Norm Mineta resigned, which really wouldn’t matter to me at all except (long [for me], rambling, poorly-written personal story follows) …
I could not name another Transportation Secretary if my life depended on it, but I discovered who Norm Mineta was when I was in Washington, D.C. in September, 2001. I’m sure you all see where this is going. I discovered that when something that tragic happens all I want is to be home where it is, at least emotionally, safe and my friends are.
So, 9/11 happens, I’m in a (relatively) foreign place and the airports are all shutdown. Suddenly Norm’s press conferences were the most important things on television. He had three days to get those airports open and traffic moving so I could get on my flight. And me getting on my flight was far more important than all those poor people stranded in the airports around the country. The relief I felt when he opened BWI was like finding out a biopsy was negative. Norm was my hero. My opinion has changed since then, but he was king for a day.
There was a weird feeling at the airport that day. A little tense, everyone was a little more chatty than usual, and nobody minded being x-rayed, poked, prodded and inspected.
Pentagon burning from Key Bridge, which was as far as I was willing to walk that day.
So, bye Norm. Thanks for opening the airport when I needed it most.
Not So Fast 