I just got the news that my former boss U.S. Senator Dan Inouye, the 2nd longest serving U.S. Senator (elected 50 years ago in Nov. 1962) has passed away from respiratory complications at the Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Md. He was the highest ranking Asian American politician in U.S. history and also still the Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

He was 88 years old and spent almost his entire life and political career in Washington D.C. My heart is saddened in my memories of the Senator — a truly principled man, a good boss, a loving father of musician Ken. He was married to Maggie Awamura of Honolulu who passed away in 2006, and then to Irene Hirano of Los Angeles, who is the former chief executive officer of the Japanese American National Museum.

Senator Inouye served honorably in the 442nd Regimental Combat team during WWII and lost his right arm thereby in 1945.
But he didn’t appear “disabled” to any of us who knew him.

I worked as one of his Legislative Aides on Capitol Hill decades ago, and was probably one of the first women lawyers on his staff. We all handled various issues for him (tracking legislation, introducing bills, research on topics) as well as constituent services of responding to letters and visits from voters from Hawaii.

One of my topics areas was civil rights and so we worked together on creation/passage of legislation that created the National Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians Act, which eventually lead to reparations for the innocent Japanese Americans who were wrongfully imprisoned in U.S. camps during WWII. I remember how committed he was to the issue and how we discussed various strategies to pass that legislation. Our bill also included the Alaskan Aleuts who were also put away into camps, as the Senator firmly believed in civil rights for all.

Many Americans remember him for his brave role in the Senate Watergate Committee hearings in the 1970′s. I remember him telling us staffers about the comment he muttered about counsel John Ehrlichman (one of President Nixon’s aides) — “What a liar” is what the press heard, but Inouye maintained he said “What a lawyer.”

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye

Last year the Senator proudly mailed me a commemorative coin for being elected President pro tempore of the Senate, making him third in the presidential line of succession after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

More info at wikipedia.

Farewell Senator, aloha ‘oe (until we meet again).

Lots of fanfare today for the arrival of 4 term Senior Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain and newly elected Republican Massachusetts U.S. Senator Scott Brown, at the Manning House, 450 W. Paseo Redondo in downtown Tucson. The national stature of John McCain has grown since he became the Republican nominee for U.S. President in 2008.

KJLL 1330 AM radio talk show host John C. Scott spoke first calling McCain a “bright star” to look up to, as “an Arizonan to be proud of.” Then Cindy McCain thanked the supporters (about 150 people) for their help, saying her husband always “puts his country first.” Senator McCain then introduced freshman Senator Brown, thanking him for his military and public service, and saying that Brown’s upset election was “heard around the world.”

Senator Brown spoke eloquently about how he had always admired Senator McCain for many, many years, and that he had called Senator McCain to offer help in his re-election here in Arizona (not the other way around). He asked the supporters present to be the “truth squad” for Senator McCain, since he was a man of “integrity and character and believed in America.”

Finally Senator McCain spoke again about the situation in Washington, D.C. with health care reform, the $12 trillion national debt, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how he had supported the Surge in Iraq because “he rather lose a campaign than lose a war.” He said he was confident that he could still be an effective voice in D.C. and that he “loved a good fight” (meaning his upcoming primary challenge).

U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts

Having been a legislative aide on the Capitol Hill personal staff of U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI), I knew what these Meet and Greet events would be like. Hundreds of loyal Republicans and others were in the crowd, including former state GOP Chair Mike Hellon.

Prior to this event, Senator McCain, his wife, and Senator Brown had watched the U of A vs. USC basketball game at McKale Center, then attended a private reception at the Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm Street. (The Arizona Wildcats won 86-84, in double overtime.) One of Senator Brown’s daughters plays basketball for Boston College.

Senator McCain has been in office since January, 1987 and he is facing a Republican primary challenge from former CD 5 Congressman J.D. Hayworth (served 1995 to 2007) http://www.jdforsenate.com/. There are Democratic challengers as well– former Bell Gardens, CA Mayor Rudy Garcia, http://arizonaonthemove.com/ or first term Tucson Councilmember Rodney Glassman, http://www.rodneyglassman.com/ (who will face off in the August 24 Arizona Primary). Glassman’s committee is still in the exploratory stage.

Note: Both Massachusetts U.S. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown are graduates of Boston College Law School, which I also happen to be an alumna of. Kerry was the 2004 Democratic nominee for U.S. President.