And The Band Played On

  I wore a pink gown to the President of the Senate’s Ball in Tallahassee, Florida.  My husband had been Nassau County campaign manager for State Senator Verle Pope’s reelection campaign. The Senator, a silver-haired military veteran whose presence commanded attention, was referred to as the *Lion of St. John’s County. 

 What brought the Senator to mind is the tone of the current political campaigns.  The airwaves are filled with ads by candidates criticizing one another.

  The Senator had one ironclad rule - his opponent was never to be mentioned.  The topic of all his campaign speeches, advertisements, and private conversations was about what the Senator had accomplished on behalf of his constituents, and what he planned to do for them in the future.  He said there was no need to give the competition free publicity. 

He never lost an election.

  Today’s political candidates could learn something from their elders.

    Until we meet again,

    Mary Nolan Brown