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Skelton: A political practitioner who kept cool and embraced Barry Bonds’ offer

By George Skelton
Los Angeles Times

Politics today is uncivil. But it’s too simple to say it used to be less vicious, rosy nostalgia aside. It has always been bloody. Think back to 1994.

President Clinton was clobbered across America by Republicans who recaptured both houses of Congress.

California, as now, held nonpresidential state elections. But unlike this year, those races for governor and the U.S. Senate were hard-fought and nasty.

One of the most divisive ballot initiatives in history split California: Proposition 187 to deny public services, including education, to immigrants here illegally.