Firedoglake Offers Interesting Glimpse of "Our Man Fitz"

[kpete]

Which brings me along to the second comment that I wanted to highlight this morning. This one is from reader Mamayaga, who gives us a little glimpse:

Yesterday when I was flying back from DC to Chicago, I was sitting in the waiting area at National Airport, reading Jane’s recap of Rove’s history with the GJ on my Blackberry. It was late afternoon, the usual intercity shuttle crowd was gathering, when I glanced up from Jane’s disquisition to see none other than the tall man in the rumpled suit himself walking in my direction. I had no doubt who this was, flying home after a hard day on the road. If you’ve seen his picture as often as any FDLer has, there is no mistaking Patrick Fitzgerald in person. Fitz parked himself in front of the TV and watched VERY intently as CNN explained to him what he’d done with Karl that day. A rather surreally fractured moment, my reading Jane explaining Fitz to me while Fitz watched CNN explaining Fitz to Fitz. And in his attaché case were probably the documents that would set all of these stories straight — oh to have had Xray eyes!

I wanted to but didn’t go over and tell him how much I appreciate the service he is doing for the country (I’m more than a bit shy). One man in the waiting room did recognize him and spoke and shook his hand. I just sat and beamed somewhat involuntarily in his direction. I’m kind of an old lady so I can indulge in that kind of dottiness.

The thing that struck me about Fitz was his seeming to be completely un-self-conscious. I fly in and out of DC fairly often and when I do I play “Count the Congressmen.” They are easy to pick out in the crowd – middle aged men in expensive suits who clearly have their who’s-watching-me-now radar turned way up high. Even just waiting for a plane these guys are completely on stage. There was none of that about Fitz. He watched CNN, checked his messages, sat in what appeared to be contemplation of his day. It seemed that no more than two people in the crowd knew that this was the man who had just slow cooked the Rovester over a smoky fire for four hours on our behalf, and in doing so may very well have saved our system of lawful democracy.

This is a tiny story, just the “wow” reaction of someone who’s spotted a celebrity and not a whole lot more: Fitz travels in coach like a good government employee, he carries his own bags and apparently takes the El home. He sat in the emergency exit row, undoubtedly ready to render assistance to any and all should the plane have to bail. He’s quite boyish looking, and you might guess he was younger than his mid-forties except for the bald spot in back which gives him something of a monk’s tonsure, appropriately enough for someone with his reputation for devotion to his life’s work.

I was amazed again while at the baggage claim in Chicago seeing this whole passel of travelers standing around attending to their small businesses completely unaware that a key actor in the fate of our country was standing there as well, retrerieving his CTA fare card, getting a piece of gum, checking his messages again, and most likely revisiting the lies told to him all afternoon by the Rasputin of American politics. Don’t know if he noticed the aging groupie beaming at him across the baggage carousel, but I hope some of the good vibes reached him and helped speed him on his way.

from:
http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/04/28/some-thoughts-on-fitz-rove-and-things/#comments