KATHIE OBRADOVICH

A tale of John Culver, boxing great Rocky Marciano and a huge roll of cash

Former Iowa senator's memorial service is Feb. 27 at Simpson College. Culver, a Democrat, feared today's political polarization would discourage people from pursuing careers in public service.

Kathie Obradovich
The Des Moines Register
John Culver relaxes in his Washington, D.C., home in September 2017.

Most people who remember former Iowa Sen. John Culver, who passed away in late December at age 86, know he was a great storyteller.

He showcased that talent in 2009 at the memorial service for his longtime friend, former Sen. Ted Kennedy. He had the crowd roaring with laughter at his story about crewing Kennedy’s tiny sailboat in a Nantucket regatta during a nightmarish storm, having never been on a boat in his life. The video went viral; you can still watch it today.

In a few days, friends and family will gather at Simpson College to tell stories about Culver’s life. So I wanted to take the opportunity to relay one he told me a few years ago. He had been ill and was in considerable pain, but this story made him light up and laugh delightedly.

When Kennedy ran for Congress for the first time in 1962, Culver worked on his campaign while also taking six courses at Harvard Law and being married with a young child. One day, Culver was manning the small campaign office in downtown Boston, space then-President John F. Kennedy had also used.

“And one day Ted had to go on the road, and the secretary said to me, we got Rocky Marciano coming this afternoon, and Ted said sorry he missed it but would I take the call, you know,” Culver said. “And I said, ‘Oh, God, oh sure.’ I’m a big boxing fan, you know. And I said, ‘Oh, boy.’”

Marciano, from Brockton, Massachusetts, was the former world heavyweight boxing champion. He held the title from 1952 to 1956 and retired undefeated. So he was enormously famous and Culver indicated he was rather star struck, despite his close connection with the president of the United States and his family.

American Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano, left, and American challenger Jersey Joe Walcott, listen to each other's heart beats after a medical check in Chicago, on May 8, 1953, one week before their scheduled title fight.

And so Marciano lumbered in with his handler, who stood behind him as the boxer sat at the small desk. “And he was pink-faced and he had this wild sport coat on,” Culver said. “He looked like something right out of a Hollywood movie scene.

“… And so the manager said, you know, the reason we’re here is that Rocky wants to help Ted. And I said, ‘Oh, gosh, isn’t that great,’ and I said, ‘That’s wonderful, Rocky.’”

Culver pulled out a calendar and started to suggest that Marciano could ride with Kennedy in an upcoming parade. 

“And he reached in his pocket and he pulls out this roll of money, green money like that,” Culver said, indicating a roll as big around as a soup can. “I’d never seen a roll of money like that.”

 And Marciano licked his thumb and started peeling off bills, saying, “How much?”

“And here’s this kid, naïve fool from Iowa, Harvard, you know, never seen anything like it … And I said, ‘Well, Rocky, we’ll get back to you.’ I was that smart,” Culver said, laughing.

Such were the campaign finance issues of the day.

Today’s environment is far different, what with all the challenges facing Congress, the dominance of special interests and the need to raise millions for a Senate seat. When Culver ran, he said, he probably raised about $100,000.

It worried him, he said, that political polarization and gridlock may be preventing people from wanting to seek public office. “And yet I feel it is the most important thing in the world for the quality of our national situation, and we need people as never before that are really committed, regardless of the difference between parties,” he said. “Just generally that public service is an attractive thing to do in your life. That was a thing that I felt strongly about, and I felt most of my contemporaries had the same kind of itch about it.

“I hope I’m not too nostalgic,” he said, “… but my sense is there are a lot of good people who are sitting around waiting for something to happen — and it just doesn’t.”

Culver is gone, but the public policy center named for him at Simpson will carry on his legacy. I hope students there and others who hear stories of Culver will be inspired by his commitment to public service.

Tribute to former Sen. John Culver

Simpson College will celebrate the life of former Sen. John Culver at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at Kent Campus Center, 701 N. C St., Indianola. The event includes a panel discussion featuring former Iowa attorney general Bonnie Campbell, former Congressman Jim Leach and former chief legislative assistant to Culver, Judy Riggs. Former Gov. Chet Culver, son of Sen. Culver, will also speak. Details:  https://events.simpson.edu/event/tribute_to_former_senator_john_c_culver#.XG7DVuhKg2w

More:John Culver, former U.S. senator and father of Chet Culver, dies at 86

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