Reply #15: Two observations other than that I was fascinated to read it.

[Mira]

In years past, in my life, though I was always interested and involved in politics, I can remember a time when I did not always know the political persuasions of all the people my life touched. The stark partisanship that came about with our "Uniter" pRresident *GWB* was not evident in the country or in my life to that degree in the decades before.
I might even be close to a few people before I realized that we philosophically and politically could never connect.
Now though, it's almost like a radar, and I know in the first famous four minutes......

And about your observations of Orrin Hatch last night, I think you are so beautifully describing what I saw and felt, I must recommend this post a few times :)
He knew he was an inferior last night and I sensed the repression and the longing to be free of his own self.
He as always reminded me of the narrator in "The Rocky Horror picture show" who also has not effing neck.
Very good post - thank you for writing it.