The Work of Art Hamilton

The hearing was rushed to April 8, and when the committee refused Hamilton's request to have an attorney present, he stormed out. Foster and McLendon ultimately refused to testify as well.

Nonetheless, the next day, the committee overwhelmingly agreed to drop the case.

Republicans and Democrats alike flooded the letters pages in the daily newspapers brimmed with letters of support for Hamilton.

But in victory, Hamilton found defeat.
"Again I let myself be vulnerable, and I let my caucus be vulnerable because I lost my temper," he says.

Art Hamilton will have to pull a bigger coup to win the secretary of state race. In January he will be gone from the Legislature. He won't speculate on where he'll go because he won't concede any chance that he'll lose his election. He's never lost one before.

He told New Times that he wouldn't reclaim his seat in the Legislature. He would consider a federal appointment in Phoenix, but not a federal appointment based in Washington, D.C. Congress is out, he says, because with two-year terms, congressmen spend more time running for office than following an agenda. But U.S. senator? That, he admits, would be worth pursuing. But first he has a House term to finish and a tough campaign for secretary of state.

Kathi Foster waxes philosophic on Hamilton's career in the minority.
"The man's been there half his life," she says. "And you know what? This is a man who for all those years and all the great things he's done, he's never had an opportunity to chair a committee, to really pass legislation, to be in any kind of real leadership position. That has to be frustrating for a man of his intelligence."

Hamilton refuses to comment on what he might have done. He summons up a verse from Max Ehrmann's "Desiderata."

"Do not compare yourself to others, for you will become vain or bitter, for always there are greater or lesser persons than yourself."

Contact Michael Kiefer at his online address: mkiefer@newtimes.com