Filibustering First Graders

Today, Monday, our class trekked through DC's worst weather yet to get to the Capitol, where we got a wee tour of the Senate Press Gallery, and then worked our way over to the House.

I LOVED our tour guide/director of the Senate Press Gallery, Joe Keenan. I have never seen someone who loves his job SO much. It was eerily contagious - and after 5 minutes I couldn't believe how interested I was in U.S. political history. I was asking all these questions, and getting really into Senate policy, and starting to seriously consider one day becoming myself the director of the gallery.

joe

Then, within about 5 seconds of leaving I realized that I know absolutely nothing about government, politics, or anything relatively related to what such a job would entail.

Anyhow, he was so chatty and into his job - and it was so great how he told us all the funny little quirks about the people who work in government. How Ted Kennedy always sat in the corner so he could be the first to leave, and how one senator had to pee so often during one important hearing that the entire senate & press had to break once an hour - just for him. (I definitely empathized with this fellow, god bless the weak-bladdered).

old senate

The best part was the senate desks. First of all, they have this whole rotation system worked out, so seniority determines who gets to choose where to sit. That means the freshman get the crappy desks, while the old folks get all the prime real estate.
Then, every senator who sits in a desk immediately carves his name into it. How colloquial and old-school is that?
There's also a "candy desk", where the occupant is required to have a 24/7 supply of candy inside, one desk that won't open because some senator was making a statement against using constituent tax-dollars to construct new desks with tops that open, and one desk with a bayonet hole through it from when the south seceded and the right half of the room was used as an army hospital.

Honestly, I came away from the whole speech convinced that we never, ever grow up. All the senators just came off looking like big 5 year olds. Freshman corners? Carving names? Bathroom breaks? Candy desks? And this is in the U.S. Senate, the 'elite' group that we elect to rule our dignified nation?

And then Joe Keenan goes on to tell us that the most fun that the reporters ever have is when they get to smoke, drink and order in pizza at 2am in the press gallery? Seriously, am I the only one who gets the mental image that DC is an amalgamation of kindergartners in suits and ties?

Anyhow, despite the freezing cold and rain, it was a nice visit all in all. If nothing else, I've been inspired to get a job that I'm half as passionate about as Joe Keenan was about his.

I've also lost about 80% of my formerly held fear of government officials. Big babies.