Celebrity Week

Breaking News! I have several exciting celebrity spottings to report from DC this week! I met Tim Shriver (son to Eunice and nephew to JFK), sat inches away from multi-platinum recording artist Usher during a committee hearing (see my personal poor quality photo), and had dinner with a lesser known, but equally important Washington powerhouse named Tony Coelho.

When I stop to think, it is a bit weird working in a place where you can pass Senator Feingold in the hall and casually say, “Hey, Russ, what’s shakin’?” (OK, so I don’t call him “Russ”…yet). However, I am much less impressed with Washington celebrity than one might expect. Perhaps that derives from my reporter days interrogating powerful people and trying not to appear intimidated. (Not so easy with Bill Clinton.) But actually, I suspect it has more to do with my new insider’s perspective.

While Tim Shriver was strikingly handsome and Usher was WAY cool, it was Mr. Coelho who affected me the most. During his time on The Hill as a former Congressman and since, Coelho has maintained key relationships and is highly respected. During a meeting with Kennedy Foundation fellows like myself this week, he recalled a time when he was so annoyed with something then President Clinton continued to recount in media interviews that he called the president personally to tell him so. Mr. Clinton said, “You’re right, Tony” and never uttered another word on the topic.

The Honorable Congressman also told us to treasure our time in Washington and pointed out that not many have this unique opportunity. He instilled a sense of respect for the fact that we are witness to the underpinnings of the greatest democracy in the world.

From this vantage point, I have already affirmed and dispelled quite a few Washington stereotypes. My training yesterday on congressional process and procedures validated that Congress is a frustrating bottleneck of rules and loopholes created intentionally to impede progress. Did I say intentionally? (I meant it.) They say you can't throw a rock without hitting a lawyer in DC and now I fully understand why.

But the biggest misconception I believe constituents, including me, have (had) about DC is that people don’t work hard. In fact, the folks I sit alongside in the Committee on Education and Labor are among the hardest working people I have ever met. No kidding.

My colleagues come in early and stay late, spend hours on the phone and meet with countless experts and advocates to get policy recommendations just right. They are adamant that before something is written, it requires vetted input, representation from all angles and an understanding of each potential consequence. And I share this as a truly bipartisan observation.

Perhaps the Ushers of the world who testify for our committee dim in comparison because I know who’s doing the real work. I’ve seen DC’s true celebrities – those behind the scenes policy people most of us never meet - the “staffers” with no desire to ever run for public office or even take personal credit, but who are passionate about keeping this country the greatest place on earth to live.

It is hard work. I am proud to be a part of it.

Lisa Pugh is the 2009 Kennedy Foundation Public Policy Fellow. She will work on disability public policy for the House Committee on Education and Labor during the 111th Congress and is being sponsored by The Arc Wisconsin. She will live for one year with her family in Washington and return to her home in Madison, Wisconsin to share what she’s learned in January 2010.