Dirty Tricks Without Illusions

"Alone there in a prison classroom with a rather large, [annoyed] felon who hadn't been able to relieve any of his stress or aggravation on the weight pile that day," Raymond wrote in his book, "I realized that all the [excrement] guys like me peddle out on the campaign trail actually comes to pass if we get our candidates elected. Our promises, our phony wedge issues, our polarizing rhetoric -- it can all come true."

Since he returned from prison, Raymond says, he's spent most of his time coaching his sons' sports teams. He knows his political career is over, but he doesn't know what he'll do next. "I'm trying to figure that out," he says. "Right now, I'm a stay-at-home dad trying to get my kids to eat their breakfast."

In his book, and in person, Raymond is willing, even eager, to confess to dirty tricks and dastardly deeds. But when asked if his conscience bothers him, he's not so sure.

"I suppose later in life if I sit down and I have to reflect . . . " he says. Then he pauses, and starts again. "But, you know, I can't have all these regrets. I got my comeuppance and I paid my debt and I don't work in politics anymore. I can't even vote. . . . So I'm not gonna waste my time on regrets, because I paid the price."

His long, strange trip from politics to prison has made him a better man, he says. "Everyone needs humbling, and this was the way I needed to be humbled," he says. "I'm a much nicer guy these days."

Raymond may have changed, but he doesn't believe that his departure from politics has improved the ethical level of the trade.

"When you take a pail of water out of the ocean," he says, "does it lower the level of the ocean?"