider him on election day. Right, and maybe you should call your mother on mother's day.
We didn't stay long after that. It seemed every person there, even the kids wanted to shake Settle's hand that night, so we headed on out. Later, we won the race, and Mr. McSpadden was as gracious as ever in offering to help us in the General Election. And I'll tell you this - never was I happier to be back on his side in a fight!
Clem McSpadden will be remembered for many things, by many people from all walks of life. But for me, it will always be for his decent and honest manor. We didn't always agree, but you could trust him, and you sure wanted him on your side in any arena in which you found yourself, political or otherwise.
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