Picture this: the most interesting man in Wyoming is
surrounded by his beautiful wife, his pretty daughters in law, daughter and
pretty granddaughters. He raises a glass in a toast and looks into the camera
and says:
“I don’t
normally drink, but when I do . . . I drink Wyoming Whiskey.”
That could be
the key line in a TV commercial as a takeoff of the amazing beer campaign that
got me thinking a few weeks ago about just who is the most interesting man or
woman in Wyoming?
After putting
it to a vote of my readers, retired U. S. Senator Al Simpson of Cody won
hands-down.
And
coincidentally, he was featured recently at a promotion for the Wyoming Whiskey
distillery where he had his own barrel of bourbon made. Big Al carefully and methodically signed and
numbered all 216 bottles in his name.
Here is Al Simpson`s toast at the
Wyoming Whiskey party:
"My friends, I had not intended
to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want
you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a
stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it
might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I
feel about whiskey.
"If when you say whiskey you
mean the devil`s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles
innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty,
yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean
the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of
righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair,
and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.
"But, if when you say whiskey
you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is
consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and
laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you
mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in
the old gentleman`s step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink
which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if
only for a little while, life`s great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows;
if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold
millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little
crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our mute, our pitiful aged and infirm;
to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.
"This is my stand. I will not
retreat from it. I will not compromise." (Note: Simpson was quoting a
fella named Sweat who first spoke these words, back in 1952.)
Other top vote getters were former
Vice President Dick Cheney, Laramie adventurer Mark Jenkins and former
governors Mike Sullivan and Dave Freudenthal.
Historian Phil Roberts also received a lot of votes.
In that recent column, I threw out
the names of about 75 Wyoming folks who I thought might qualify for this
selection.
Several others were nominated who did not make those
original lists who are worthy of mention, for example:
• John Washakie, Starr Weed and
Beatrice Haukaas of the Wind River Indian Reservation were nominated by folks, including
Ross Hopeman, who read my column in the Riverton
Ranger.
• Legislator Richard Cannady of
Glenrock got some votes and was nominated by Joe Barbuto after reading about it
in the Rock Springs Rocket Miner.
• Jim Davis of Evanston was
nominated for his love of Wyoming. He was nominated by Ruth Hughes who read
about this vote in the Evanston Uinta
County Herald.
• Dave Patterson of Powell was
nominated by his brother Tommy Patterson who saw the column in the Powell Tribune.
• Dave Bragonier, a former game
warden, was nominated by Ally McIver, who read my column in the Greybull Standard.
• Jerry Paxton of Encampment and
Kelly Bohanon of Rawlins were nominated by John Farr who reads my column in the
Rawlins Daily Times.
• Gay Hale of Sheridan wants to
nominate several old-timers for this honor, but unfortunately they are
deceased! She reads my column on Sheridan
Online.
• Steve Thulin from Powell was
nominated by Astrid Northrup who read about it in the Powell Tribune.
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