March 23, 2026
Dear Reader,
Now, who am I, you’re probably wondering, to be so sure of myself that I can spew these commentaries?
And to be so arrogant, if that’s what you’re thinking?
Well, I’ve been around politics and government quite a bit.
I’ve worked in policy positions in the U.S. Senate. I worked as a legislative assistant to a senator, a Senate committee staff member, and a senator’s legislative director. I’ve written a few federal laws. By “I’ve written,” I mean they came right off my typewriter back when we used typewriters. And I participated in the creation of a lot of other laws and policies.
You’ve heard of backroom deals? I made a few. And I watched and learned as others were made.
I’ve been in the room with five presidents (Nixon, Carter, Ford, Bush Jr., and Biden; not all were president at the time, and in a couple of those instances, the room was a big one, the Senate or House chamber). I shook hands with one (Carter), watched another one walk into a press conference with his hands shaking (Nixon).
I’ve covered government for daily newspapers, the Associated Press, and a number of other news publications, as recently as the prior Trump administration. I won business journalism awards. I’m a persistent researcher.
I worked briefly as a lobbyist and participated in the creation of a PAC. That work did not fit with my sense of who I am, but it was a learning experience.
I’ve worked on three elections for national office, one winning and two losing.
Losing is painful but offers much better lessons.
This was hardest and most important lesson to learn:
The voters didn’t see us as the righteous warriors we thought we were. We should have listened more closely. And we should have adopted some of the other side’s best (I mean meanest) campaign strategies and tactics.
That is, I’ve been there and done that. I know my way around Washington, government policy, and politics. My strength, if any, is integrating policy (what should be done) and politics (the art of what is possible) to figure out what can be done.
Enough about me. I suggest that you read this post next, if you haven’t already:
Bill Donovan
