I mentioned on Facebook that I might watch Inez Tenenbaum’s confirmation hearing (to head Consumer Product Safety Commission) today if I knew when it was.
So one one my Washington friends and ex-colleagues, Jeff Miller, answered with the following helpful info:
“You can watch streaming video of the hearing through the Senate Commerce Committee’s Website. The hearing begins at 10:30 a.m.”
Don’t you just love the “Wondering Out Loud” feature on the Web? You wonder out loud, and someone gives you the answer.
You know what? Now that I think about it, I think the first time I met Samuel was over lunch with Jeff. Jeff was covering the 88 presidential campaign, Samuel was of course involved in that somehow, and I was Jeff’s editor. Journalists used to lunch a lot in those days.
Well, I’ve got to run to a business meeting now…
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If she leads the Consumer Product Safety Commission anything like she did the SC Dept. of Education we’ll all be in trouble. We might as well open the doors now to Chinese lead based painted childrens toys, rat poisoned baby formula, and kids toys with pointy projectiles.
I look forward to LawnDarts making their comeback… I’ll just resist chewing on the lead based coating.
“business meeting”… is that what you’re calling meeting the mailman at the front door now?
I’m going anonymous for this post (but Brad can see my email address).
I happened to be on a plane last Friday from D.C. to Columbia and ended up sitting one row behind Mrs. Tenenbaum. I had thought it was her while we were waiting at the gate (flight was delayed 2 hours) but didn’t feel it would be appropriate to ask.
Brad knows I have said some less than nice things about her performance as Secy of Ed. on this blog in the past. But I have to admit, whatever disagreement I have with her regarding education in South Carolina, she surprised me in several ways. First, her demeanor. No entourage, no grandstanding. Just another frequent flyer stuck in airport hell wanting to get home like the rest of us. But it was one little thing she did on the plane that gave me a little hope for humanity – even though the plane was late, even though it was Friday afternoon, even though nobody was watching – she spent a large portion of the time on the flight reviewing what appeared to be briefing papers for her job (while I, on the other hand, did a couple crossword puzzles).
So, Brad, please pass along to Inez that one South Carolina libertarian got a good feeling about a government employee on a hot Friday afternoon in D.C. And all it took was to see her doing her job.
Now, don’t ask me about one of our Congressmen who was on the same flight. He was in full on politicking mode at the gate, on the shuttle bus, and on the plane.
Hmmm… I may be anonymous but I forgot my dog isn’t! 🙂
Yep. The pooch gives you away.
To encounter Inez in person is to be impressed with her ability, her dedication and her positive approach to whatever lies before her. I’m glad you got a chance to see those factors at work, umm, “Anonymous.”
Yep, seems to me the only people who don’t like Inez are the ones who’ve never met her. She’s a hard worker, an authentic person, and a gracious lady. I wish you’d introduced yourself, anonymous — by the time you got to Columbia she’d have known all about your children, your job, and your dog. Then she’d call you once in a while just to check in!
I’m not saying she’s not a “nice lady”, but she is unqualified for any director position. There’s a lady in my neighborhood who knows everything that goes on within a quarter mile radius of her house too… and her name isn’t Inez. We just call her the “nosy old lady down the street”.