Brogan: When Civility Reigned!!

Sometimes it is difficult to remember when politics and differing opinions could be talked about in a healthy and often satisfying way. Name-calling, threats and raised voices happened periodically but were not the norm. Democrats, Republicans and Independents could frequently find a common ground by which to serve all of the people including those who didn't vote for them.

Sixteen years ago on June 27, 2007, this was definitely on display at the New Hampshire State. The dome shone just a little brighter that day thanks to the "star magic" that the legendary Carol Channing brought with her when she visited.

At the time I was Executive Director for A Community Resource Network, a non-profit that provided services to New Hampshire residents and their family members who were infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and Hep-C. We also provided free testing and educational programs. All of our services were provided free of charge.

In an effort to create more awareness of the agency as well as bring in funding for services and in particular a newly opened food pantry, I reached out to Carol and her husband, Harry, to see if they'd visit New Hampshire and help our Mission. They could not have been more willing, and a benefit performance was scheduled at the Capital Center for the Arts on Wednesday evening, June 27th.

One specific request that Carol and Harry made was to meet New Hampshire's Governor, John Lynch. Even in California where they lived, Carol and Harry had heard about Govenor Lynch. When I called to set-up a brief meeting, the Governor could not have been more enthused and gracious. After the meeting on the afternoon of June 26, Governor Lynch made a small request. Would we all come back the next morning - the day of the performance - and say hello to the people that "help to make our state so great - the Reps, Senators and Executive Council members..." The answer was a resounding "yes!"

Carol and Harry were staying at the beautiful Centennial Inn on Pleasant Street and Carol stayed up late tweaking the words to "Hello Dolly", for the upcoming occasion.

"Hello Dolly" was one of Carol's most celebrated roles and one she had played more than 5,000 times on the stage. She reworked it as "Hello Johnny" in honor of the Governor and arrived at the State House on June 27th, bright and early and eager to sing to him.

When we arrived, Ray Burton the longest serving member of the Executive Council in New Hampshire history, was standing outside the building. He beamed like a youngster as he was introduced to Carol and Harry. Once inside, we were mobbed by the press as well as members of the legislative branch.

Two Republican Representatives, Susan Emerson and Fran Wendelboe asked to be able to join in with Carol while she sang her song to Governor Lynch.

The lyrics included the lines:

"Wow, wow, wow fellas. Look at the old boy now fellas,

Susan at your side, another term..."

The Representatives ONLY concession to being the opposite Party to Governor Lynch was the fact that they both crossed their fingers, behind their backs, when they got to that last line.

Carol and her "duo" performed the song for the Executive Council and then in both the House of Representatives Hall and then in the Senate. The ovations were thunderous.

Carol joked that she had been on President Nixon's "enemies list" for having sung the same song as "Hello Lyndon" when Lyndon B. Johnson ran for the White House in 1964.

Although Carol had a performance to give that evening, she remained chatting and visiting and posing for pictures with hundreds of new friends that she made that day.

My fondest memory of that time, sixteen years ago, is the genuine camaraderie that you felt in every corner of the State House. The respect the Legislators had for each other and how much they were enjoying this unexpected burst of star magic. I wish that Carol, who passed away in 2019, were still around to come back for another round of bipartisanship.