To most of you he’s just another politician. A white male. The guy who peaked at about 2% on the polls when he had the audacity to challange Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Nomination in 2016. This year, he’s one of the few Democrats who is not running for President.
For those of us who know him, however, Martin is a vital progressive voice who talks the talk and walks the walk. I’ve known Martin since 1983 when we were both working for Gary Hart in Iowa. As a two-term Governor of Maryland, O’Malley made marrage equality the law of the land in Maryland, BEFORE the Supreme Court did so nationally. O’Malley spearheaded abolishing the death penalty in his state. He championed alternative energy and the rights of refugees and immigrants.
O’Malley is also a lot of fun and last night he celebrated his 56th Birthday at Gypsy Salley’s in Washington, DC with a gig featuring his longtime band, O’Malley’s March. Amidst mostly originals, along with covers from U2, Bruce Springsteen, the Pogues and a smokin’ “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash, O’Malley looked about 35. His wife Katie, a judge, and most of his family was in the crowd. Before he was a politician O’Malley was a working musician in Baltimore and made his living in that honest profession!
I’ll never understand why so many progressives never gave O’Malley a chance to make his case in 2016. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and her rigging of the debate schedule did not help. Neither did riots in Baltimore. O’Malley is too great a moral and political talant just to throw out like a single use plastic fork. We have not heard the last of Martin O’Malley as he continues his march.