OT: Longtime Michigan Senator Carl Levin dead at 87
Not posting this to stir any pots, honest.
But Carl Levin was a GIANT in Michigan politics for decades, and there's even a picture floating around of yours truly working on his '78 campaign.
Rest in peace, Senator.
Started working for the Civil Rights Commission in 1964. Over 50 years in public service. Thank you, Senator Levin, and RIP.
Term limits. No matter what the party, politics and accrued power should not be a profession.
Unless the voters find someone with the humility to treat public service as an actual service, and the focus to become really, really good at legislating and representing the people.
They found one with Carl Levin. I'm not sure if they've found another since.
Your last paragraph basically reinforces his point.
I find it absolutely crazy your post currently has "-7" votes. (I'll make it -6, at least).
Politics --- and especially the accrual of power --- should not be a profession.
Michigan is a state of ~10,000,000 people. There are more people than just 2 per generation that are qualified to be a US Senator. If nothing else, more than 2 per generation provides more diversity of opinion.
RIP. Represented a time when lawmakers were understated and dignified.
First Mondale, now Levin, and you just know Carter's on deck.
Jimmy Carter is going to be 97 in October. There can't be too much sand left in his hourglass.
And yet Kissinger is still here. Smh
Gonna be a world wide holiday when that fucker kicks the bucket
And Joe is not far behind....
Sorry, just making levity, not trying to be political.
Vladimir Putin worked on Levin's campaign in 1978? This runs way deeper than I thought.
It's true. There is a picture of me, all of 8 months old, in the yellow t-shirt watching my siblings stuff envelopes.
I'm trying to find the original photo.
Shirtless, amirite?
Not just a diaper, I swear.
Comrade, are ya sure it wasn't a red baby shirt?
Is that why we boycotted the '80 Olympics?
Rest in Peace. I never met Senator Levin, but knew people who had (including a few of his interns). All of whom had great respect for him.
I do have one semi-comic story from my undergrad days that I hope is alright to share in this moment. I took a class with Prof Ray Tanter where, in the early days of the interwebs, we were assigned roles of Washington figures to play online. One of my friends in the class had a crush on a classmate and had taken to calling everyone in the class by who they played, leading to this exchange:
"I can't believe it."
"What?"
"Jesse Helms is dating Carl Levin".
"That is hard to believe".
I'm not sure what happened our classmates who played Helms and Levin (maybe one or both are on this site), but it is a memory from college that sticks with me.
That's good.
I literally ran into Strom Thurmond in 1998. Knocked him over as I turned a corner in a dorm lobby. Total accident, swear to God.
He had it comin’.
Now that we're all much more sophisticated and savvy about the interwebs...
What am I sayin'? In a few days, your story will be posted without the first couple paragraphs and become another "fact they don't want you to know!"
I interned for a summer back in the day, but only saw him a few times. What struck me each time was he always did the little things that your typical egotistical politician would never do. Two examples:
There's a little trolley in the long tunnel that connects the Senate Office building to the Capitol Building. Senator Levin was coming from some hearing whatever back to his office, with a large briefcase in hand, but he just missed the trolley - a family of tourists just pushed off. He didn't curse, look annoyed, or even sigh, but just started walking down the walkway - in his 70s carrying a briefcase. Didn't make a scene, just started walking.
In the last week of the internship, on Have Lunch with the Senator Day, one of the interns (not me) was responsible for bringing his order of soup. When everyone gathered in his office, one of his staffers asked where the Senator's spoon was. Just like the Matrix, there was no spoon, to the intern's horror. But Carl Levin didn't make remark, didn't sigh in frustration, didn't even glare at the poor intern. He just picked up the bowl, started slurping away, and continued with the meal.
Imagine what Klobuchar would have done
This is amazing
Rest in peace, Senator Levin. He was a good one.
RIP Senator.
I think the GIANT of Michigan politics belongs to Engler
ill see myself out
Engler definitely is a portly fellow.
I saw him in Ann Arbor going to Sunday brunch once while he was senator. Called his name from across the street, he turned and waved.
/coolstorybrah
I think one of his daughters (Erica?) was in my Residential College class ('90). He was at my RC commencement ceremony and I saw him once or twice around South U/East U area in the eighties.
Met Senator Levin senior year of high school on a trip to D.C. in 1980. Very nice guy.
Interesting trip. Almost knocked over Howard Baker (who was really short) and rode on a tram-like shuttle in the basement of the Capitol building.
RIP, Senator.
Rest in peace, Senator. Thank you for all you did for Michigan and the country.
My politics have made an almost 180° change in the last ~10 years (~150 of those ° in the last 5 years), but I've always had respect for Levine. He was never bombastic, always courteous, and very well spoken on the issues he represented (very much unlike the majority of elected officials in today times).
RIP, Senator. And thank you for your service to our country...
Senator Levin appointed me to the Naval Academy back in the '80s. While I may have seldom agreed with his politics, I certainly appreciate the opportunity of a lifetime he offered me. I also appreciate his steadfast support of the military throughout his many years in office. RIP Senator.