Knowing O’Connor — and Kissinger

Meanwhile, I was helping to write a chapter on the balance of payments resulting from the establishment of NATO. His secretary, a French refugee named Margaret Schultz, was a good friend. So I was often in Kissinger’s office. He occasionally dropped by mine looking for Margaret. This was before he became world famous. Still he wasn’t shy about showing off his intellect and connections. He was friendly and fun. Unlike Kissinger, who famously spoke with a German accent, his younger brother had none. He came to visit once and Kissinger introduced us. 

O’Connor was in my husband’s class at Stanford Law School. So was Bill Rehnquist. It was a small class and socially very close. So I knew both of the future Supreme Court justices.  The class often spent time together. O’Connor kept up the tradition even when she was on the court. We all benefited. Once a year, we would travel to D.C. for a class reunion. O’Connor arranged for dinner at the Supreme Court Building.  It was an exhilarating and unforgettable occasion.

My husband was on a scholarship. So was Rehnquist. And their first year they both roomed and worked at Menlo College in Atherton. My husband and Rehnquist often chatted before the official dinner. I was not a Rehnquist fan after Bush v. Gore. My husband did not agree with all of Rehnquist’s actions on and off the court but he liked and admired him all the same.  O’Connor was so well loved and respected, her classmates just ignored her vote to make George W. Bush president.

On one of these trips she organized and led a tour through Gettysburg. It rained, but she didn’t seem to care and we trudged along the historic grounds. I was impressed with her historical knowledge. I bought a book on the famous Civil War battles. On a recent trip to North Carolina, we visited some of the battleground sites. One where an equal number of Confederate and Union soldiers had died. Hard to keep a dry eye.

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I attended the reorganization meeting of the San Mateo City Council hoping to see a smooth transition of power. Former Mayor Amourence Lee did not to attend. The meeting would be a celebration for Nash. The ceremonial sendoff for Lee will take place in January. Lee is running for reelection in November 2024, but this time it will be districtwide rather than citywide. Her announced opponent, Nicole Fernandez, was in attendance at the council meeting and busy pressing the flesh.

Usually reorganization meetings are very brief. Attendees look forward to the reception afterward. But like much in San Mateo these days, nothing is that simple. I was disappointed.  Wrong word – dismayed is better. And even a little bit angry at some of the bitter words from some of the speakers. This was supposed to be a night of praise for the new mayor. After all, her family was in attendance. Instead, some members of the community spoke harshly.

They bad-mouthed her husband and his efforts at historic preservation. It became at times a nasty pros and cons of historic preservation. A debate about historic preservation is important but a swearing in ceremony is not the place.

There is no reason why we can’t support and build more housing — more affordable housing — and still preserve what little history we have. It’s not an either/or. We need to and can do both.

Mayor Nash preferred to take a positive spin on the swearing in. She said, “I want to spend my year as mayor spotlighting the contributions people make all over our city, and making our downtown a standout community gathering and celebration place.”

***

Hard to believe that U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo is retiring. Her good friend Joe Simitian has been waiting in the wings for a very long time. Now he has to face a strong field of competitors.  Simitian has contributed so much to the community as a school board member, city councilmember, member of the Board of Supervisors and as an assemblymember and state senator.

You wouldn’t think he had a problem. But he is 70 years old. The demographics in the district have changed. The race for this open congressional seat will be wild.

Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs Mondays. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.