Congressional Quarterly on Harry Mitchell's Statue
The Congressional Quarterly published the following article about the bad ass statue of Harry Mitchell in Tempe.
CQ WEEKLY – VANTAGE POINT
March 27, 2006 – Page 812
A Campaign With Legs
By Marie Horrigan, CQ Staff
Of all the congressional challengers in the country this year, Democrat Harry E. Mitchell may have one advantage both lofty and unique in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. J.D. Hayworth in Arizona — a soaring monument in his hometown of Tempe. “Now, who wouldn’t love that?” Mitchell says of the abstract, 35-foot-tall rendering of himself in steel. What’s more, the statue’s setting is also a tribute to the candidate: It sits — or rather, strides — in the Harry E. Mitchell Government Complex.
“I get teased about it a lot,” the candidate says: “ ‘What, you have a statue? . . . What live person has a statue of them in their own city?’ So that’s kind of embarrassing.”
Locals don’t seem all that abashed about the shrines to Mitchell, a city councilman and mayor for 20 years and a legislator since 1999 — who just last week announced he was quitting the state Senate for his bid to oust Hayward after a dozen years. John Nelson, the local artist who designed the statue, is a registered independent but offers a strong personal endorsement of his subject. “He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s just not a politician. He’s probably not even good at politics.”
I have to admit, I’ve never seen that statue before. But man, now that I have … how PERFECT is it?