James Carville's Old Folks Home Roadshow

A Subdued Evening with the Ragin' Cajun

Crew of the USS Tom Clancy,

Over twenty five years ago, when I was a teenager during the latter years of the Clinton administration, my parents took me to an event down in Norfolk featuring a talk by Democratic Strategist James Carville and Republican Operative Mary Matalin, who’d become a famous bi-partisan political couple after serving as senior campaign officials on the 1992 Clinton/Gore and Bush/Quayle run.

The event was memorable, entertaining, fun. I enjoyed seeing the ol’ Ragin’ Cajun gesticulate as though receiving electric shocks, watching Matalin roll her eyes at him. A good time had by all. This event was in the back of my mind yesterday as I walked down from Central Grounds to Alumni Hall to watch James Carville.

The room, I might add, was not filled with students, though it was filled. Spring break is next week, the students had other things to do. The room, instead, resembled a community session at an elder care facility. Packed, yes, and packed with old people.