Opinion: What’s next, Duke Cunningham Airfield?*

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Decrepit as our Los Angeles International Airport is, at least it isn’t named after a crook. The same can’t be said for Anchorage’s main commercial airport, which was re-christened in 2000 as Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in honor of the longtime Alaska senator and recently convicted felon who lost his once bullet-proof seat to Democrat Mark Begich.

One question for Alaska now, of course, is whether to strip Stevens’ name from the state’s biggest airport. But there is another lesson here: Perhaps it’s best to hold off naming important landmarks after local heroes until they’ve either passed away (thereby leaving historians to reach a consensus on a legacy) or left political office. Either of the two conditions would have spared Anchorage’s airport from bearing the name of the senator who grew to symbolize the GOP corruption that helped lead to two consecutive thumpings at the polls.

L.A. County is no stranger to politicians who’d rather not leave history to judge whether their names belong on landmarks. Take, for example, the Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park, the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space and the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse -- all named in honor of the alive-and-kicking, still-serving member of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, Michael D. Antonovich. To be fair, Antonovich (who represents my district) is an important figure in L.A. County politics, having served on the board since 1980; he also worked tirelessly to secure the courthouse that bears his name for the Antelope Valley.

The lesson for Antonovich and other personality-cult pols? Keep the screw-ups to a minimum before leaving office. Or, better yet, blush a little at the idea of sharing your name with airports, parks and other public spaces (even at others’ insistence) and let history sort out a few things first.

*UPDATE: Antonovich’s office just called me to make clear that the supervisor did not have his hand in naming the Antelope Valley courthouse or any of the L.A. parks after him.

Top photo of Sen. Ted Stevens: Lauren Victoria Burke/AP
Bottom photo of Michael D. Antonovich: Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times