Uncovering Writing

It’s not always about politics or rants on this blog. Here’s a photo from dinner tonight. Diane & I, her parents, and our dear friends Stacy and Marc pose before the tripod. Most excellent evening of talking, eating, and laughing.

This picture is from back on August 15th, but I just got my hands on it. Along with fellow supporters of Jen Terrasa’s campaign to become the next Howard County Council member from the 3rd District, I was out waving her signs during the morning rush hour. Jen’s in the salmon colored shirt and the rest of us are in the campaign’s signature purple. I’m on the far right, which is tpyically not a phrase you’d normally hear associated with me. ;-) We did this over at the corner of Snowden River Parkway and Broken Land Parkway in Columbia.

While attending the annual Howard County Jefferson Jackson dinner tonight, I had the great joy of meeting Kweisi Mfume. A former five-term Congressman from Baltimore and most recently the head of the NAACP, Mfume attended this Howard County Democratic Party event as part of his run for the open Senate seat of retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). My organization hasn’t endorsed anyone yet in the Senate race, so this meet up was pretty much my groupie nature taking over. Mfume is a great man and I’m proud that he’s a Marylander. You can find out more about him on his campaign site.

Back in February, I wrote about Paula Hollinger, who is running in my district, Maryland’s 3rd Congressional. I’ve now had the opportunity to research a few more of the top-tier candidates running in this district. I’m extremely (instead of just very) excited about John Sarbanes, the son of Maryland’s current senior Senator, Paul Sarbanes. John’s background in law has been applied to important social causes in Baltimore and throughout the region. He’s helped out public schools, getting people access to quality health care, and fighting for the rights of working people to gain access to housing and other crucial needs. Additionally, he has a keen understanding of international law and understands that in our interconnected world, we need to engage our friends and allies across the globe to work on social, health, and legal justice issues.

The following picture is from the Howard County Democrats Annual Jefferson Jackson dinner.

After attending the Eric Massa fundraiser, I walked back past the Capitol and the Supreme Court. I snapped this photo with my cell phone camera. It was really pretty cool, with most of the lights still on in the front windows and the relative quiet and calm on the street. I snapped two pics of the Capitol itself but they didn’t turn out as nice.

I attended a fundraiser at lunchtime today for Allyson Schwartz (D-PA 13). She’s a freshman in the House whose district is where I grew up and where my parents still live. The 13th Congressional district is the suburban Philadelphia area. I attended the event with one of our Government Relations Research Associates, Melinda. Melinda’s originally from the 13th too, so we had a variety of connections with Allyson. Even more exciting, and definitely more tied to work, she received an A+ on our 2006 Congressional Report Card along with special recognition for her work during the 109th Congress' first session. In house, we call these folks our A-plus-plus-ers. I worked to help get Allyson endorsed in her first race in 2004 and I’m very excited that she turned out so fantastic! Out of five new members that Global Solutions PAC helped get elected in 2004, four of them had a grade of A+. It’s a fantastic feeling to have guessed right on a candidate.

We got to talk with Allyson for a little at the beginning, thanking her for her strong attention to the genocide in Darfur and looking forward to working with her on UN reform and other issues later this year. After sampling some excellent food and schmoozing a bit, we headed out. I stopped and thanked Allyson again. I asked if I could get a photo with her and Melinda used my cell phone to snap the following picture. It’s a bit blurry, but still very cool!

Last night, I attended a fundraiser for Eric Massa, who’s running as a Democrat in the 29th district of New York against freshman Republican incumbent Randy Kuhl. Eric is one of the Band of Brothers, a group of veterans running for Congress this year. Eric came into our offices in November 2005 to discuss his campaign. He was shepherded around DC by Jeff over at Sutter’s Mill. More on Jeff later. Don, Shannon and I had a great meeting with Eric, who was one of the few challengers in a House race to walk in the door knowing our issues thoroughly. His background was in the Navy and he’d worked for Wes Clark in Latin America and Europe. After receiving a reprieve from a cancer death sentence, he retired from the Navy and worked on the Armed Services committee in the House. Because of his support for Wes Clark’s campaign, he was drummed out of his staff position by the Republican majority. He moved into the Corning, NY area and put down roots. We hadn’t finished putting together our candidate questionnaire (CQ) by that point, so we couldn’t endorse or contribute to his campaign right away, although from the interview, he seemed like one of the candidates we’d like to support. He got us his questionnaire about a month ago and we really liked his answers.

We decided to make a contribution to his campaign and his staff and Jeff contacted us about this event. I attended after an extremely busy day of PAC-related work. I arrived around 6:30, signed in (even though I RSVP’d, they didn’t have my name on the official list), put the obligatory sticky name tag on, and dropped our contribution off where they told me to. At other fundraisers, contributions usually went to the campaign manager, who acted as a gate keeper to the candidate. Oh well, I’d met Eric before and would get some face time later on in the evening.

Jeff saw me enter the room and tapped my shoulder, saying hello and thanking me for coming. He asked if I’d brought my contribution with me and I said I’d left it at the front door. He said that if I’d like, I could do a presentation of the check to Eric during the reception. I said definitely and promptly retrieved my check from a somewhat confused person at the front desk. Confused since I was asking for my donation back about 5 minutes after I’d given it to him. Jeff took me up to Eileen who was MC’ing the event. I knew her previously and she’d originally told me about Eric’s candidacy. Eileen told me that I’d go on after the main speakers and Eric spoke.

The main speakers were quite the A-list crowd. The first speaker was a resident of the 29th district who gave an impassioned speech about the need for changing course and electing Eric. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) was there, coming in the side door and standing about 4 feet away from me. My professional demeanor disappeared and I was like a star-struck kid. Cool! Senator Clinton gave a great short speech and then was whisked away for another event in the area. I wish I could have jumped across the short gap to shake her hand but I’d be tripping over Eric and some other dignitaries.

General Wes Clark (ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Democratic presidential candidate, spoke next, talking about his personal and professional relationship with Eric. Next up was Admiral William Crowe (ret.), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His talk was hilarious but also on point. The special guest speaker was Senator Max Cleland (D-GA, ret.), who received a sustained burst of applause from the gathered crowd. For those of you who don’t know him, he was a great Senator from Georgia and triple amputee Vitenam veteran. Republican Saxby Chabliss and the Republican party had the audacity to call him a coward and challenging his courage. This disgusting gambit won the election for Chambliss but sullied the election process almost beyond repair. Republican Senators John McCain (AZ) and Chuck Hagel (NE) both protested this vitriolic attack ad. Senator Cleland spoke eloquently and even made a joke about his lost legs and arm. Speaking to a seated Adm. Crowe, he said that he apologized for saying he’d lost his limbs in Vietnam. The truth was, he’d gone hunting with Dick Cheney. The crowd erupted! Next up was Eric, who gave a great and short stump speech. Before going to the check presentations, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD 05) stopped by to say a few quick words. Rep. Hoyer is currently the House Minority Whip and he did some quick whipping in his speech.

Finally, the time had come for check presentations. Eileen returned to the podium and the first introduction was ME!. I walked up and wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen. But, Eric walked up and Eileen gave me the mic and asked me to say a few words. I introduced myself and explained my organization and our PAC to a standing-room only audience. I told them about meeting Eric and how prepared he was on our issues, which was so refreshing. I said that we were impressed with him and that I personally looked forward to working with him in the 110th Congress. I presented the check, got a handshake, and walked away from the podium, to the sound of applause. I have to say, that was so very cool, both for the recognition of my office and for me personally!

Afterwards, there were two other presentations and then we broke up into enjoying the open bar and great food. I schmoozed with some folks and talked with a new group called Blue Catapult PAC, which is a grassroots group supporting Democrats who will challenge incumbent Republicans. Eric is one of their first three candidates.

Ending on a whimsical note, I actually started my day yesterday in the very same room I attended Eric’s event. I was at the Stewart Mott house on Maryland Avenue in the district that morning, at 9 am. I was there for a meeting of groups interested in national security issues and the November elections. By 6:30 that evening, the room had been transformed into an event location, with the board tables gone and a podium and hors d’oeuvres table set. Adding even more depth, we held one of our board meetings in this same room. I can’t seem to escape it, but it is a beautiful place.

In a real-life re-enactment of the biblical Apocalypse, our nation’s first theocratic president, George W. Bush, is gathering the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The Four Horsemen are War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.

I recently read a quote that former Senator (thankfully) Jesse Helms made about John Bolton. Helms said, “[Bolton] is the kind of man with whom I would want to stand at Armageddon, or what the Bible describes as the final battle between good and evil.”

So, I got to thinking, who could be the four horsemen? Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is a clear candidate for War. Today, Bush nominated Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank, thus bringing him in line to win the title of Famine. John Bolton, nominated to be the US Ambassador to the UN, clearly embraces his past as Pestilence, or a plague, on the UN. And, finally, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales completes the quartet with his embracement of Death. Gonzales, you will remember, was instrumental in redefining torture and calling the Geneva Conventions as “obsolete” and “quaint”.

Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Bolton are clearly on the extreme right of the extreme right. Gonzales is still coming into his own, but he certainly earned his spot with his role in the Iraqi torture memos.

I wrote and submitted a letter to the editor to the Washington Times in response to a negative op-ed piece on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. On my crazy Thursday last week, it got accepted. It ran in Sunday’s edition (20 Feb 2005). It’s shown below:

Cooperation brings influence

Unlike Thomas Kilgannon, in his commentary “Will the Law of the Sea Treaty sink or swim?” (Commentary, Feb. 11), I see the United States joining the Law of the Sea treaty as a step toward re-establishing our long and proud history of leadership in world affairs.

Along with President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I see this treaty as affirming our sovereignty, strengthening our national security and expanding our economic opportunities in the exploration and use of the high seas. The petroleum and drilling industries see this treaty as vital to developing offshore oil and natural-gas resources. Based on our experiences as a nation, we know that in the long run, cooperation gives us greater influence and flexibility of action than going it alone.

Let’s join with almost 150 nations that already are participating in this treaty and help lead all of us to economic prosperity and security for our children and grandchildren.

DREW J. ASSON Citizens for Global Solutions Washington

Just a photo of me that Diane took after I got home from meeting lots of folks on the Hill today. See the Swearing in the 109th Congress entry below.

Today, I met several of the newly elected House of Representative members that my organization supported during the 2004 election. The new members held receptions in their offices and throughout the various House buildings on Capitol Hill. The food was great and the receptions crowded.

I personally met Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO 03), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA 13), John Barrow (D-GA 12), and Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO 05). It was a great thing to see these people who I’d researched, helped endorse, mobilized our members, and followed their campaigns. It felt good to have something tangible and successful after that slugfest known as Campaign 2004. These are good folks and I look forward to seeing how they do in the 109th Congress.

Some personal observations: Russ is committed and seems very eager to get started in his new job. Allyson is a fantastic lady with a very positive and powerful presence. Keep your eye on her, she’s going to be doing great things. She’s also the Rep. for the district in the northeast Philadelphia area where I grew up! John has such a friendly conversation style while displaying his deep and broad knowledge.

Emanuel really made an impression on me. I missed him on my first visit to his office. He’d been doing his job in the Capitol and was pretty busy on his first official day. But, he returned later and I was able to catch him. I introduced myself (a reintroduction since I’d met him back during his campaign), and he invited me into his office to talk. He pulled up a chair close to his desk and invited me to sit down with him. We chatted briefly and I saw that he’s a committed individual who is simply a “good guy”, with all the positive trappings that such a phrase carries.

Later in the evening, I attended a Cleaver/Carnahan reception at the AFL-CIO headquarters in DC. The event was great and I got a chance to talk with both new Congressmen again. On a somewhat unrelated note, I was really impressed by the AFL-CIO building. Being pro-labor, it was really powerful to be in that building. I hope to visit there again soon!

Buddy is!

Now is the time when all great… Sorry, getting ahead of myself. I’m once again in the throws of writing my novel again. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages, and I’ve dabbled around the edges for the past few years. I wrote a play in grade school (even had it produced!). I wrote poetry in high school and college. I took a creative writing course at Howard Community College a few years back and got started on writing again. I turn to my journal from time to time to jot down thoughts, potential plots, and always, lots of psyching myself up to write. But, it all comes down to putting pen to paper, or in today’s parlance, putting bits to disk. So, let’s hope that the end of this year brings new life to this project!

This is my honey at her parent’s house. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen!

I just had to look at Buddy and Xicco to realize that it truly is a sunny and lazy Saturday. Just kick back and enjoy life like these two!

This ties in with the previous entry on politics being local. Civic participation is not just a right or a privilege, it’s a responsibility!

The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.

• Plato, philosopher (427-347 BCE)