It was my first paying job in presidential politics, going to Alabama for John Glenn. 1984. We got his only double digits in that primary campaign season. Would have won the state, but Gary Hart’s New Hampshire success made him the only anybody-but-Mondale candidate.
His wife Anna (he always called her Annie) was among the finest humans I ever met in politics (other than Elizabeth Edwards and Rosalynn Carter).
I’ll always remember the day we scheduled “Annie” to spend the day campaigning for her husband traveling around Alabama in a motor home. He kissed her good bye that morning and told me, “You get her back safely to me tonight.”
That I did, and I later learned that was the only time in the campaign they had been apart so long. When they reunited that evening you could feel the love.
Thinking of “Annie” tonight.
He got my vote in AL in 1984. Wish he’d a won. World woulda been a better place.
Good to know, Pogo. I was right there working my heart out for the man.
So many memories from that campaign. Needed an opening act for Glenn’s statewide bus tour in Alabama. A friend and musical producer from Nashville recommended this up-and-coming mother/daughter duo, the Judds. They were a hit with the national press corps, and years later their manager told me that was their breakout moment.
I subscribe to Pogo’s view.
Both Glenn and Mondale would have made good presidents. Imo Glenn would also have made a good candidate.
Hart had good ideas and a boatload of hubris.
And another: We had (what I thought was a rented Lincoln Town Car) in that campaign that was there when I arrived. Had no idea where it came from. When we used it for Glenn on a campaign trip a Secret Service dude says to me, “Do you know you’re putting a United States Senator in a stolen car?” “No sir,” I said. After the trip they got rid of the car, no idea what they did with it, never asked.
A great Ohian
Why does anyone have The Condom on she is nothing but a meth faced liar
poor Kelley Ann Condom she got a death threat now she knows what she is wrought. awwwwwww
More heartbreak in a heartbreaking year. I love John Glenn. I actually remember watching him on Name That Tune as a girl and when he became an astronaut I was glued to our snowy black & white TV every step of the way. I followed him in his political career and when he went back to space I watched every moment I could find. I also recorded them all on my VCR. Needless to say those videos are now gone, but some of those moments are still to be found…Thank you, YouTube. He was truly an exemplary American and I don’t think they will ever make them like that anymore. Craig, It’s so wonderful to know that you got to meet him and Annie.
RIP
Granny, one of the greatest memories of my life was the pleasure of working for and getting to know John Glenn. He was such a champion human being. I wrote a campaign speech for him once, determined as I was to replace a boring policy wonk speech by his senate staff, and thankfully it went over quite well with the Alabama audience I wrote it for. He thanked me afterwards, said, “I didn’t know I could be that good.” He just wanted to do the right thing for his country, no matter the situation or whatever. That’s what they call the “right stuff” — wow did he ever have that!
And another thing: Annie’s stutter. Some made fun of her for it, but I found it — and so did our Alabama audiences — utterly endearing. She spoke very slowly to cover it, making her more eloquent than just about anyone I ever heard. Such a marvelous woman.
We saw it on teacher’s black and white tv what she’d brung from home in the old grammar school…….John Glenn got shot off from Cape Canaveral and commenced to going around the world in a space ship.
Thinking back, I have campaigned for nothing but losers, from Hubert Humphrey as a school kid to Jimmy Carter in college, then John Glenn and most recently Jim Webb. Proud to have served them all. Would do it again in a heartbeat.
Craig,
When I saw that Senator Spaceman had passed, you were the first person I thought of. Over the years and the thousands of hours we’ve rapped, I’ve heard a lot of great tales from you about that campaign. You learned a lot of practical lessons in that campaign, and the knowledge you picked up from that campaign kept me from fucking up a couple of times.
And you’re right, Elizabeth was a great chick. I know first-hand she really, really liked you and would have been proud that you gave her a shout out.
Oh, Goody……the USA gets to find out how good its laws are.
Losers?
That list reads as a Who’s Who of great Americans – the real deal, not just slogans & hoodoo. These Candidates had courage, intelligence, integrity. Just because they may not have reached their goal does not demean their efforts or the people who worked hard for them.
thanks Mud, SJ et al. Can’t believe so many of my icons gone in the past year, Arnie, Glenn, my mom. Here’s hoping JimmyC keeps on beating cancer!
Another: The movie “Right Stuff” was out during the Glenn campaign, and of course we wanted to make it a campaign thingie, but Glenn refused, thought it would be a cheap trick. He wouldn’t even watch the movie.
what a dude!
Another story from my Glenn Alabama years: We were doing fundraising calls with our state chair/Lt. Gov. Bill Baxley when he stopped us cold to take a call from the mother of a son being recruited for Alabama’s football team. He spent more time on that call than with any of our donors. That’s Alabama!
craig, no way are/were they losers! and you really did get at least two of them all the way to prez and vp.
wapo:
Senate Armed Services Chair John McCain (Ariz.) is readying a probe of possible Russian cyber incursions into U.S. weapons systems, and said he has been discussing the issue with Select Intelligence Committee Chair Richard Burr (N.C.) with whom he will be “working closely” to investigate Russia’s suspected interference in the U.S. elections, cyber threats to the military and other institutions. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been apprised of the discussions. Burr did not respond to requests for comment.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) also said he intends to hold hearings next year into alleged Russian hacking. Corker is on Trump’s shortlist for secretary of state, according to the Trump transition team.
Trump transition officials could not be reached for comment.
The loudest GOP calls for a Russia probe are coming from McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.). Both have taken a hard line on Russia and have been highly critical of Trump, particularly his praise of President Vladimir Putin.
Lindsey on cnn
huffpo:
Hillary Clinton Warns ‘Lives Are At Risk’ Because Of Fake News
Her comments come after a gunman showed up at a pizzeria to investigate a fake news story about a child sex ring there.
in usa today by Shelly Schultz, (Zanesville, Ohio) Times Recorder:
“John and Annie Glenn — a true love story”
segue from the world of heroes back to the world of villains courtesy ko
Craig: The Right Stuff is one of my favorite movies. I’ve had several versions. I had the video set that was the fattest thing on my video shelf LOL! Later it was replaced by a beautiful DVD set that has hours of special features about the Mercury Program and the original Mercury Astronauts. NASA posted some very nice tribute videos honoring John Glenn. My favorite was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his Friendship 7 flight:
Craig: PS: you didn’t back losers, they just didn’t win that race! One question, why didn’t JC do the debate? I think it cost him the election against a real loser Reagan :/
Pat: I keep watching Keith and wishing more people would step up and be as vocal in their resistance! I just signed another petition and was pleased to see that there were almost a quarter millions sigs already on it. Still hoping the EC does the right thing so I can get rid of this knot in my stomach!
“wishing more people would step up and be as vocal in their resistance”
granny, more probably would in other times when the backlash wasn’t so terrifying. stories like this in today’s wapo “This is what happens when Donald Trump attacks a private citizen on Twitter”
and like the union leader in ohio suffered plus other targets of the trumptroopers.
am not surprised that keith and gq were hacked and more to come if not worse.
I love The Right Stuff – movie and book.
How about this?
Dinosaurs with feathers and hemoglobin. Cool
pogo, which came first, the dinosaur egg or the chicken? a case of counting our chickens before they’ve evolved.
the hill:
President Obama has directed the intelligence community to conduct “a full review” of the 2016 election in light of reports of Russian interference, Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco said Friday.
The report is expected to be completed and transmitted to Congress before he leaves office Jan. 20.
Lindsey GrahamWhite House orders intelligence report of election cyberattacksOversight panel demands answers on Pentagon waste reportOvernight Cybersecurity: Retired general picked to head DHS | Graham vows to probe Russian election interferenceMORE (R-S.C.) — are clamoring for investigations into reported Russian hacking during the election.
“We’ll see what comes out publicly,” Monaco told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast.
Monaco gave few other details about the report, other than to say that it will “capture lessons learned and … report from a range of stakeholders to include their comments.”
“This is consistent with the work we did over the summer to engage both the Congress and global stakeholders, in terms of providing them the information and tools to defend themselves,” Monaco said.
The news comes as Democrats across Capitol Hill — plus Sen. Lindsey Graham
I read Tom Wolfe’s “The Right Stuff” last year…. terrific book! For anyone interested in the early space program it is a must read.
John Glenn… a true American hero…. RIP.
Always loved John Glenn as well as The Right Stuff both as a book and film. I know he didn’t like the excess dramatics of the film as being “unnecessary”, but the love for Annie was there and that he was a “boy scout and straight arrow”. We could use a whole lot more of the type in politics but I’m afraid the breed may be extinct.
patd, likely the dino egg. 🙂
In ’84, both Glenn and Mondale would have made good presidents. Imo Glenn would also have made a good nominee.
Hart had good ideas and a boatload of hubris.
How often does a man who possesses both humility and star quality walk among us ?
The new secretary of labor is also a wife beater.
really enjoying all the articles out there on Glenn, here’s one focusing on Annie
Jamie, know anything more about her than what’s written below at rollcall?
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., to lead the Interior Department, according to The New York Times, which cites two people close to the transition effort. If confirmed, she would be in charge of the nation’s public lands and waters in an administration that may aim to open them up to fossil fuel extraction.
McMorris Rodgers, 47, is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where she voted for legislation to allow more oil and gas drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf.
She’s also chairwoman of the House Republican Conference and the highest-ranking woman in the GOP leadership, so her move to the Cabinet would create a party leadership vacancy.
A descendent of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail, McMorris Rodgers has served as a party messenger, presenting a family-friendly image to contrast with negative stereotypes about Republicans. In 2014, she delivered the nationally televised Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.
Born in Salem, Oregon, she lived in British Columbia as a small child. Her family moved to Kettle Falls, Washington, on the Columbia River, 30 miles south of the Canadian border, as she and her brother were preparing to enter high school.
Her father chaired the Stevens County Republican Party and was the president of the local Chamber of Commerce. She was the first in her family to attend college. She worked her way through Pensacola Christian College in Florida in several jobs, including stints at McDonald’s and as a housekeeper.
She was the first congresswoman to have two children while in office, and she broke her own record with the birth of her third child in late 2013
She will be selling the national parks to a lumber company
she is as rightwing as they come
In the Sixties a book titled We 7 covered the first American astronauts. Although a bit propaganda, we were still not to the Moon yet, it was an interesting read.
Carefully and with great effort, the floater is putting together the team to return America back to the 1800’s. Before FDR. Before TDR. Back to a time which might even predate the Civil War.
Keep fighting back with KO.
kgc, since then she’s said nevermind according to this nymag article Trump’s Labor Secretary Pick Was Accused of Abusing His Wife
Update: The Cut received the following statement from a communications firm representing Lisa Fierstein (formerly Lisa Henning):
“Andy is one of the finest men I have ever known. Many years ago I impulsively filed for divorce and was counseled to file allegations that I regretted and subsequently withdrew over thirty years ago. Andy is a wonderful father, a great person, and was a good husband.”
kind of like Bannon’s wife…..show me the money. He’s a wife beater no matter how much he paid her say otherwise
Trump is also a wife beater
My first presidential campaign was as a teen dem for Kennedy. I did not work for LBJ (I did vote for him) next I was “Clean for Gene” after the conventions I went home and worked on a congressional campaign for Ohio 16. Next up McGovern although not so much but I was in DC at the time. Then Frank Church in ’76. I worked on the Ohio primaries. I think Frank might be my favorite. By then I was living in California and more interested in local politics.
I miss tony. anyone heard from him lately?
@12:13 pm EST the price of oil rose to $51.55/bbl, a level not seen since the week of July 13, 2015. The price then eased back a bit; it’s 51.48/bbl right now. Apparently, the OPEC deal is holding somewhat. If the price breaks on the upside, there is no technical resistance until $60 – $61/bbl.
I hope you all have extremely energy efficient homes and vehicles.
I miss Tony, too. Also, Bink, Bethyboo, Tiptoe, CBob, Survivor, Me, and others.
It’s been good to read Jax and Ping again.
Resist
Just sayin’ the name of the school is Ohio State University not THE Ohio State….the school’s pr dept made that up proving once again – a buckeye is a hairless nut with little or no value
I miss tony. anyone heard from him lately?
patd…. yup… he’s doing fine… doesn’t want to be here… don’t know if or when he’ll be back.
Cathy McMorris Rogers is from the Eastern part of WA. This is the equivalent of a pocket of Alabama stuck on our hind end. She rose to power due to willingness to give away, lease, or generally destroy public lands for private profit.
The “Sagebrush Rebellion” is the home of the right wing on the west coast for decades. At various times it leads to things such as the Bundy Standoff over grazing lands, but usually just take s the form of Koch Brothers financing of politicians to get more and more places to drill baby drill.
Jamie, figured as much. thanks.
renee, please tell him we miss him if you get the chance.
for the record I’ve written Tony and others to say I miss them.
Sometimes people need a break. I hope Tony comes back sooner rather than later.
Pat: Maybe they could include “how much did he know & when did he know it” in their report about Russia hacks. Since trump as much as asked them to do it I think he was aware. As for his nazi followers, you’re right it will escalate & Keith is very brave to keep going and I commend GQ for backing him. He actually proved that young woman right by siccing his lynch mob on her. I read an article this morning about a woman in her 50s arrested for harassing and threatening a man who lost his son in the Sandy Hook massacre. She is apparently part of a growing number of people believing fake news reports that Sandy Hook never happened. The article included a recording of her voice mails to the father. It was so disgusting and vile that I couldn’t listen to it all. I continue to be in despair over the state of our country.
Pogo: Bring on more dino stories! (humane relief needed)
I didn’t know dinosaurs had feathers. What’s next? Chickens invented the wheel?
Chicken – tastes like dinosaur.
Time to watch what the hedge funds are up to.
Floater wants lists of scientists who work on climate. The Congress worked to make it easier to fire VA employees. Well, that was the start of the destruction of the civil service as we know it.
More dinosaur feathers
“wadja expect – feathers?”
horrible earwig eating my brain now that old joke punch line following “airy, ain’t it?”
https://youtu.be/1dX3JgEkWFY
Published on Dec 8, 2016
Rachel Maddow shares an exclusive first look at new poll findings from Public Policy Polling that show a contrast between Trump voters and the rest of Americans.
Giuliani out of Cabinet consideration.
If Tony, OldSea and others don’t feel welcome here I don’t know what else to do about it. Have I not always been clear all points of view are welcome, no matter what I have to say? Sure, I think Hillary screwed up, and always thought she would, but that’s just my opinion. Did my best to put it aside in the end, suspend disbelief, and hope, even predict, she would win.
boss, as you well know, the grieving process takes time. a lot depends on the energies, monies and emotions that were invested too. some of us spent more than we could afford during the campaign in all 3 categories and have scars of different sorts. hard not to be depressed and a challenge to not lash back or take the disappointment out on friends unknowing or insensitive to the extent of the loss suffered.
yes PatD but the hard truth is she was a horrible candidate. You don’t lose twice with entirely different campaign staffs and not face that fact. The “deplorable” comment alone was about the dumbest thing I ever heard a candidate say.
hey pogo, whaddaya think of this? from crooksandliars: Here’s Another Way To Get Merrick Garland On SCOTUS (Updated)
As to the question of “advice and consent,” Diskant explains that there is a narrower question within the broader one, which is this: If the Senate adjourns without voting on Garland’s nomination, is that a waiver of their consent? Diskant says yes.
That’s established law. Failure to give advice and consent is a waiver of their right to give it, according to Diskant. Here’s how it would work.
Note here, that Diskant is not arguing that this is a recess appointment. It is, instead, the consequence of a choice on the part of the Senate to waive their duties with regard to advice and consent, which leaves the President free to make the lifetime appointment on his own. Also, by the way, the other 100 federal judges the Senate has blocked over time.
patd, So why did the velociraptor cross the road?
craig, but don’t you feel bad (just as tony, sea and OD etc. might) when someone points out webb’s poor campaign? those who worked and believed in the candidate aren’t consoled by being told he/she was horrible. they may tend to withdraw from those who keep saying such things…no matter if there’s truth there.
patd, interesting position re: Garland. To my knowledge no SCOTUS appointment has ever been made without the consent of the Senate – at least not in modern times. And I’m pretty sure that all of the sitting justices were confirmed. I’d rate it a long shot, but a shot nonetheless. I think a recess appointment would be upheld. (I wish people would send this to Obama via email and not publish it).
the chicken is our oldest surviving species, or maybe the crocodile. Either way Trump is our newest reptile
The Trail abides.
patd, “To eat the theropod on the other side. Said it tasted like chicken.”
As a teenager and young adult, trump was a chicken.
You were too gentle Pogo. A recess appt by a lame duck? Not even Road Runner could pull that off.
We have now traveled a month past the disaster of 11/9 and many of us are still in the grieving of the death of America. What is necessary now is to look to people such as KO and the state of California for directions on how to survive the attacks on those of us who believe in unity of the states and the Constitution.
We do have the plurality of the vote to comfort us. It is the anomaly of the election of the voters that we are up against. There is no way to achieve a Constitutional amendment to the popular vote wins the presidency.
The current efforts must be the 2017 local elections. Then the 2018 elections. During this time younger candidates must be found and backed for the 2018 and 2020 elections. The failure of HRC does force looking at younger Baby Boomers or even Gen X/Y candidates, which is our Democratic future.
Craig
Your comment about the “deplorable” remark is a prime example of the constant condition Hillary had to campaign with. She was ALWAYS wrong. No leeway given. No context noted. NO explanation. Things that would get laughed off with others caused her to be damned. She came back and admitted it was a clumsy remark and she meant a percentage of the people that she tried not to give any weight to. The ones she put in the Deplorable basket and tried to ignore. The racists. Neo Nazi. escapees from Drudge and Breitbart. They were and are deplorable, disgusting, barely human and not worth the powder to blow them to hell, but Hillary got blamed and dragged all over media for calling them what they are.
‘
The trouble with kids and cats. You give them a present and they play with the box.
The dumbest thing I’ve ever heard a candidate say is Trump’s mocking of a disabled reporter. The fact that so many of his brethren in the media seem to think it was Hillary’s “deplorable” comment speaks volumes, IMO.
With all the talk re death of John Glenn, I forgot Buzz Aldrin was in the hospital. He’s feeling better at least well enough to Tweet as @TheRealBuzz. First tweet back:
Someone sent me affirmation cards. The first one said “Follow your inner moonlight. Don’t fight the madness”. Howl!
Also nice tribute to John Glenn in this article: http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/buzz-aldrin-leaves-new-zealand-hospital-after-south-pole-scare-n693936
NEVER give a kid access to a box with packing peanuts.
Buzz… great guy, that. Great sense of humor.
The difference I saw, Jamie, in the deplorable remark was how she was ridiculing voters, not a reporter, just as she did with Sanders supporters. Right or wrong, just plain awful politics. Wasn’t the media’s fault, hers alone. I think it cost her a ton of crucial votes, reinforced suspicions that Democrats think average Americans are stupid.
Always wondered this about any politician/public person making stupid remarks: Do they not know we can see them?
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