About 10 days ago I had the pleasure of driving former Governor Harry Hughes from an Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (I am a board member) gathering outside Chestertown to his home in Denton. Time spent with Harry is always a lesson in Maryland politics as related concisely by one of the prime actors in the second half of the 20th century.
Nearing 91, Gov. Hughes is feeling the ravages of old age. He moves more slowly. His balance is unsteady. All expected in a person’s ninth decade. But when this reserved, gentlemanly political luminary talks, it’s best to keep quiet and learn.
A Caroline County native, Hughes served as a state delegate, state senator, secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and then governor from 1978 to 1986.
I first met Hughes nearly 40 years ago when he ran for governor; he was given little chance to win. He did, with significant help from Baltimore Sun and Evening Sun endorsements two weeks prior to the election. That was a time when an endorsement from a major statewide newspaper meant something—when people paid attention to “mainstream media.” Perhaps they still do. Showing my age, I still assign credibility to the printed word.
As my wife and I rode for about an hour in the car, we learned he loved being Secretary of MDOT because he could get things done, he liked President Bill Clinton, his political career just seemed to take off in a positive direction –and he fondly recalled having his mother as his homeroom teacher for three years at Caroline High School.
What was evident, as it always is when you spend time with Harry Hughes, is his innate modesty and mild manner. He is eminently likable.
In an op-ed piece published Dec. 1, 2016 in The Baltimore Sun by John Frece, a former Maryland State House bureau chief for the Sun and co-author of Gov. Hughes’ autobiography, “My Unexpected Journey,” about Hughes’ 90th birthday party, Frece wrote:
“The most important words that were uttered throughout the evening by a half-dozen speakers were the ones that described the values that this native of the Eastern Shore brought to Maryland’s political life: honesty, integrity, fairness, compassion, humility and restraint. In a word, civility.”
In recent years, a close adviser and friend of Hughes twice has invited me to join him for lunch with the former governor. Once, other former staffers joined the group. I was an interested bystander, noting the affection that these staffers still bore for their former boss. There was good-natured kidding aimed at Harry Hughes, who in turn kindly jabbed back. Meanwhile, people in the restaurant would stop by the table to say hello to the unassuming man from Denton.
While Gov. Hughes and his loyal lieutenants would tell stories about achievements, Harry Hughes would delight in the memories, but never dominated the conversation with anything resembling boastfulness. His willingness during his two terms to focus on Chesapeake Bay pollution–as well as management of the declining rockfish, instituting a controversial moratorium—was one of his shining accomplishments.
Though the tall, handsome former governor shows the ravages of aging, he continues to impress me with his calm, civil demeanor and dedication to environmental issues that still challenge and vex public officials and concerned non-profits.
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In seeking reactions to “The Vietnam War” documentary produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick and the two columns that I recently wrote about the remarkable 10-episode series, I spoke with a few Vietnam veterans in the area. I learned that two in particular thought that the documentary failed to portray accurately the North Vietnamese (NVA), specifically their fervent communism that they viciously imposed on villagers in the South to gain their fear-driven loyalty.
A friend and veteran forwarded an article written by a veteran in Georgia that was unyielding in its criticism of the soft way that he believed that the documentary treated the NVA, while acknowledging the duplicity of our political leaders and their unwillingness to unleash full American firepower on our enemy.
With this reaction in mind, I ask readers to submit their unvarnished opinion of the documentary. Did you consider it fair and balanced? Did you consider it skewed and too favorable to the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong?
As I wrote, the Vietnam War still lives on in the minds and hearts of civilians and veterans who lived through the 10-year war and the consequent chaos and divisiveness that gripped our country.
Please give me feedback.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
Jim Franke says
During the 1978 primary, a party boss/state senator called Harry Hughes a “lost ball in high grass.” Gov Hughes at the time was not in office and had resigned as Secretary of Transportation because he saw something hinky going on over the proposed Baltimore subway project. He ran against the Acting Governor (the Governor made him acting over his health and pending Federal corruption charges), the Baltimore County Executive, and the President of the Baltimore City Council.
The Baltimore Sun gave Gov Hughes an early endorsement based on the best person for the job and NOT on who looked like they were most likely to win. Gov Hughes really is one of the very best Governors we have had. I think we would have a different Governor today if newspapers and organizations (like the League of Conservation Voters) had not endorsed the “likely” winner in order to curry favor.
Next time the Governor needs a ride, and you can’t do it, let me know!
Steven Hamblin says
Dear Howard,
First, thank you for driving Gov. Hughes to the ESLC event that is so dear to his heart. Harry IS a class act and an Eastern Shore treasure.
About Ken Burns’ “Vietnam”: in a word, it’s a masterpiece. President Eisenhower’s first reaction to possible involvement in VN: we have no business there. No truer words were ever spoken. Ike knew a few things about war that escaped his successors.
I was attached to the First Infantry Division’s third brigade at Dau Tieng, 1968/69. I’ve waited all these years for the truth to come out. Now it has. There are no words to describe the obscenity of this war. Some men who nobly served there seek to justify their service by any means. Plain and simple: we were cannon fodder for the Military Industrial Complex that Ike warned us against. We did not listen.
Anyone who’d like to learn more about the truth of the Vietnam War can read Neil Shehan’s’ “A Bright Shining Lie.”
Thank you for reopening this debate. Burns’ Vietnam equals his Civil War, in my opinion.
Let me know if you’d like to have a beer to discuss.