“Onward!” Along with a dozen other sayings, this was the signature of Edwin J. Feulner, who passed away Friday.
There is not a week that goes by that I do not quote him. He was a giant of the conservative movement, but I got to work with him day to day as his chief of staff while he was carefully stewarding and looking to hand over the institution he founded, The Heritage Foundation. While he built institutions and our movement, his most lasting legacy for me is how he treated people.
First, the builder. Ed was an entrepreneur. Famously, he started Heritage with a business plan he pitched to Joe Coors, the beer magnate. It would be a think tank, but with an emphasis on “tank.”
He often called it a “do” tank—he could enjoy a theoretical conversation as much as the next guy, but it had to get to impact. He didn’t stop at Heritage, of course. He started Townhall.com in the early days of the internet, and then laid the groundwork for The Daily Signal as a conservative outlet that today stands on its own as one of the fastest-growing news organizations on the right.
He also entrusted two of his former chiefs of staff, Mike Needham and Tim Chapman, with starting an affiliated 501(c)4 group, Heritage Action for America. “If we can’t make them see the light, then we will make them feel the heat,” he said. While he didn’t relish the combat, he knew Heritage Action was needed and then he promptly picked two of Washington’s best young operatives to make it happen.
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Author: Marty Kaufmann
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