What’s really going on here
I like to use each of my morning columns to analyze whatever I feel is the most important, relevant, or overlooked political storyline of the moment. I’ve been writing this morning column each day for about ten years now. It’s always been about what’s happening with the political landscape. But today I’m going to open up about something else: what’s been happening with me.
Over the past few months my Dad has been struggling with atypically rapid onset of Parkinson’s symptoms. He’s fought valiantly through it, at one point relearning how to walk during a very brief remission. But he’s in hospice now. I’ve tried to be there for him as much as possible over the past few months, and admittedly, sometimes it’s been at the cost of being able to write as much as I’d like to. Few things are more important to me than the obligation I feel to do my job well. But this is one of them.
I’m camped out here now with my Dad in his hospice room – and yes, today is in fact his birthday. They’re giving him (and me) wonderful care. Dad likely has just days left, but he’s going out like a champ. If my Dad could still speak, he’d probably be talking about the time we went to a Led Zeppelin semi-reunion concert together in 1998, or the time we somehow ended up going to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Those were incredible experiences. But what made them fun was that we did them together. He’s always been there for me. And now I’m here for him.
I’ll continue to try to write articles when my Dad is sleeping. But I know you’ll understand if it doesn’t always play out that way over the next week. Once this is over and we’ve gotten him to the finish line, I’ll shift my focus back toward providing the best political analysis that I can. In the meantime, some things are simply more important.
