One of the really cool things about working on Capitol Hill – and I recommend it heartily for young people who can put up with living on slave wages and working in cramped, communal quarters, with noise levels roughly equivalent to an airport runway – is that you get to hang out with famous, and often historic, personages all the time.

Like the time I was talking to Senator Grassley’s personal secretary and heard a booming sound, like many running waters, directly behind me.  I said, “I’ve heard that voice before… it’s Moses!”  And turned to find myself (all 5’9” of me) staring at Charlton Heston at what seemed like navel level.

Or when you get to crane your heads around the door to see a Supreme Court nominee heading in. Or sit behind the boss at a televised hearing where he’s grilling headline-makers.  It’s reflected glory, all right, but it’s always fun to have a front row seat on history.  (PS – on the business side, the same fun can be had in public relations, where you get to hang out with the truly rich as well as famous.  Not to mention ride in limos with them and get all kinds of freebies.  But I digress.)

The reason I bring this up, of course, is to throw into the pot a couple of reminiscences of the late, great Senator Ted Kennedy.  I saw Senator Kennedy all the time during my two stints on the Senate Labor and Human Resources staff, but only got up-close and personal a few times.

One time was when I was boarding an elevator in the Hart Senate Office Building, and the Senator rushed up to join me.  It was during the ill-fated (for Beantown fans) 1986 playoffs, so the obvious excuse to start a conversation was to mention his hometown nine. 

I don’t recall the exact exchange, but I do remember that Senator’s lament – punctuated with a pungent expletive – that he had tickets to the game but would miss it because the World’s Greatest Legislative Body would be working late that night.  I never had much use for the Senator’s politics, but I figured that anyone that passionate about baseball – even the hated Red Sox – couldn’t be all bad.

But the far more compelling encounter demonstrated conclusively the truth of JFK’s contention that Ted was the best politician in the family.  Senator Orrin Hatch – who, BTW, was a beloved friend of the Massachusetts legend – and I were climbing out of a car onto the sidewalk outside the Senator’s entrance to the Russell Building when Senator Kennedy stepped out of the car in front of us … and directly into the path of two young female tourists.

The girls, suddenly face-to-face with one of the most famous leaders in American history, froze in awe.  So the Senator, with a broad grin, grabbed a camera from one of the young ladies, handed it to his driver, stood between the two with an arm around each, and struck the classic pose as the aide snapped away.  He handed the camera back to the girls – who had barely moved a muscle – and with a wave, disappeared into the building.  

At which point the damsels shrieked and jumped up and down.

That, my friends, is talent.  And it is born, not made.  What a pol!

I'm not even going to bother debating further the point as to whether the ruckuses at Congressional recess town meetings are the result of organized efforts by conservative groups, as is charged in a new round of Democratic National Committee ads.  As I put it last week:  duh.

And yo!  I'll also reiterate the point -- one others like Peggy Noonan and Kathleen Parker have also picked up on -- that you can't really put the "astro" in so-called "astroturf" organizing.  As they say, beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes straight through to the bone.  And so does anger.

But there is yet another point worth making, and that is:  So there! 

Now perhaps the Democrats, on the receiving end for once, know what it is like to run into well-organized, nasty opposition.  To be shouted down and called a "liar" over policy differences.  To be accused of not having the best interests of Americans at heart.  To be charged with misusing government to spy on your own people. 

It was all well, good and fun when George Bush, Dick Cheney and the Republican Congressional leadership were the targets, and the personalization of politics reached new heights, fed by "moderate" voices like the Daily Kos, HuffPo and everyone's favorite, Michael Moore.  When the President was hounded at his ranch by people he had actually received at the White House, was accused of covering up a 9-11 plot, attacked for supposedly violating human rights of dangerous terrorists held at Guantanamo, called a war criminal and villified for cooking the planet.

It seems like at least some Democrats have not gotten the message ... perhaps it's time to eat some humble pie, ratchet things back a little and maybe seek some middle ground to cool the mutual anger and get something done.  Rather, some elements, even in their leadership, have decided to further up the ante, by launching new attack ads -- aimed ostensibly at "extremists" -- and by sending out union organizers to return fire with fire.

Maybe the tactics will work.  But I think the Democrats are fundamentally misreading the national mood.  Remember what I wrote last week:  don't shoot the messenger.  In particular, because in the process, you might miss and hit yourself in the foot.

1994, anyone?

Ladies and gentlemen, I posit to you:  has there every been a more bone-headed move than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's decision to order up not one, but two, count 'em, two additional luxury executive Gulfstream jets for assorted Congressfolks to cavort around the world in?

Democrats are up at arms over "mob rule" at the town halls of Congressfolks.  The Democratic National Committee, with its usual reticence, claims that "Republicans and their allied groups -- are inciting angry mobs of a small number of rabid right wing extremists to disrupt thoughtful discussions about the future of health care in America..."

Other Dems fume about so-called "astroturf" organizing -- in other words, artificial grassroots.

So the protests at town halls are being orchestrated?  Duh. 

I had a friend once who forbade her two boys from using the word “stupid.”  I always felt a little sheepish when she admonished the youngters. 

Because "stupid" is one of my favorite words.  I regularly rail against stupid stoplights, stupid taxation, and in particular, stupid politicians.  That's why I found it fascinating when Barack Obama, admired by so many for having such a way with words, got into such deep doo-doo by using my beloved adjective in its adverbial form.

• Ed Rollins: My daughter's generation may be burdened with huge debt
• He says Obama and Congress should be honest about what programs will cost
• Rollins: Bush administration wasn't honest about cost of war and other spending
• He says next generation's hopes and dreams could be dashed by debt

It was a cold and bright winter morning when the Marines of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines departed Kuwait City International Airport - a stark contrast to our arrival some seven months earlier when the temperature was a “balmy” 140 degrees.

Editor's note: Ed Rollins, a senior political contributor for CNN, was political director for President Ronald Reagan and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Ed Rollins says President Obama mishandled the aftermath of his decision to ban the use of torture.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Like so many politicians I have known, the man we elected president wants to be loved. He wants to be loved passionately and daily by the 69 million who voted for him and even some of the 60 million who voted for John McCain.

He wants to be loved by the Democrats on the Hill and even the Republicans who have still not given him any love.

He wants to be loved by the Europeans who have made a career out of badmouthing U.S. presidents and their policies.

The real example of searching for love in all the wrong places was last week's lovefest south of the border when, in effect, he appeared to be hugging Castro, Ortega and Chavez who have spent their lives fighting everything the United States stands for.

The World Likes President Obama, But is He Respected?

By Ed Rollins
CNN Contributor
 

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