November in Three Parts: Elections, Thanksgiving, Poor Souls
PART ONE: ELECTIONS
Of course, I am very glad that Delegate Marshall (Seton Alumni Dad) and Delegate Hugo (Seton Dad) were re-elected, and very disappointed that Attorney General Cuccinelli (Seton Dad and Alumni Dad) lost a close contest for governor. It is easy to celebrate a win, but it is difficult to know what to do with a loss. There was so much at stake in the governor’s race, that I really don’t know how to react. Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence is the best answer, but no one ever said such a surrender is simple or easy, or how best to apply it to any given circumstance. Mr. Cuccinelli was straight forward in his concession speech: “We will continue to fight.” It is the “fight” that I want to write about. I’ve read some blood boiling inducing columns and editorials about various issues of late, but they have caused me, in my more reflective moments, to come up with how I would like to see the fight fought.
Before I get to that, I am going to tell you about when I first came to know of Ken Cuccinelli. Some Seton students had just started a Young Republicans Club, and Mr. Cuccinelli was a relatively new first-term member of the Virginia Senate and was invited to come speak to the Club. The classroom chosen for the after school meeting was Edith Stein, the computer room. Someone during the school day had suggested I go to the meeting because there were probably not going to be many in attendance since the YRC was small and there were about 20 different things going on after school that day. Dutifully, I decided I would go. Edith Stine always seemed so crowded and sort of disheveled, so I was thinking that maybe we could have found a room with a more friendly feeling atmosphere in which Mr. Cuccinelli would address us.
Senator Cuccinelli walked into the room, and immediately there was something about him that made me think, “This guy is made for success.” I don’t know what he thought about the room, or the size of attendance, but he, without hesitation, began talking to us. He was so articulate, reasonable, clear….I could keep piling on predicate adjectives, but you get the idea. I rarely remember what anyone says in a talk, but I do remember that Mr. Cuccinelli talked that day about the non-negotiables for any Catholic politician. He was interesting and concise, finished what he had to say, and then asked for questions.
I asked two questions. First, “How did you go about getting elected?” He said that it was a completely grass roots effort. Door knocking, putting literature on the windshields of cars at churches – an unknown trying to make himself known to enough. I have since read that Mr. Cuccinelli never intended to become a politician and his wife Teiro never wanted him to become a politician. But he came home one day upset about what the current senator from their district had lately done. His wife suggested that he run against him in the next election, and he decided to do just that. And the mid-thirty year old won.
My second question: “How do you put up with the illogic that is present in the Virginia Legislature?” I would say this was an offbeat question. Mr. Cuccinelli handled it with ease. He began with, “That is a great question” which, I think, was a diplomatic way of saying that there were a lot of frustrations being a public servant. If I remember right, he then talked about joining with those who were like-minded, but he definitely didn’t go into a diatribe against other senators.
My greatest regret was that I had some other appointment that afternoon and had to slip out before the question time was over, so I never got to thank Mr. Cuccinelli for coming that day, but I was indeed thankful that he had come and that I had gotten to listen to him.
Let’s make this Part A of the Election segment of November things. I’ll write about “the fight” next time in Part B.
Oh, in case you are wondering about North Colorado, there ended up being eleven counties that had secession on the ballot. Six voted no and five voted yes. Weld, our county, voted no. However, Kit Carson was one of the five voting yes. All the more reason to like that county. I don’t know where the five go from here.
Jezu, ufam Tobie.