Forward for the People
The Autobiography of America's Longest Serving Legislator
By Fred A. Risser and Doug Moe
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
AN INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR FRED RISSER & DOUG MOE
Senator Risser
What made you want to write your autobiography and what surprised and/or inspired you about the process?
Over the years, friends and colleagues had encouraged me to write about my life and legislative career. Then I had a conversation with Madison journalist and author Doug Moe, who had previously done some successful collaborations, and we agreed to try to work together to tell my story. One of the most interesting things about reflecting on my career was realizing how much the Legislature has changed since I was first elected.
As America’s longest serving legislator you saw Wisconsin evolve as a state over the course of many decades. What made you want to continue serving in this role, especially when faced with tough decisions and adversity?
I felt I was not only doing something I enjoyed, but also making a difference, working on legislation that would benefit the citizens of Wisconsin. It wasn’t always easy, but I wanted to continue working hard and serving my constituents.
What life lessons did you learn at the beginning of your legislative career that still resonate with you today?
Early on, I learned that building relationships was just as important in advancing the work of the Legislature as the precise language used in any given bill. I helped pass important legislation with bipartisan support. I’m sorry to say that while it’s still important for legislators to reach across the aisle, it rarely seems to happen today.
Were there parts of your story that were harder for you to tell than others? What do you hope readers learn from your experience?
I hope they see the value in having an optimistic outlook in politics and in life. I always felt government could help make people’s lives better, and much of the legislation I supported reflected that.
Doug Moe
How did you first connect with Senator Risser, and what was the conversation like when this project was first discussed?
I remember we spoke briefly at a Fair Wisconsin luncheon nearly a decade ago and he mentioned he might be interested in doing an autobiography. I was working with former Gov. Tommy Thompson on his book at the time. After it came out, I sent a copy to Sen. Risser, we spoke further and agreed to work together.
Did you learn anything new about Wisconsin’s legislative history based on your conversations with Senator Risser?
I learned a tremendous amount about how some of the most significant legislation of the last 60 years came to pass or didn’t. One specific: Sen. Risser took detailed notes when the “Fab Fourteen” Democratic senators “escaped to Illinois” in 2011, and I believe our account will stand as the definitive record of those wild three weeks.
How did helping Senator Risser share his story inspire you in your own work?
I enjoy telling Wisconsin stories and have had the good fortune to work on both biographies written in my own voice, and autobiographies, in which I collaborate with someone like Sen. Risser and the books are written in my co-author’s voice. It’s all storytelling, abetted by abundant research.
What do you hope readers take away from Forward for the People?
I hope they are both informed and entertained by reading about a long (98 years as I write this!) and exceptional life given largely to public service. Sen. Risser fought against Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy in the 1950s and against Gov. Scott Walker some six decades later. A remarkable journey.