46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCE OF THE SENATE UPON THE PASSING OF FRED MCCAFFREY, A POLITICAL LEGEND.

WHEREAS, Fred McCaffrey, a political columnist, campaign strategist, radio commentator and prominent figure in New Mexico politics, died at the age of eighty in Santa Fe; and

WHEREAS, Mr. McCaffrey was Pete Domenici's media strategist for the 1966 Albuquerque city commission race, and when Pete Domenici was elected to the United States senate in 1972, McCaffrey accompanied him to Washington, D.C., as a staff member; and

WHEREAS, Senator Domenici said, "Fred was an incredible person. He had a knack for getting to the core of an issue and making it understandable to the public. I am truly saddened by his death. I'm going to miss him."; and

WHEREAS, Mr. McCaffrey's careers included working as a television assistant production manager and cartoon artist in Albuquerque, working as press officer for the late Senator Joseph M. Montoya's first re-election campaign in 1970, editing a Catholic newspaper, serving as a public information director for the state highway and transportation department, teaching at St. Louis and Fordham universities, running an advertising agency and publishing a monthly newsletter for lobbyists and politicians; and

WHEREAS, in later years, he and his wife, Jan, moved to the island of Montserrat, where, after he aired some of his views in a local newspaper, he was promptly asked to leave; and

WHEREAS, he returned to New Mexico and hosted an hour-long show on KRSN radio in Los Alamos titled "Politics and Other Animals"; and

WHEREAS, his Inside the Capitol, a syndicated column about New Mexico's political scene, was read statewide for over ten years until he retired in 1987; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish said, "I've always thought about him as the conscience of political people. He always encouraged me to do the right thing and stand by my guns."; and

WHEREAS, veteran journalist Ernie Mills said that McCaffrey "was always very much his own man" and that "his institutional memory was just unbeatable. He knew the stories. He never forgot them."; and

WHEREAS, Mr. McCaffrey was named a 2000 living treasure of Santa Fe and Mary Lou Cook, the living treasure organization founder, said he "is perhaps as well-known around New Mexico as any governor, and undoubtedly has more friends" and lauded him for "his independent take, passion for the truth and sense of humor"; and

WHEREAS, Fabian Chavez said, "He excelled at the journalist's credo, 'Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable'.";

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that condolences be expressed at the passing of Fred McCaffrey, a political legend, and that he be recognized for his many achievements and his contributions to the state of New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to his wife, Jan Lynch.