Friday's postcard, and how I met Strom Thurmond

February 23, 2024

Feb 23, 2024

Raven above Umatilla Rock at Dry Falls

President Pro Tempore

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Republican presidential primary election in South Carolina. Dozens of reporters will closely observe this event because it is supposed to tell us something important about the state of the Republican party and its affection for Donald Trump and/or former Palmetto state governor Nikki Haley.

I can’t say that I’ll be focused on it. I’m fond of South Carolina, but I’m content not to be working there (as a reporter) tomorrow as I would be distracted by other things (wood storks, gators, blooming red bud, jogging southern belles, etc.) and not very good at doing political journalism.

Besides, the Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper (America’s best out-of-studio comic journalist) has asked every question that comes to mind. Or at least to my mind. (see below)

That said, one of the pieces of writing that got my attention, yesterday, was a post from Robert Reich, the very bright, funny and hyper-intelligent former Secretary of Labor to President Bill Clinton. Reich is widely regarded as one of the best cabinet officials in recent U.S. history. Because it matters to what I’m about to share, he was diagnosed as a teenager with Fairbank’s disease, one of the symptoms of which is short stature. He is only 4 feet, 11 inches tall. He met Clinton when the two were Rhodes scholars attending Oxford University in the late 1960s. Reich is a prominent liberal and his falling out with Clinton over economic policy is part of his biography.

In a Substack post, yesterday, When I met Strom Thurmond, Reich describes meeting the legendary South Carolina Senator (and former Governor) nearly thirty years ago as he was visiting other senators to encourage their support for a hike in the federal minimum wage. Here’s how he described the encounter:

“Thurmond wasn’t on my schedule. I was in an elevator when he came in.

“Mr. Secretary,” he acknowledged, with a smile.

“Senator,” I said, nodding my head.

“Nice suit you have on, Mr. Secretary,” he said.

There was nothing special about it, as far as I knew. Standard dark blue.

“Thank you, Senator.”

“Tell me,” he said, slyly. “do they make that in an adult size?”

I didn’t know how to respond. The elevator doors opened and I moved to leave.

“Have a nice day, Mr. Secretary,” he grinned broadly.

“You, too, Senator,” I said as I exited.