Honoring Ed Brooke

At last there was some bipartisanship in Washington today, in Congress, at that. Sen. Edward William Brooke was honored with Congress’s highest medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, this morning, a few days after his 90th birthday. The ceremony was conducted in the impressive ceremonial Rotunda. There were speeches by President Barack Obama, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). And even a few Republicans. What makes the last point so interesting is that the honoree was a Republican senator from Massachusetts.

The ornate Rotunda at the Capitol was packed with well-wishers, political and media insiders and many Afro-Americans who were there to celebrate the senator’s notable success in America’s political life. Brooke was the first Afro-American state official when he was elected state attorney general of Massachusetts in 1962; and the first African-American popularly elected U.S. senator when he ran successfully for two terms in that legislative body.

The room was adorned with statues and huge oil paintings of scenes of American history — none contained any black faces. Not so the audience, which included many personalities from black politics and public affairs. All species of police and security guards surrounded the room — but security was no problem as the vibes were completely friendly and admiring and prideful. Drums and fifes led a military color guard, and the U.S. Army Chorus sang. Phone cameras clicked throughout the proceedings.

I represented Sen. Brooke in preparing and publishing his memoir, Bridging the Divide, so I am quite familiar with his life story. That autobiography, and this day, typifies America at its best, honoring a good man who broke racial barriers and independently represented his country as well as his race and party and state.

Brooke chose to preach to his admiring audience and the national media in attendance. “Politics need not be evil,” he pleaded, warning political leaders not to put the important issues “on the back burner.” We should be dealing with the hungry and the homeless and the uneducated young people among us, he charged, and not “keep fighting wars.” Amen to that.

Brooke’s qualities of bipartisanship and high-mindedness are rare nowadays, so the day and message are special, as is the man.

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