Mr. Kaufman goes to Washington

The largest newspaper in Delaware provides some useful background on Ted Kaufman, the longtime senior aide to Sen. Joe Biden who was appointed yesterday to replace the vice president-elect in the Senate until an election is held in 2010. Here's the story on Kaufman's appointment and here's the backgrounder explaining who he is and where he's coming from.

This pick was a surprise -- the paper ran a bunch of pre-election stories speculating on who might fill Biden's seat should he win both re-election to the Senate and the vice presidency, but Kaufman's name was never on anybody's short list. At least not anybody's list other than Gov. Ruth Ann Minner's. His selection is a canny and fair-minded step. Kaufman is a Biden loyalist, so voters won't be getting something drastically different than what they voted for in re-electing Biden. At the same time, Kaufman doesn't have any personal political ambitions, so his appointment doesn't give an incumbency head-start to what should be an open-seat election in 2010.

Kaufman is also a well-respected, smart, capable and by all accounts nice guy. And he's already up-to-speed on all the current legislation and the day-to-day operations of the Senate. He'll be a rookie senator, but a rookie with decades of experience in the Senate. That chamber, and the country as a whole, will benefit from having him there for the next two years.

And Kaufman insists it will only be for the next two years:

Kaufman's time in the spotlight comes with a deadline -- he was adamant Monday that he has no plans to run for re-election once his two years in the Senate are up in 2010.

"Oh, no," he said. "First off, my wife would kill me."

Just as Delaware's outgoing governor was making this shrewd, surprising and encouraging announcement yesterday, the state's governor-elect was making a shrewd, surprising and encouraging announcement of his own regarding his upcoming inaugural celebration: "Markell: Give time for your neighbors."

Gov.-elect Jack Markell proposed an alternative to the traditional inaugural ball. No expensive gown or tux rentals necessary. But get ready to roll up those sleeves -- and the sooner, the better.

Standing in the volunteers' room at the Food Bank of Delaware, Markell and Lt. Gov.-elect Matt Denn launched a fresh effort to help Delaware residents give their time and talents in service to their neighbors -- a volunteer drive that ends with a "Weekend of Service" Jan. 24-25, just a few days after Markell's Jan. 20 inauguration.

They are hoping the plan will produce thousands of hours of volunteer service at a time when nonprofits are reeling from sharp decreases in donations and other resources. The Food Bank, for example, announced last week it no longer had the money to support its Emergency Feeding Program and would focus instead on collecting and distributing food through its member agencies.

A fine suggestion. Not only is this good publicity and a shot in the arm for the state's ailing and overtaxed food bank, but it spares us the awkward ritual of a gubernatorial prom.

The odds are that you don't live in Delaware. Most people don't (me included -- my commute takes me through the Pa./Del. security checkpoint every night). But the odds are also pretty good that if you live in one of the other 49 state, your food bank/food pantry system is similarly strained and overburdened. Here's a handy Food Bank Locator from Feeding America if you want to look yours up.

Comments

[Geds]

my commute takes me through the Pa./Del. security checkpoint every night

The what now? This is a joke, right?

[Paul]

(long time reader, first time poster)

Ditto on what Geds said. In all the euphoria of Obama getting elected, did I miss the announcement on internal security checkpoints?

my commute takes me through the Pa./Del. security checkpoint every night

Are they worried about break-ins at Longwood Gardens?

[Kyle]

I'm going to have to (sound redundant) go along with all the other posts here. Amid all the Good Things in the post,it was "the Pa./Del. security checkpoint" that caught my eye. What's going on up there?

[lonespark]

Thanks for the reminder, Fred. Charities are hurting, and I have a Costco card burning a hole in my pocket.

[cjmr]

I'm assuming Fred's talking about the toll plazas. I don't know that you can get from DE to PA without enduring one or more of them.

[LL]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to ask about the "Pa./Del. security checkpoint as well." Is this to keep Delawareans out of PA or the reverse? Or both? Is there a cavity search involved? Do they ask for papers? What gives?

[Rosemary Molloy]

Wow, all I can say is, Hooray for your gov! Wish mine (Corzine) would make a similar anouncement.

[Naked Bunny with a Whip]

"First off, my wife would kill me."

Obviously, I must now inform the DHS and get her put into custody.

[Phirazo]

What I'm interested in is who Rod "4% approval rating" Blagojevich selects to replace Barack Obama.

[mcc]

Delaware: The Green Zone of America.

[Amaryllis]

I agree with cjmr: knowing the rapaciousness of the Delaware DOT, there's got to be a toll booth involved. And now that everyone's using EZPass, well, they know who you are, and where...

[Penelope]

I assume Fred is talking about the ridiculousness of the DE toll plazas, which get you for $5 both ways for 11 miles of driving.

We tend to call it Delaware's cover charge, only there's no band.

[JayH]

Non sequitur: we had our baby last week. Short version: emergency C-sec, followed by a 2nd surgery a few hours later to find the source of internal hemorrhaging. After 3 units of blood, Peebs lost an ovary and tube but kept the "important bits," and is now on the mend. Burrito Boy (as we've taken to calling him, partly because of the standard swaddling pattern, and partly because he's the source of so much intestinal gas) is doing fine, except we haven't yet figured out how to deal with the "up all night" thing. We're very tired and haven't got a routine down yet so I might not be around a lot in the next few weeks. I'll try to keep up with LB Fridays, though.

[Amaryllis]

Babies are never non sequitur! Congratulations, and thanks for the update.

Emergency c-sec? She has my reminiscent sympathy.

I'm sorry it was so difficult for her; please give her our best wishes for a quick recovery. And for some sleep!

Burrito Boy? Well, now that you mention it, a swaddled baby does bear a certain resemblance to an overstuffed tortilla. Anyway, best wishes to him and to his exhausted, delighted parents.

[Michele my bell-flower]

Congrats, JayH!!

[Hawker Hurricane]

Jay, congrats.

There are "Agricultural" checkpoints between Arizona and California. Seems that both sides are blaming the other for contaminating thier veggies.

And U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints on all the interstates (I5, I8, I15) leaving San Diego.

[Michele my bell-flower]

@ Hawker Hurricane: There are "Agricultural" checkpoints between Arizona and California

Also have them between CA & OR and CA & NV. Incoming to CA only, I think.

Took away my bag of Michigan apples when I moved here. mutter.

[LMM]

Congrats JayH!

[Salamanda]

Congrats, JayH! (And we called our daughter Burrito Baby whenever we swaddled her as well.) ^_^

Here's to a speedy recovery for Peebs, and plenty of rest for you both. (And, failing the second one, at least plenty of interesting things on late-night TV.)

[hapax]

Congratulations to JayH and the new mother, and prayers for speedy healing and a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Good gracious, the recent baby boom around here (how are you doing, lonespark?) has me inching away from the monitor a little nervously...

[Elmo]

Route 896 From Strasburg to Newark didn't have tolls on it the last time I looked -- it was also the most direct route. There are plenty of other places where you can practice the tradition of pike shunning. Of course you do have to pay a little more attention.

[RickRS]

Congrats, JayH!

Thanks for the push to remember the needy, Fred. There's not a Food Bank in my area, but Sharing and Caring does the job. I went shopping last night for some staples items that are in the car, staged to delivery this Wednesday morning when they open. Local Salvation Army has newpaper reports they had 400 people apply for bell ringer jobs this season, more than double in the past. There's only 30 of these bellringers jobs in our area, and they hire based on the applicant's financial situation.

[JayH]

hapax: Good gracious, the recent baby boom around here (how are you doing, lonespark?) has me inching away from the monitor a little nervously...

Our recent baby boom has my wife inching me towards a minor surgery of my own. ;-)

[Caroline]

Good point, Fred. My family volunteers at our local food bank, and we've seen a huge increase in the number of new families picking up emergency supplies.

We've got a lot of grocery stores that contribute day old goods and other things to the food bank. Ask your local grocery store if they contribute to the food bank or other emergency services.

[Richard Hershberger]

The problem with the toll plaza theory of "checkpoints" is that the big toll plaza on I-95 is at the Maryland side. You can drive from Philadelphia to Wilmington without paying a toll. I assume this is because a significant number of Delaware residents make that commute, and would bitch about paying a toll. Putting the booth at the Maryland side means most people paying are just passing through the state on a longer trip.

[Tonio]

I once made the mistake of heading north on I-95 toward Wilmington on a Friday before Memorial Day. The amount of traffic turning onto I-295 was staggering - were they headed to Atlantic City or the Jersey beaches? Now when I go through that area, I use US 301 toward Delaware 1 and avoid the Maryland stretch of 95 entirely.

[cjmr]

Congratulations, JayH and Peebs! (But wait at least 18 months before having that minor surgery. Trust me.)

------

Tonio, how long does it take to drive that way? We live basically on US301 and drive to Boston at least twice a year, so anything to avoid tolls (and I-95, for that matter) would be great, as long as it doesn't add too much time to the trip. I'm guessing that you must drive by us on your way.

[Tonio]

Tonio, how long does it take to drive that way?

Sorry, I couldn't tell you. I can say that on a Saturday afternoon and evening, southbound 301 on the Eastern Shore was almost desolate.

[Cowboy Diva]

Congrats to JayH and family!
The time to sleep will come.
Eventually.
Honest.

[Jeff]

Congrats to JayH and Peebs, with best wishes for a speedy recovery.

In 18 years or so, we can announce the nuptials of Evenstar and Burrito Boy!

[Geds]

In 18 years or so, we can announce the nuptials of Evenstar and Burrito Boy!

Best. Vows. Ever.

Also, congrats and best of luck on the recovery process.

[lonespark]

Baby! Wooo!!! Congrats and well wishes to your lady.

My only advice for non-sleeping babies is to work opposite shifts. Fortunately, we've already got that in my household, and even Kid Sparky seems to be headed for a future as a Night Person, so he can stay up with Dad.

Doing ok, hapax, thanks. Doc is on vacation for 3 wks, but neither she nor the nurse midwife found anything to indicate Impending Baby Girl is in a hurry, so 12/14 is still the date we are working around. We did manage to get most of our Christmas shopping done already, just in case.

Yesterday my Toastmasters club threw me a shower. Pink was everywhere, people wearing it, the cake, the wrapping. This is because I did a two-minute speech once on how much I hate pink. But the gifts are not pink, which is very thoughtful.

Also, I gave a speech at the meeting about "The True Story of the War On Christmas," referencing Calvin, the Kirk, Cromwell, Mass. Bay Colony, etc. Can't remember if that was discussed here or just on Street Prophets, but anyway it was fun.

[lonespark]

Also, I am pouting because Kit's blog (or generally?) keeps eating my posts.

[Tonio]

I gave a speech at the meeting about "The True Story of the War On Christmas,"

Did it include Bill O'Reilly's Jew-baiting?

[rizzo]

I'm assuming Fred means the ubiquitous toll plazas that make you pay money to get into PA from almost every road in NJ and DE. Our state is so great, we make you pay $.50 to get in!

[Jessica]

Hoo-ray for burrito baby! Here's to a speedy recovery for the proud Mom!

[lonespark]

It took off from Bill-O, took a brief sidetrip through Henry Ford and McCarthyism, but mostly was all about the Puritans and their fellow-travelers.

[Cowboy Diva]

That was the weirdest thing about New Jersey; every bridge out was a toll bridge, such that you could not leave without paying for the privilege.

[Dash]

New Jersey: you can check in, but you can never leave. (Cue the Eagles. Or, for NJ, the Mosquitos. [No, really, I kid because I love.])

JayH and Peebs, many congratulations! And best wishes to Peebs for a speedy recovery. Two surgeries in short order are no small matter. The cjmrs showed us the Famous Saturn, but we'll let you off any obligation to supply pictures of the operating room.

And to Burrito Boy, welcome to the world!

[Nenya]

Congratulations, JayH!

And thanks for the explanations about "the Pa./Del. security checkpoint", which phrasing rather worried me. I guess we do have internal checkpoints, by that name or some other, but at least this was one I'd heard of before.

Meanwhile, on the ostensible topic of Fred's post, Kaufman's appointment sounds like a good idea. I really respect Biden, so having someone fill his seat who's been by his side for years and is going to be the same kind of senator seems really appropriate. Then the voters can pick whoever they want in two years. And yeah, I am really curious to see who replaces Obama. And Clinton, if she does get picked for Secretary of State.

[Jenny Islander]

JayH, if you can figure out a way to park Burrito Boy within arm's reach on the bed or in a sidecar, things will become much easier. If your wife is breastfeeding, she and Burrito Boy will develop a system whereby they get things connected without either of them really waking up. If not, you will still be able to do midnight diaper changes while half-awake if the baby, a flat surface, and the diaper supplies right there.

And congratulations!

[Caravelle]

Heeeey ! Congratulations, JayH and Peebs !

[Raj]

Are they worried about break-ins at Longwood Gardens?

"Huh, huh! Huh, huh, huh, huh! You said, 'Long!'"

"Er, yeah, heh, heh, heh! And then you said, 'Wood!'"

[Karen]

Wildly off-topic, but does anyone here know about growing Meyer lemon trees? I bought a couple this weekend, which I've put in large pots for the time being. I live in Austin, Texas, which is Hardiness Zone 8 or 9. My goal is to make as much of my suburban lawn into food production as possible. Next step, blackberry canes.

[hapax]

Karen, I don't know anything about growing any plant, except that I have managed to kill everything I look at funny; but I have a friend in Fort Worth who has kept lemon and orange trees in pots for years. If you have a specific question, I'd be glad to pass it along.

[Karen]

Mainly I'm interested in knowing what kind of fertilizer and how often to get the maximum yield.

[hapax]

Very late, Karen, but pasting here the responses I've received:

“Meyer lemons are very,
very picky about where they are planted. Our tree in Richmond was moved four
times before it decided to settle down and set fruit -- it took 7 or 8 years to come
to real maturity and have any kind of significant crop. My mother's tree, planted
during my childhood, grew to be a prolific bearer also, but it took at least 5 years
of just sitting and sulking in its place before it did anything. The tree in Berkeley
bore so much fruit that I was taking shopping bags full of lemons to work, but that
was an old tree and had been there for a while. My mother's tree was never once
fertilized to my certain knowledge, and certainly we never fertilized the Berkeley
tree during the year we were there. The tree in Richmond, though, got every bit
of loving attention that the Sunset gardening book recommended, including regular
spraying of some sort of nutrient solution on its leaves when they began to yellow,
and regular applications of citrus food around the root area.
Meyer lemons like sun, they like to be protected against wind, and they just love it
if you let them dry out before you water them (like most citrus). I suppose that since
it's in a pot, your friend's tree should be fertilized several times each year -- the
back of the citrus food box tells all about it. “

“Meyer's like the SUN. I never, ever "fertilize" a tubbed plant, as most
fertilizers are a salt, and that is not a good thing. I use bananas and coffee
grounds. Most citrus like a little winter chill (to be defined as a night or
so around 40), as their blooming time is in the winter. Hope they are not in a
hurry, Meyers take their own sweet time about getting around to producing.
DON'T OVER WATER. Citrus do not like wet feet. Remember that most articles
are written with an idea of selling a product, usually fertilizer.”

“When you do water it, water around the root line. Any plant in a tub needs watering more often than the same kind of plant in the ground, but no citrus likes continual dampness..”

HTH.

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[Raj]

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