I guess I had an unusual childhood. I remember one time that I had a play-date at Morven, which was then the governor’s mansion in New Jersey, with one of the governor’s sons. I didn’t think there was anything particularly weird about that at the time. Nor did I ever question why that boy was such a close friend of another boy named Steve. Steve’s mother later became the mayor of Princeton, New Jersey, but I only learned of her political pedigree when I had grown up and moved away. She was the daughter of Hale Boggs, who is famous for serving on the Warren Commission, as House Majority Leader, and for disappearing in a 1972 plane crash in Alaska with Rep. Nick Begich, whose son now serves as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate. After Hale Boggs was declared dead, his wife Lindy ran for and won his seat in Congress. Hale and Lindy’s other daughter is Cokie Roberts. Quite often, I have been frustrated and annoyed by something Cokie Roberts has said or written, but I find it hard to criticize her because I don’t want to offend the people in her family who I really respect.
While Cokie Roberts is badly infected with a Villager attitude, her family is wonderful, and her mother was a national treasure. Her tribute to her mother is touching and well-done.
However, I think my friend Steve’s tribute was even better.
