Wait, He's a Donkey?

The author, daughter Megan Lefaivre, Harper Rose, Carolyn Hunt, Governor Jim Hunt (longest serving in NC history)

Governor Jim Hunt passed away yesterday at the age of 88.

His family released the following statement:

He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and public servant, whose life and work touched so many across our state. We are thankful for the prayers and support for our family during this time.

Hayden and I welcomed Jim and Carolyn Hunt into our Raleigh home on September 28, 2012 to kick off the Obama Campaign in North Carolina.

In June of 2012, as a newly minted North Carolinian, I volunteered as a foot soldier in Obama's re-election campaign for President.

I had driven to downtown Raleigh, parked my car on East Morgan Street in front of a rundown cinderblock one-story store front and walked through a front door that read: Obama for North Carolina.

On April 4, 2011, President Barack Obama had filed election papers with the Federal Election Commission and then announced his reelection campaign for 2012 in a video titled "It Begins with Us" that he posted on his website.

As the incumbent president, he ran virtually unopposed in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, and on April 3, 2012, Obama secured the 2778 convention delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. At the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Obama and Joe Biden were formally nominated by former President Bill Clinton as the Democratic Party candidates for president and vice president in the general election. Their main opponents were Republicans Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

As I walked into Obama’s Raleigh headquarters, there were maybe ten people in the rather large room, all about elementary school age through my 60-something eyes. I explained my interest with the simple phrase, “I’m here to volunteer to campaign for the President’s re-election.”

After answering the “where do you live” question, I was handed a clipboard with a volunteer form to fill out and I sat down on the nearest folding chair to complete my first task. I overheard, “Tell Rachel we have a new volunteer for her” while completing the form and as I stood to hand the clipboard and pen back, a young woman approached the front desk and introduced herself.

“Hi there, I’m Rachel Lipson…welcome and thanks for volunteering.”

Rachel was attractive, dark-haired, with a nice smile, and a good handshake. Her build was thin, but strong. I could picture her running cross country or track. She was confident, friendly, and gave me her brief resume. From New York, a recent Harvard graduate (I later learned magna cum laude no less), and a committed volunteer coordinator for the reelection of the President.

I told her my background and said that I would do anything, go anywhere, and talk to anyone to help reelect Barack Obama.

The first news she had was that they had plenty of volunteers for my neighborhood and needed the most help in some of the lower income areas of nearby Wake County. They were in the process of setting up an office near Cary and she could use my assistance in getting that started. A woman in a hurry, she suggested that we meet at the new space the next morning.

We hit the ground running. In the following weeks I canvassed from door to door, participated in a number of call banks, and invited volunteers into my home where I hosted a call bank.

One of the features of the Obama Campaign was the first use of big data and high tech. While I use the old-school term “call banks”, they were more lap-top banks using proprietary software that would autodial prospective voters, prompt you with a canned script, and give you the opportunity to categorize the respondent in a variety of ways. As election day approached, the data had improved to the point that you knew in each precinct who was most likely to vote for Obama, and who needed a ride to the polls. You could sign in on any evening and work the lists on your own, but having rooms full of volunteers ensured camaraderie, enthusiasm, instant assistance, and accountability. It was also fun.

Even in this new world of continuous campaigning for national office, Labor Day is the traditional kick-off to the fall campaign for President. Celebrated on the first Monday in September, it is a day set aside to recognize the men and women whose labor built this country. My dad was pro-organized labor and a proud member of the Communications Workers of America. He passed away on Labor Day 1995, and it has made that day extra special to me.

Since it is a holiday weekend, the candidates use all three days to make the rounds and begin their non-stop campaign travel until election day in November.

With an eye towards how the Obama Campaign would formally kick off in North Carolina, planning had begun in early August for a “surrogate show” in the state. Surrogates in politics are popular, high profile supporters who can speak for the candidate and multiply the daily impact of the campaign throughout the nation. There is only one candidate. That candidate has a fixed amount of time each day to travel and speak. The surrogates can add their voices to the evening news, social media, and personal appearances to increase the daily reach.

Current elected officials are the first team of surrogates in most cases, but the Democrats in North Carolina had a problem.

Rob Christensen, political columnist for the Raleigh News and Observer put it this way.

Missing from the campaign trail was an entire generation of Tar Heel Democratic baby boomers who were either caught up in scandals, such as former Senator John Edwards or former Governor Mike Easley, or who are so unpopular, such as current Governor Bev Purdue, that they are seen as a political liability.

So, the state and national party turned to their old political “war horse” to carry the message.

James Baxter Hunt Jr was the 69th and 71st Governor of North Carolina and the longest serving governor in the state’s history. He was just "Jim" to all who had the pleasure of finding themselves in his company.

Hunt was born on May 16, 1937 in Greensboro, NC and raised on a farm outside Wilson. He graduated from what is now NC State University with a BS in agricultural education and a MS in agricultural economics. He received a JD in 1964 from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

From 1964 to 1966, Jim served as a Ford Foundation economic advisor in Nepal. He came home to participate in a number of state and national campaigns for Democratic candidates and in 1972 he ran successfully for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina.

He is the only person ever to have been elected four times to the office of Governor of North Carolina and in his years in office oversaw the renaissance of the state from tobacco country to a high tech center of the South.

So as the national and state leaders of the Democratic party searched for their North Carolina surrogate for Obama, Jim Hunt was not only the best choice, he was their only choice.

Unbeknownst to me, the powers in Raleigh and Chicago had decided that a state-wide listening tour would be the right way to kickoff the Obama campaign in North Carolina. Jim Hunt would be the star listener and at each stop a group of citizens would assemble in a living room to exchange ideas with the former Governor. The tour would begin in Raleigh on Friday, September 28, 2012.

But where to have that important first session? What living room would host the kick-off?

Rachel Lipson had been to our home on several occasions and was familiar with its 1930’s vibe and the hospitality of Hayden Gwaltney Constance. Rachel was active in the Obama state organization and respected at the planning table. Her voice counted. Rachel spoke up and said, I know the perfect place for Governor Hunt’s kickoff, the home of John and Hayden Constance in Five Points.

After throwing that suggestion on the table, she called me up and asked whether we would be interested. I talked with Hayden, and we quickly said yes.

Almost as quickly, I got a call from someone that I had known in the Washington years. Asher Hildebrand had been an aide to Congressman David Price and we had worked together on a number of projects. Originally from Asheville, NC, Asher had graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2003 and Princeton in 2009. Whip-smart and politically intuitive, he was on loan to the Obama Campaign from Congressman Price.

He had been tagged as the guy who would vet our home as a possible kick-off venue.

It was a nice reunion when he arrived on Byrd Street. There were things I did not miss about the Washington years, but it was always wonderful to reconnect with the people. He connected immediately with Hayden, and we toured the premises, never actually sitting down as I recall.

He liked the possibility of this being the place and was complimentary of both the vibe and the décor (none of which I could take credit). He took some photos, made some notes and we began to say our goodbyes.

It’s funny the details you remember about a brief meeting. Hayden commented on Asher’s unusual but beautiful first name and connected it to the Biblical son of Jacob. He responded that it was Hebrew for “happiness” and that his parents thought it was a perfect fit.

As Asher departed he said that he would put in his recommendation and that the final decision would be made in a round table in a day or so. Like everything else in campaigns, it was on a fast track and in my opinion, the Obama folks had demonstrated a good track record of fulfilling deadlines.

We received the good news pretty quickly. We would be the Raleigh kick-off venue with Jim Hunt and his wife Carolyn having a living room chat with Hayden and me joined by five other North Carolina voters. One of the voters would be a North Carolina teacher and I immediately requested that our daughter Megan for that role.

Megan had graduated in 2005 with a degree in Education from Wake Forest University and had gone on to get her Masters at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was coming off of her maternity leave having brought Harper Rose Lefaivre into the world in June. Her perspective as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist would prove invaluable to the conversation.

There was much excitement at our house on Friday, September 28, 2012.

NC Campaign team, advance folks, Obama’s campaign photographers, Rob Christensen of the Raleigh News and Observer, full television camera crew, David Crabtree the TV News Anchor of WRAL, and of course Asher Hildebrand and Rachel Lipson all arrived in succession.

The advance team was impressed that we had festooned our southern style front porch with both the American and NC State flags. The house had been decorated with those flanking flags when we bought it. Our only change was to switch their position (from the house perspective, American flag is always to the right).

Our narrow street was filled with cars and the driveway with neighbors when Governor Hunt and Carolyn walked up the sidewalk like a couple of folks from the neighborhood. No fanfare. Pausing to shake hands with everyone in his path, they slowly made their way to Hayden and me, awaiting their arrival on the front porch.

They always said of Strom Thurmond of South Carolina that he had surely shaken every hand in his state at least once. You could say the same about Jim Hunt. As they walked up the porch steps, they gave us their hands and their full and complete attention. We introduced them to Megan and three-month-old Harper Rose, who was an angel the entire time.

After complimenting us on the house, Jim immediately began telling us about people who had lived on the street and in the neighborhood over the years. Names, dates, reminiscences, and nostalgia flowed forth and his connection to us and Byrd Street was immediate. In the meantime, Carolyn had bonded with little Harper, Hayden, and Megan.

With cameras rolling and pencils scribbling, the conversation came off without a hitch. Jim Hunt made the case for President Obama and listened to the needs and vision of small business, education, and parents in North Carolina. When our time had run its course, the Governor repaired to our screened porch and sat for an extended interview with David Crabtree.

Jim Hunt "preaching" in the Constance living room, September 28, 2012

The Obama photographer was kind enough to shoot some wonderful portraits of my family as we waited for the interview to be completed. We got to know Carolyn a bit better and hear about life in the Governor’s Mansion (a prison of sorts when compared to life on their farm). Raising children in that fishbowl was a daily challenge, and like her husband, her ability to spin a tale was endearing. As down to earth as could be, we loved our extended time with her.

A hand-written thank you note from Governor Hunt arrived within a couple days of the visit and within the month an autographed copy of his authorized biography penned by long-time aid Gary Pearce. Both were warm expressions of the man and examples of why he was beloved by a majority of North Carolinians.

One illustrative memory we enjoyed together is a perfect example.

Our next door neighbors were having some home improvement work done and on the day of the event I was concerned that the sound of circular saws and nail guns might become an annoying accompaniment to the proceedings. Early in the day I walked next door to request an hour of silence between one and two o’clock to avoid problems with the filming. When the name of Jim Hunt was invoked to ensure cooperation, the good-ole-boy foreman of the crew said, “Wow, he’s a damned good guy and did a lot of fine stuff for the State.”

Then, upon a moment’s reflection and with some horror in his voice, he asked, “But wait, he’s a DONKEY (Democrat) ain’t he?”

I related this tale to the Governor as he was leaving. He doubled over with laughter and literally slapped his knee. I pointed out the author of the comment standing in the neighbor’s driveway and watched as he and Carolyn both went over to shake his hand as they walked back to their car.

Jim Hunt was the person you want all your elected officials to be. He will be sorely missed in the Old North State.