Traficant: Out of sight, but ...

A reporter for the Washington Post, Peter Carlson, called the other day to see if The Vindicator had succeeded in interviewing federal prisoner James A. Traficant Jr. Carlson had written about Traficant when he was a member of Congress and had attended his expulsion hearing by the House ethics committee.
But it was his observation about the former Mahoning County sheriff and nine-term 17th District representative that was so intriguing (and troubling): Congress isn't the same without Traficant.
Interpretation: Capitol Hill reporters miss the mercurial, obnoxious, foul-mouthed, blasphemous congressman.
Scribblers no longer flock to the House for the one-minute speeches by members. After Traficant's diatribes and buffoonery and his signature "Beam me up," the fun is gone.
Never mind that his representing the Mahoning Valley for all those years made us the laughingstock of the country. And never mind that his dealings with the Mafia during his campaign for Mahoning County sheriff, and his subsequent criminal trial in which he successfully defended himself, came to define the mentality of the Valley.
In Congress, he was the court jester -- and reporters were drawn to him.
National exposure
Indeed, his regular appearances on national television talk shows gave him national exposure and made him a much sought-after guest with the talking heads.
And while Traficant remains a bad dream for many thoughtful residents of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties (let it be known that he now belongs to Pennsylvania by virtue of his being incarcerated in the federal pen in White Deer) he is remembered fondly by those he wowed with his bull---- (Jimbo's favorite word).
Take conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, a co-host of CNN's "Crossfire" program. Carlson, no relation to Post Reporter Peter Carlson, has written a book called "Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites -- My Adventures in Cable News," in which he spends seven paragraphs talking about Traficant.
The book is published by Warner Books.
Here's what Carlson wrote:
"Congressman Jim Traficant has also left politics for good, thanks to a series of bribery convictions and a long sentence in a federal prison. There's no politician I miss more. Traficant was a terrific guest not simply because he was compulsively outrageous and wore a hairpiece that looked like a raccoon, but because he was willing to appear on television drunk."
Carlson points out that drunk guests were a rarity but that Traficant was proud to be drunk on television.
"Shortly before he was indicted, the Ohio Democrat arrived for a live show blowing at least twice the legal limit. He was completely plastered.
"Traficant maintained his usual form on the air. He yelled and interrupted and made vague but sinister-sounding threats. It wasn't until the commercial break that he lost control of himself."
What did the Valley's congressman do? You'll have to get a hold of Carlson's book to find out. But suffice it to say, it was outrageous.
The political commentator ends his story about Traficant thus:
"Months later, facing 60 years in prison and $2 million in fines for racketeering, extortion and bribery, Traficant came on again, this time safely by remote. It was obvious he missed the floor director and makeup artist. 'Tell the girls at CNN that if I get convicted, I'm going to be looking for conjugal visits.' Days later, he was convicted. He hasn't called."
Stomach ailment
For Traficant disciples -- unfortunately, there are still some of those around -- who would swear on a stack of Bibles that the former drug and alcohol counselor never imbibed, here's a bubble burster: During his expulsion hearing on Capitol Hill, Traficant showed up one morning and warned members of the ethics committee and everyone else in the room that he had an upset stomach because he had had too much red wine the night before.
It could well be that he was driven to drink by his legal troubles and the eight-year prison sentence that was staring him in the face. But as Carlson puts it: "It was always acceptable to be amused by Jim Traficant, and I usually was."
Post Reporter Carlson, who has written a piece headlined, "The New Dull: Congress Has Lost Its Colorful Characters," is trying to get an interview with Traficant. He may be successful.
If he does, perhaps he can pose the following question on behalf of this writer: "Do you ever regret wasting the political gift that God gave you?"