Remembering Dianne Feinstein
I remember when my son, Ryan Morris, was seeking a Service Academy Nomination, Senator Feinstein made it easy. After a quick vetting, Ryan got the nomination within a month.
I remember when Elliott Herskowitz-Hale, an intern at my show on KMUD community radio was seeking an internship at the senator’s San Francisco office, she hired young Elliott immediately. She hired him on the strength of my recommendation alone.
While she served on the Senate Intelligence Committee, especially when she chaired the committee, Senator Feinstein followed my show, “Heroes and Patriots”. The show’s focus is national security, intelligence operations, and foreign policy, and as modest as our platform was on a little public station, like KZYX in Philo, or as it is currently, on KMUD in Redway, the senator took an interest in our show.
She took an interest in our show for two reasons: one, we had A-list guests; and two, we sometimes broke national stories.
For example, in 2013, we were among the first to cover the failure of command leadership in at USSTRATCOM. Deputy Commander, VADM Tim Giardina, had been fired following a gambling investigation. Other firings at USSTRATCOM followed for sexual harassment and other reasons for loss of confidence. And our show had inside sources.
By way of another example, our show reported on how FBI’s investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks had been plagued by missteps and complications. The investigation initially focused on the wrong man, then had to pay him a nearly $6 million settlement. In 2008, they falsely accused another man, Bruce E. Ivins, who killed himself before he could go to trial.
Senator Feinstein would sometimes call or text after a show.
The show enjoyed Senator Feinstein’s support. Our show also enjoyed Senator Feinstein’s input and suggestions.
Senator Feinstein led the U.S. Senate on issues like women’s rights, LGBT rights, and gun control, but her public service career was also personal. Deeply personal. Senator Feinstein served ceaselessly and tirelessly in deeply personal ways.
She was great. And she was good.
Thank you, Senator Feinstein.
Senator Feinstein led the U.S. Senate on issues like women’s rights, LGBT rights, and gun control, but her public service career was also personal. Deeply personal.