Bob McDonnell taking the oath of office, January 2010
I suppose the worst thing that happened to me personally on Thursday was that as I was leaving the YMCA I spilled coffee on my crisp white shirt. And darn it, I was lookin’ good. But I had time to go home and change. Actually I didn’t have time but I was close enough that it made sense. I was still late for work. And yes I was still lookin’ good.
Most of the day went along as a normal Thursday. Annoying emails to which I had to respond. Silly questions to answer. I did manage to take a walk at lunch. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It was. But it also took me a good hour and a half to cool down. The day ended on a good note with the first blocking rehearsal for Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure at CAT Theatre. You may call me Dr. Watson.
But before that, about mid-afternoon, I started seeing the Twitter alerts. The jury had reached a verdict in the McDonnell trial. By then everyone was watching to see and hear. The RTD did a good job of updating the numbers on the counts. But every time you clicked on their link you went back to the earlier story which told you nothing.
In the midst of refreshing the Twitter feed, we found out that Joan Rivers had died at the age of 81. Knowing how these things can be a hoax, I went out to Google News to verify. And it was true.
The news was far from being about me, but there was a bit of sensory overload. Both news reports made me sad, but for different reasons.
For the McDonnells the history-making convictions made it a bad day for all Virginians. We’ve never had this happen before in Virginia. We are, thankfully, not Illinois or New Jersey. But now it’s just not as easy to say that.
By all counts, so to speak, the verdict was a shocker. No one, especially Bob and Maureen McDonnell, expected this. The defense team has indicated that there will be an appeal. That’s likely to drag on for months. But no one disputes the fact that for Bob and Maureen McDonnell, life in public service is pretty much over.
Bob McDonnell was a shining star in the Republican Party. He was one of the nation’s most popular governors (yeah, I could document that). He was frequently mentioned as being on the short list for consideration as Mitt Romney’s pick for vice president.
Which brings us to the point that many Republicans think this was simply a partisan witch hunt. Take one of the top candidates out of contention. There’s probably a lot of truth in that. It’s certainly not the first time we’ve seen that happen to a prominent Virginia Republican.
A lot of my friends were posting about their support of the former Governor yesterday. I didn’t jump on that bandwagon, but I share the sentiment. I’ve mentioned before that I worked for him, I campaigned for him. I believed in him. Hanging on my wall is still the first cover of Bearing Drift Magazine. I edited about a dozen or so issues. Bob McDonnell was on the first cover. I’ve thought about replacing it with another cover, and then thought, no. It’s still good. He was still an amazing Governor. Even when I had my disagreements with him.
The story is far from over. There will be appeals, and interviews. And probably a book deal or two.
I find no joy in this. And to those partisans who this morning may be rejoicing about the downfall of a Governor whom they despised, I have simply two words:
Grow up.
That’s what Joan Rivers would often say in her routine. She was a master at ridiculing the ridiculous. She was certainly not without controversy. And in her later years she often appeared bitter.
But she was funny. Damn funny.
I loved it when she was the permanent guest host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. I’m sorry that the relationship soured.
I remember one particular night watching The Tonight Show. Joan Rivers was hosting. It was the day in 1986 when the Challenger shuttle exploded. Rivers would typically come out and do her comedic monologue to open the show. That evening, dressed in black, she set the monologue aside, paid her respects to the crew of the shuttle and very graciously said we’re going to move on with the show. I wish I could find exactly what she said. I searched but couldn’t find the exact episode. I’m sure it’s out there somewhere.
Instead, I’ll just quote Rivers when she said:
“There are many self-help books by Ph.D.s, but I hold a different degree: an I.B.T.I.A.—I’ve Been Through It All. This degree comes not on parchment but gauze, and it entitles me to tell you that there is a way to get through any misfortune.”
Indeed, Joan. Rest in Peace.
The thing is, neither the McDonnell verdict nor the death of Joan Rivers will change my daily life. I still have deadlines to meet, projects to finish, laps to swim, lines to learn. Oh, do I have lines to learn.
But the sadness that came on Thursday means, for a while at least, the world is a little less bright.
Excellent article Michael! You expressed my sentiments exactly. I too felt like Thursday had a shadow hanging over it. Both major news stories were sad but also will change the world we live in, in a sad way.
I do enjoy reading your posts!! Maggie
{"id":null,"mode":"button","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/thewritesideofmybrain.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/thewritesideofmybrain.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"https:\/\/thewritesideofmybrain.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/beachcoffee-200x118.jpg","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Buy me a cup of coffee.","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"The Write Side of My Brain","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"The Write Side of My Brain","form_subtitle":null,"currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you for being a supporter!","payment_confirmation_title":"The Write Side of My Brain","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
1 comments
Excellent article Michael! You expressed my sentiments exactly. I too felt like Thursday had a shadow hanging over it. Both major news stories were sad but also will change the world we live in, in a sad way.
I do enjoy reading your posts!! Maggie