Son of Arkansas

by Brian Weberg

A few years back, when Bill Gwatney still served in the Arkansas State Senate, I interviewed him for a comprehensive study that NCSL was conducting to help the legislature prepare for massive turnover about to  occur due to term limits.  At that time I was pretty comfortable in the halls of the Capitol in Little Rock, having participated in a couple other projects for the legislature in previous years.  It's a small place and you get to know people.  I knew a little about Gwatney, his car-dealership private life and ambitious, confident style.  He had the look and the sound of someone going somewhere important.  He had energy and that combination of sly quick wit and charismatic charm that seemed to be a trademark of successful Arkansas politicians of the day. 

Yesterday, when the news first broke about the shootings at the Arkansas Democratic Party Headquarters in Little Rock, I figured I would know something about who was there.  I did not know that Senator Gwatney had become Chairman Gwatney and that he was the target of the shooter.  First reports were of critical injury to the chairman. Then quickly the tragedy turned horrific.  Gwatney had been killed. 

In that interview about term limits, Gwatney was passionate, animated and direct.  He hated term limits for personal and institutional reasons.  They were ending his legislative career prematurely and he still had things to do at the Capitol.  To paraphrase from my memory, he said to me, "Look Brian, I'm a young man, I'm smart and capable and have a successful business.  I choose to run for office and I do a good job.  The people benefit when I'm here and when others like me are here, and term limits runs us out in our prime.  It doesn't make sense."  No level of analysis could substitute for the impact of that interview on my thinking about term limits.

After the study and after Gwatney left the Senate, I lost touch with his career only to be informed so cruelly yesterday about how it ended. I'll remember him as a straight talking car salesman legislator who cut through the crap and said things that some others might not say. My thoughts are with his family and with the people lucky enough to know him better than I was able to.

Here are the words of Governor Mike Beebe upon learning the news:

Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend. There is deep
pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney.  Along with thousands of other Arkansans, Ginger and I are trying to come to terms with such a shocking and senseless attack.  We ask all Arkansans to keep the Gwatney family in your thoughts and prayers.

Comments

[Steve Harrelson]

Nice article, Brian.

Steve

[Lynda Englehart]

Bill Gwatney was a pleasure to know. I can appreciate someone who has a high level of self-confidence. Those are the people we don’t have to worry about so much, which makes our loss even harder felt. He was smart, gutsy, dynamic and unassuming. When I think about him, I see that great smile! Thanks for writing about him, Brian. Lynda

[Bend it like Brentham]

That's awful, how had I not heard of this shooting? Great article, it sounds like we lost a great man that day.