DISCLAIMER: This is just a profile of a Democratic elected official. While I may or may not agree with the politics of the selectee, this year long series will profile EVERY single elected Democrat on the Federal level, as well as state Governors. So no bitching about the selection, as the selection is random, and if you must bitch, feel free to do so in the Comments.
Today's Democrat of the Day is Congressman Jim McDermott.
Last night, as I was preparing this profile, I spoke to Daily Kos celebrity and regular Pastor Dan, who had interviewed Congressman McDermott some weeks ago. He said he had not gotten around to posting his story concerning the interview yet, so I hope I am not stealing too much information.
So I will repeat one story Pastor Dan told me about his time with Jim McDermott. McDermott, as you will see below, is not only a Congressman but also a full fledged Psychiatrist. Once, as he was on a plane traveling perhaps between Seattle and Washington, D.C., a fellow passenger began having severe heart problems. The Flight Attendants were asking around for a doctor. McDermott kept quiet for a moment, to see if there were any other doctors or medics on the plane that could assist the man. He was a recognizable person at that time, and did not want to call attention to himself. But there was no one else to help. So McDermott got up and began to assist the stricken and unconscious man. He monitored the man's pulse and blood pressure, and as the man came to, he recognized McDermott, and said, "I asked for a doctor, not a psychiatrist!"
Jim McDermott was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 28, 1936. He attended public schools in Downers Grove, Illinois, and later began the first in his family to attend college. He earned his Bachelor's Degree from Wheaton College in Illinois, which, by the way, is the same college our wonderful House Speaker, Dennis Hastert attended. McDermott graduated approximately six years before Hastert, though, so he has no stories of how Hastert comprised his integrity even in college. McDermott went on to medical school at the University of Illinois Medical School in Chicago, where he received his MD in 1963. He served his internship at the Buffalo, NY General Hospital and his residency in Adult Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Hospitals in Chicago and a residency in Child Psychiatry at the University of Washington Hospitals in Seattle.
After completing his second residency, McDermott entered the military, serving in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander and Chief Psychiatrist. Now, I find that fascinating. Once again, a Democrat served at the height of the Vietnam War while Bush, Cheney, Quayle and many other chicken hawks were doing everything they could to escape service. Which party is the tougher party, again? But I digress.
McDermott returned to Washington State after his service to run for the Washington State Legislature in 1970. After serving in the State Legislature for four years, he ran for the State Senate, and served in that office for he made his first run for public office in 1970 and served in the State Legislature from the 43rd district in Washington State. In 1974, he ran for the State Senate, and held the office for three terms. In his "spare" time, McDermott has served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Washington Hospitals in Seattle; as the Chief Psychiatrist at the Seattle/King County Jail; as a consultant to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation; as a consultant to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; and as a member of the Public Health Associates of Seattle.
In 1987, after 15 years of legislative service, Rep. McDermott decided to leave politics and continue in public service as a Foreign Service medical officer based in Zaire, providing psychiatric services to Foreign Service, AID, and Peace Corps personnel in sub-Saharan Africa. When the 7th district Congressional seat later became open, he returned from Africa to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. He began serving in 1989 to the 101st Congress and continues representing Seattle to this day.
As a psychiatrist and a doctor, healthcare is one of McDermott's most important issues. While a state Senator, he developed the Washington Basic Health Plan, the first state program in the country to provide low-cost health insurance to the unemployed and working poor. In the Congress, he is active in health care reform issues. He founded and chairs the Congressional Task Force on International HIV/AIDS and introduced the AIDS Housing Opportunities Act, a new program enacted into law in 1990 authorizing $156 million in FY 92 for special housing assistance for people with AIDS. Rep. McDermott, the co-author of National Health Care legislation, is leading the fight in the House of Representatives to guarantee all Americans comprehensive health care coverage.
He is also one of the more outspoken Bush opponents. For example, he is currently leading the fight against the a very frightening provision of the No Child Left Behind Act that allows the Defense Department and the U.S. Military access to the records of students in our public school system. McDermott joined with a punk rock band called "Anti-Flag" to push for the repeal of that provision. Here are the Congressman's remarks recently concerning this subject:
Good afternoon, I'm Jim McDermott and I represent Seattle. Let me be clear. I own styling gel, but I left it home today. And before I had white hair, I sported a look not all that dissimilar from those here today.
Let me recognize my good friend and colleague Pete Stark, who represents Freemont, California. I also want to introduce some very interesting young men from Pittsburgh. They are Justin Sane, Chris #2, Chris Head and Pat Thetic. I first met this Punk band- Anti Flag- last fall when they led a nationwide drive to get young people registered to vote.
If you want to know why voter turnout among young people last November was so large, these people are a big part of the reason. The future belongs to them and they are taking charge of it, and not a moment too soon the way things are going around here.
Pete and I are veterans. I served in the U.S. Navy and Pete in the United States Air Force. We support our soldiers. Don't let anyone mislead you into thinking otherwise.
We're here today to call attention to something that has no place in a free society and no place in a volunteer army. Under a provision buried in the No Child Left Behind law; military recruiters have access to private student information. High schools across America are drug-free, alcohol-free and weapons-free; they should also be military-free. Every branch of the military has a multi-million dollar advertising budget; there's plenty of money and plenty of access without invading privacy.
McDermott stands against the privatization and destruction of Social Security and for universal healthcare for every American. He wants to make America confront the awful truth of its energy dependence: "the U.S. has become the world's largest and least efficient energy consumer because we have artificially subsidized petroleum prices." He steadfastly opposed the unjust and illegal Iraq War. He is a fighting Democrat, and I personally hope he stays in Congress for a long time.
And to prove that he is doing something right, the Rethugs call him "Baghdad Jim" McDermott. That is a compliment in my book. Indeed, expect to hear that an ethics complaint will be filed against him now that the House has repealed the ethics rule that had bottled up the House ethics committee in a stalemate for the last few months. A complaint was filed in the last Congress by Rep. David Hobson (R-Ohio) alleging McDermott leaked sensitive ethics-panel material. The Republicans will be persuing complaints against Democrats in their defense of the Bugman.
The Issues
On the Issues
Project Vote Smart
District Information:
Census and Demographic Data on the 7th Congressional District in the State of Washington
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.house.gov/mcdermott/
Washington D.C. Office
1035 Longworth
House Office Building
Washington DC, 20515
(202) 225-3106
(202) 225-6197 Fax
Seattle Office
1809 7th Avenue
Suite 1212
Seattle, WA 98101-1399
(206) 553-7170
(206) 553-7175 Fax
Previous Democrats of The Day:
4-25-05: Senator Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii
4-26-05: Representative Artur Davis, D-Alabama 7th
4-27-05: [Governor Brad Henry, D-Oklahoma