Mark Kirk, Joe Biden and The Way Things Should Be

Illinois Senator Mark Kirk made it back to the Capital today. This is significant in ways that many of us may not be aware.

Senator Kirk, a first term Republican, suffered a massive stroke last January and has been working toward rehabilitation since that time. Today as the Senator made his way up the Capital steps, 45 of them, with one hand on an aid and his other using a cane one could not feel but good.

Kirk who is only in his early fifties, suffered near total paralysis on his left side and he still is dealing with those issues. Still as he made his way to the top of the steps, with a greeting party of colleagues awaiting him, standing back to allow him to achieve his goal, his face broke out into a bit of a twisted smile that anyone Democrat or Republican has to admire.

Greeting Senator Kirk at the top of the steps was Vice President Joe Biden. Biden, in this case relishing his role as the head of the Senate, greeted Kirk with a hug and a smile and the conversation between the gentleman showed genuine good feelings. Also present was Kirk's fellow Illinois Senator Durgin and his great friend Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin had held an empty seat at last years State of the Union Address in honor of his friend and Kirk has advised that the friendships and encourgaement of his Senate colleagues was a great enticement in the grueling schedule of rehabilitation he has followed.

One has to, or should, ask themselves why this genuine good feeling between these men, Democrats and Republican should be so exceptional. It should not, it is something one would expect out of any group of people in any workplace. The fact is however, with the disgust and venom spouted daily between members of the opposite parties in Washington this interaction does feel like something out of the ordinary.

It is unlikely that things will ever return to the days of good will between men of opposing parties and viewpoints in Washington. For me, this demonstration of common decency, and goodwill and genuine human compassion between all the participants today is an example of what we miss today. What we may not realize is that behavior and common goodwill such as this makes it much harder to demonize ones opponent. That would be a great start toward progress.