I had a strange experience today: Quite honestly, I’m still trying to process what happened.
I was in Hillsdale with the unusual mission of canvassing strangers, trying to locate somebody who would be willing to talk about partisan hard feelings and the diminishing possibility of a middle way. I was, quite frankly, looking to see if I could find a Republican who was willing to talk.
At the Taconic Garden Center, I held the door open for an older woman using a cane. She thanked me. I mentioned I’d like to talk if she had a minute, and she said, “OK …”
I introduced myself and explained my mission.
She replied, “Oh dear, I should warn you, I’m chairman of the Hillsdale Republican Committee.”
I thought, “Bingo.”
Then she told me that none of her friends would want to talk to me, that they liked Congressman John Faso even more than they liked Trump and that I was wasting my time. I thanked her for her time and bid her good day pleasantly. Respectfully.
Here’s the twist: 15 minutes later, the very same lady with the cane came into Herrington’s, where I was standing talking to Ozzie at the front desk. She shouted to Ozzie as she came in the front door, “DON’T TALK TO THAT GUY; HE JUST ACCOSTED ME IN THE PARKING LOT.”
Suddenly, I had accosted her.
It’s taken me the rest of today to fully realize: how bad it’s got. I was sandbagged by a little old lady because I’m a Democrat and she’s a Republican.
Way to go, Newt. Way to go, Mitch. Way to go, Trump.
