Last week I wrote a draft of a column that criticized the opaqueness of the DC Democratic State Committee's operating method. I then lambasted their choice of Sekou Biddle for the City Council. The piece was vicious, unpleasant, and very base. I decided to save it and mull it over for a few days. Later that week, I read an email on the Cleveland Park Listserv inviting the neighborhood to meet Councilmember Biddle and have brunch. It was a great opportunity. I could meet the man, and since I'm never wrong, he would quickly confirm all the things that I had written, and I could even get some decent quiche.
Was I ever wrong....
First, the quiche was exquisite and the lox rocked.
Second, Council member Biddle was amazing.
Somehow with over sixty of us gathered for the brunch, the Council Member still made it a point to talk to everyone, listen to each person's concerns and talk about solutions for our city. About an hour into brunch our hostess welcomed everyone and then introduced the council member to the group as a whole. Council Member Biddle then talked about his experience growing up in Columbia Heights back in the '70s and '80s. He talked about the education he received in the public schools. He talked about his experience in the classroom and his vision for the city. He talked about focusing on education and gave a very nuanced and detailed answer on school reform. When other politicians stopped after guaranteeing better academic performance for K-12, Biddle continued and talked about the important role that the Community College of the District of Columbia plays in continuing education for DC residents. He talked about the need for adult literacy. He talked about making DC an attractive place for families. He talked about his family, and the role of community. By the end of his presentation I was almost ready to start cheering. The cynical side of me kicked in and remembered, as Hillary Clinton quipped, making a good speech does not make for a good nominee.
