On Robert S. Moore 1917-2008

On Tuesday, I buried my grandfather. He passed away in his sleep after 91 years, having lived a very full life. Most of his life, he worked for McDonnell Douglas as an aircraft machinist. He became a union member, later a shop steward. It was during this time that he grew a passion for politics. I’m recalling now, with a smirk, how his stories about building aircraft almost always included a reference to how he walked a picket line for 44 days to keep health benefits for himself and his colleagues so that he could take care of his family. Back then, there were no copays or deductibles; coverage, subsidized by employers, meant full coverage. He was president of his Neighborhood Watch for years.

A trip to his house meant sitting down on the couch, he in his recliner, sparring with him over policy issues in-between watching him yell at the television with Crossfire or Bernard Shaw or Tim Russert in the background. He could never understand how I, having been raised in a family of Democrats, could be at all open to the possibility of any other points of view. Usually, when I showed up, he would answer the door with a big grin and a hug saying, “how’s my favorite closet Republican?”

As a young man, I remember how much he despised Ronald Reagan and later how much he loved Bill Clinton. While away in the military, I remember hearing about how he shed a few tears the day Bill Clinton was impeached. Later, I remember him grinning proudly while near breathlessly recounting how he shook Bill Clinton’s hand during the 2000 Presidential Campaign at a rally for Al Gore. Bill called him Bob- just like all of his friends. How excited he was!

My love of politics is borne out of all those talks about life with my grandfather. For much of the year, dementia had robbed him of the ability to follow this presidential campaign. He would have really enjoyed following this one. And I would have loved the chance to spar with him one last time.