On The Record: Ken Molberg

For this installment of On The Record, I spoke with Ken Molberg, the most senior member of the State Democratic Executive Committee and a former Chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party.

How did you get started in politics? Did you come to it in your youth or later on?

My first campaign was the Kennedy-Johnson campaign, when I was 8. I was in the Bumper Sticker Brigade. I grew up in the Hill Country, so I was very familiar with the Johnson family. I got to meet Kennedy in ’62, because he was in Fredericksburg and out at the Johnson ranch in Stonewall. I’ll never forget it; he rubbed me on the head and asked me, “How are you doing young fella?” I was also an editor for the N.T. Daily in the early 70’s, and was president of the NTSU Young Democrats, among other things.

What was your personal progression from the role of activist to where you are today?

Well, I’m still an activist. I have served in party positions since 1979, but I intend to always remain an activist. It’s the most noble title to have.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning the state right now?

There are several of them. As the nation goes, so goes the state. Health care and education have to be at the top of my list, because they are so important to creating and maintaining the type of society we want. If those two were taken care of, the other issues that are important, too, would fall into line.

Do you have any ambition for higher office? Do you have plans to run for any other party office, or possibly even public office?

There are certainly some things down the road that I will take a look at. One would be Congress, and another would be County Commissioner. There are two districts in Dallas that we should have that we don’t right now. We have worked on Dallas for 24 years, and it’s finally starting to develop the way it should.

Who are some of your political heroes?

I have so many. John Kennedy would be an obvious one. Ralph Yarborough; he was a tremendous human being. Bill Clinton is also a hero of mine; he exuded a quality of really liking and caring about people. Lyndon Johnson, Walter Mondale, Al Gore, Ted and Robert Kennedy, Ann Richards, Jim Mattox, Oscar Mauzy, and there are many, many more.

What would you say has been the single most defining moment in your political life?

Probably when I was elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee in 1982 from the 16th Senatorial District. Or in 1980, when I went to New York City for the national convention in an effort to draft Ted Kennedy for the presidential nomination. They asked me to come up to help deal with the rules fight that year.

What are you looking forward to in the coming cycle?

Winning the Presidency. If we are cohesive after our candidate battles in the primaries, we are going to win. We have to be ready to govern and make a positive difference. Beyond that, I’m looking for an obvious change in the Texas House and even more changes in Dallas County. We have to start focusing on the courts, particularly the Texas Supreme Court. They are visiting horrible injustices on the people in this state and we must address that politically.

What would you say the political breakdown of your family is? Is it mostly Democratic or are you somewhat unique?

My parents were always Democrats, but then again, everyone back when I started was a Democrat. My parents weren’t particularly political back then, but I got them into it. We were always on the populist/liberal side of the party. We battled the conservative Democrats back then, before so many of them switched parties. My father, who helped me campaign for Sissy Farenthold in 1972, is deceased, but my mother is still active and she, too, has served on the SDEC and is a former county chair.

What advice would you give to young people just getting into politics?

You have to go into it with all your heart, but you also have to learn how to not be discouraged. You can’t really ever succeed unless you have failed. And you damned sure can’t appreciate victory unless you’ve tasted defeat. You can’t win them all. Just be sure that after you lose one, you don’t give up. It’s very rewarding. We have to remember one thing: a lot of times people want things instantly. Yes, I’m one of those. But reality teaches us that we make progress in inches, not miles.

What one thing would you say a political organization never has enough of?

There are three: time, people, and money. You always want time to do more, especially in campaigns. And as far as people and money, being a Democrat in Texas, you always need money. So many of our candidates are underfunded. And there is not the wealth of volunteers now that there use to be.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in politics?

Never discount or write off anyone in your party, even if you strongly disagree with them. After all, they might be right. That aside, virtually everyone has something positive to bring to the table. The lesson I’ve learned is that the people who are successful in politics are able to identify the positive, harness it, utilize it, and then move on to victory.