"How the Mainstream Press Bungled the Single Biggest Story of the 2012 Campaign"

[DFW]

13. It's different when you know some of these people personally, I realize

Norm has always tried to keep a level head and an open mind. Maybe the fact that the extreme right labels him "liberal" and some of the left label him "conservative" is an attest to this. Despite his humor, he is a very keen mind, and extremely analytical. One time, I was in an off-the-record threesome with Norm and Howard Dean. Needless to say, there wasn't much I could contribute to the conversation, and I did a LOT of listening. Talk about two insiders!!

Howard was DNC chairman at the time, and Obama had JUST announced for the presidency. Howard was wondering why Mark Warner hadn't made any noises about running, and Norm had some inside knowledge about Warner's domestic life concerning problems with Warner's (then-) teenage sons that precluded him from being able to devote his full attention to the grueling task of running for president. Norm was no stranger to that either, although things have improved a little there. He has health issues in his family right now (not his immediate family, fortunately), so I don't know if I'll be seeing him when I'm in the States in a few weeks, but he is one of THE most engaging guys you could want to spend time with in DC, believe me. By the way, he's originally from Minnesota--Al Franken land.