Great piece, and on the money. Make things normal - no big deal. Let's talk about the REAL issues affecting people.
11
Wow, this article gives me some hope for America. We just need a lot more politicians like Danica.
7
Danica Roem is exactly the type of candidate I wish I could have voted for last week. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of candidates like her. Wishing her great success.
6
Of course to some she's not progressive enough. The Bros get to define "progressive" while they whine about getting g cheated. Keep on rocking Danica
4
In a lot of ways, Hillary failed to appeal to many voters because she wasn't "boring". Her campaign chose to double down on the fact that she was a woman to appeal to voters. For example, I remember her being asked why someone should vote for her during the first Democratic Primary debate. She said it was because they would be voting for the first female presidential candidate.
She didn't need to lean on her identity as a woman to win. She was undoubtedly the best candidate to throw their hat into the ring in 2016. By relying on an appeal to her gender, it made her seem less confident in her abilities as a candidate. Her campaign had so many good, concrete ideas, but it was all lost behind the identity politics.
1
Hooray! A politician that understands what the issues are, wants to work to do something about them and knows "you get more bees with honey, than with vinegar."
4
I had the privlidge of voting for Danica Roehm and helping to end the 26 year reign of homophobe scourge and embarassment, Bob Marshall. I am thrilled to finally have a representative who will work to better the infrastructure of the community rather than focusing on his own agenda of bigotry. Now Prince William County only has Corey Stewart to be ashamed of.
2
Frank Bruni, Great article, you even outdid yourself!
5
If only the craggy, old Democrats in Congress would move out of the way and let the new blood take over. We've got a jobs-skills problem, a national infrastructure problem, a gun problem, a health care problem, a redlining and gentrification problem, a stagnant wages problem, a homelessness problem, an affordable housing problem, and a trump problem. The Democrats in Congress are losers addressing all of these issues.
We need more Danica Roemses.
7
Thanks, Mr. Bruni. Of all the very impressive wins that the Democratic party chalked up last week, I thought the Roem victory was the most interesting for the future of the party. She had the charisma of the lead singer for a heavy metal band (which is part of her resume) and a distinctive identity as a transgender person running against a long-time incumbent hate-mongerer. Yet she won on bread and butter issues that any of her new constituents could identify with, simply letting her identity speak for itself. She let her opponent have the high moral dudgeon road all to himself, didn't engage, and left him and his supporters sputtering. Just think, authenticity, a touch of charisma and speaking directly to voters' everyday needs carried the day.
3
The self-evident fact that people who harm no one and merely live life according to their own lights should be full citizens in every sense is easier for some people to accept, and I include myself in this category, if the novelty of some 'unconventional' lifestyles is digested gradually. I don't mean to imply that anyone's rights of citizenship should ever be abridged to accommodate someone's, mine say, tender feelings. What I do suggest is a simple awareness that change takes time to absorb and allowing people that time serves everyone's interests. Ms. Roem seems to share that belief, perhaps.
3
I guess Marshall just wasn't man enough!
It's about time we start judging people by ideas, not outdated ideologies and old standby bigotries.
Virginia is for lovers, not haters.
7
I agree with the majority of commenters descriptions: Smart, witty, with grace, effective, focused... and because it looks like its been left out, I'll add one more... she's pretty.
30
I envy Bob Marshall. He finally has a delegate representing him who is qualified for the job.
26
This is a victory for politics itself and for all Americans. It is a victory for people with the skills to get things done who may lack that tired old must-have charisma thing. I don't need to "drink a beer" with my elected representative; I do need them to solve the problems we face every day, including traffic and transportation issues.
13
White man runs for political office against another white man and wins. Sounds like same old same old to me.
2
Some people would vote against transgender candidates simply because they are transgender wile some people would vote for a transgender candidate simply because he or see is transgender. But the issue involving transgender individuals is not their capability or qualification to hold elected office, but whether they should be treated as male or female. Transgender women like Roem are, by definition, individuals whose gender identity does not match their actual sex. In other words, they are males. If men could become women, or if women could become men, there would be no transgender issue. So, the issue is whether men who gender identify as female should be treated as male or female For example, Danica Roem was required to register for the military draft at age 18, something females aren't required to do.
2
William Case: The military draft has been reinstated? How could I have missed that?
6
How remarkably beside the point. All those words and you never actually arrive anywhere.
4
Yes, registration is still legally required (see https://www.sss.gov/Registration-Info/Who-Registration). As a practical matter, failure to register is never prosecuted these days and there is no actual draft anymore.
2
An emphasis on local issues, doing the people's work and being their voice -- that's the ticket. Hope more Democrats learn from this.
11
I live in the Bay Area. I wish Danica Roem would move here and build some overpasses on our expressways. We really need them.
Light rail would be nice, too.
15
This victory of Danica Roem is a turning point for America's voters; perhaps identity politics (which the Dems have been misaligned with) will be replaced by politics of a higher order; issues politics - that is, issues that affect all of us equally and collectively as citizens. Brava, Danica!
11
What you call "identity politics" is the mechanics of me securing the rights that have been withheld from me. My issues ARE my identity.
I am so sorry you are so uncomfortable with my identity.
6
Please, take no offense. I only meant that I'm encouraged by the fact that Danica's "identity" did not overshadow her campaign, or get in the way of running a campaign about issues. This is how she got her votes and (we) won. That's a big deal. And yes, whatever it takes to secure the rights that have been witheld from you and anyone marginalized is AND will always be, an ongoing, righteous fight to have. Danica managed to take the word "identity" out of her fight to attain political office and now her power of authority and her power to make a difference - will also be her identity. For me, this was a PROMISING example of a campaign that skirted being labelled or branded, was inclusive and smart; something we haven't seen in a really long time.
6
hopefully you will find some duties amongst so many rights.
Truly great column, Mr. Bruni. Keep on keeping on...as the saying goes. Your social intelligence almost never fails to deliver a column of substance and creative thinking. Thank you.
11
Harvey Milk started his political career focused on pooper-scooper laws in his neighborhood.
9
Great piece! Thanks for bringing this out about Danica Roem. This reminds me about most of Obama's run for president. He ran on a platform that was not defined by the fact that he was black but that despite being black, there is room in America for him because he offered optimism and hope.
3
I saw that same interview and beamed with glee.
2
Thanks for this wonderful, heartful, and hopeful opinion Frank Bruni!
My own heart is bursting with gratitude to this woman and the wise
and practical voters. It helps offset the revelations of Donna Brazile.
I do hope the Democratic party head, Tom Perez, gets the implications
here that regular folks want some one who actually listens and
cares about what regular folks want and need. Like health care for all
and a livable minimum wage and that Black Lives do indeed matter,
and I hope Tom brings back the progressives that he kicked out
who actually care and want to serve the people's needs instead
of the party's elite needs.
7
Loved this. May we have more boring people committed to their job serving their constituents, not their corporate masters or their egos.
11
How refreshing! She isn't so much a transgender politician, as she is a problem solving politician who happens to be transgender. She reminds me of former NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn - great public servant who happened to be gay At the end of the day most decent people want to vote for the person who will do the best job, no matter what their sexual orientation.
11
During the election night coverage I kept thinking what a great President this lady would make.
8
Funny how so many commenting here either read only the headline (and don't know Frank Bruni) or read only the first few paragraphs.
Danica Roem: Class Act
7
Roem for President!
3
Thank you Mr. Bruni, I saw her and had the same thoughts. I'm pretty sure that's why she won. A person who actually will view her time in office as a public servant. I hope she goes far and if I ever get a chance, this 60 year old grandma will vote for her.
7
As a constituent of Ms. Roem, and a voter for her, I am thrilled that she represents me in matters that concern me and not the culture wars. At one time I supported Mr. Marshal before he became a culture warrior. This was at the beginning of his career, when he cared about local traffic, etc. That was the one, and only, time that I supported him or his party. Ms. Roem is a breath of fresh air, and I welcome her.
7
Frank - bad title for your column on Danica Roem today. People don't get irony nowadays. Ms. Roem is anything but boring. And what a voice! Long time coming, but she's here now, brilliant Virginia journalist, what a winner!
5
Though I currently live near Ms. Roem's district, I'm from Houston, TX, and Ms. Roem's election reminds me of when Houston elected Annise Parker, an openly lesbian woman, as mayor.
Much like people are expressing surprise at Ms. Roem's election, people seemed shocked that, in Texas of all places, a lesbian woman could be elected. However, there are plenty of parallels. Like Ms. Roem, Ms. Parker was also incredibly boring - if you don't believe me, watch her interview on The Colbert Report. In her victory speech, Ms. Parker started by saying something along the lines of this: "I know this is a historic moment for the country and for Houston, and I am proud to be the first mayor of Houston who is...a graduate of Rice University."
Like Ms. Roem, Ms. Parker knew what everyone expected her to say, but refused to make her election about herself. Instead, she effectively served as a bridge between the large oil companies (she worked in the industry for decades) and the community, had great relationships with the Police Union, charities and historical societies, and served on the City Council. She got stuff done. When Ms. Parker was elected mayor, guess what she declared as one of the top priorities of her administration? You got it: improving traffic and transportation.
Good on you, Fairfax County neighbors, for not falling for substanceless fearmongering and keeping our communities moving forward, when so many people are bent on dragging us back.
7
Great column of deserving praise for Danica! It wasn't about her, but about her constituents, duh! She could teach Hillary a thing or two about how to run a campaign.
4
WELL STATED!
1
Oh my...
Denica for President! And I mean that.
2
All true. Plus, she's cute.
2
Love you Frank. You are always frank and this column falls right in that space.
We could use more boring stuff on the National level.
2
If only Democrats, especially the idiotLeft would learn from Danica Roem, 2018 would be a whitewash. Sadly they are very unlikely to learn.
1
"In a perfect world, such caution and cunning wouldn’t be necessary. In this one, it’s not the only strategy, but it can be an effective one."
You had it nailed up to that comment. Why did you have to call it a "strategy?" Why did you make it sound devious and contrived? Maybe it was, but isn't the whole idea -- the whole point -- to include and accept as normal everyone without the labels? Isn't the whole idea to look at what the person is "bringing to the party" - what they are contributing and offering in terms of agenda, views, skills, issues rather than being described or evaluated on some label that is laden with assumptions?
So, if Roem's agenda was boring and universal and not even political, why call it a strategy? Her agenda just was what it was. And people responded as they responded to it. And for that, she won. As it should be. Period.
2
I learned a little about transgender folks in securing my MA in Addiction Counseling. I know very little even know. I have discovered they are people. But in November 2017, comparing the IQ, compassion, political savvy, leadership of Danica Roem to Sessions, the Huckabees, Kelli Conway, the assorted Trumps, Hannity, O'reilly, limbaw, the Tea Party/freedom caucus...Danica came away looking very, very good.
2
In all the madness in our politics today, Danica stands out as the 'light' we can all follow. There are more. Stephanie Murphy, new US Houst rep from Florida's 7th, a Vietnamese immigrant speaks to us as well.
In the meantime, Jimmy Kimmel's survey shows that may people want Hillary impeached. She may be in serious trouble and she is just getting started.
Wait...
Frankly, I think this is where all progressives hope we can get to some day...
... where nobody really cares about your color, sex, gender, religion, and all the rest.
The person is on the inside, not on the outside. My Mom taught me that.
1
Here I must plead guilty. In all of the excitement of the Virginia race, I really had no idea who Danica Roem was before she won -- but I'm very glad that she did.
Not so much for the transgender thing, because that shouldn't be the ONLY thing that defines her ... but because she's a Democrat and obviously knows how to get out the vote on things that really matter to the People.
That she should also win in a state that only a few months prior had unwillingly hosted a hate-filled torchlight march with white supremacists and neo-Nazis, only made her victory that much sweeter.
And it made at least this American feel once more like there's hope for this country again.
2
Brilliant! Frank Bruni has once again put his finger on a truth we might otherwise have missed. Thanks Mr. Bruni!!!
2
Gee. She ran as a real person. Who'd a thunk it? How refreshing.
3
Breaking: The New York Times is reporting that a transgender person is, in fact, a person. There are even reports that persons of all gender identities may also be people. Please check back for updates on this unfolding news story.
3
Hear here!
2
I would say one thing to Marshall and his ilk, dinosaur Republicans intent on turning us back:
"O ye hypocrites, [...] can ye not discern the signs of the times?"
-- Matthew 16:3
3
The fundamentalist religious right (it matters not if the religion is Islam, Christian, or Flying Spaghetti Monster) here in Texas would vote for a trans-species armadillo if it could put an AR-15 in the hands of every white man, woman and child over the age of 7. But vote for a trans-woman who could unsnarl the traffic nightmare that is Dallas-Ft. Worth? Not a prayer.
If there were a benevolent God blessing America, all our politicians would be as boring, competent, decent, and humane as Danica Roem (and Al Gore, John Kerry, and - yes - even the endlessly slandered Hillary Clinton.)
3
If only we had a boring President.
3
Could it be true that we-black white, straight, gay, obese, thin, female, male--are basically all the same inside?
55
Great op-ed, Mr.Bruni.
Danica Roem is hopefully the future of American political leaders, focused on delivering for her constituents and not the wealthy donor class, being proud of her identity without making it the centerpiece of her campaign ("I'm with her/him" e.g.), and even in victory being graceful to her opponent and inviting everyone to participate in the political process with her.
I was impressed and hope to see more of those kinds of candidates, and I couldn't care less whether she has a D, I, R or nothing all behind her name.
4
As an engineer, business woman, parent and grand-parent who is also very active in politics in my part of the world, militating in favour of notions like the rehabilitation of concepts like personal responsibility (as opposed to the politics of victimisation which have dominated pubic discourse over here for the last 30 years) , proactive problem solving, openness and inclusiveness, I buy into Danica Roem’s stance completely.
I also happen to be a trans woman but have always refused to let that define who I am. Yes it is significant part of my identity but no more so than the elements mentioned above to which I could add a passion for human history, sport, nature, music, good food, good company and all the other things that make life such a rich experience.
Given all of that, like Danica, I will never be the first to dwell on the fact that I happen to be trans preferring to simply get on with life as long as no one else tries to make an issue out of it.
Basically, to the extent that someone being trans does absolutely no harm to anyone else, this is how it should be and hopefully events like Danica’s election will become non-events over the years ahead.
P.S. As it’s a subject of much debate in the U.S., it’s probably worth mentioned that as a young adult I served in an elite paratrooper regiment, even experienced a combat jump into a very hostile environment thousands of miles from our home base
5
Go Danica go! For a decade, I used to live near and have to commute, though only about 4 miles, on Rt 28, that was over 10 years ago, and it literally had the worst traffic in N. America. The housing developers were going crazy building developments with 100's of houses, but only paying some tiny percentage to upgrade roads, thanks to myopic (and perhaps politically corrupt) troglodytes, like Marshall. So go Danica go, the faster Bob Marshall and his ilk disappear from the rearview mirror of commuters in northern VA, the better life will be.
3
Yes we would be way better off with more "Really, Really, Boring" politicians.
Comments like these:
"It is a sign of progress that she can discuss the issues, and not make herself the issue.
"She was right to campaign on local issues instead of her sex change!"
I think it is more accurate to sat that it is a sign of progress that she can discuss the issues, and we didn't make her body the issue.
Whether female, gay, black, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim, transgender or whatever the distinguishing characteristic is my experience is that people aren't trying to make themselves the issue - except for those with an ax to grind . We do that. We characterize people as wanting to make it about themselves for their simple wish to be. And to do a job, talk about issues. It seems it is we who all too often want to drag it back to their sex, orientation, color, or gender and make it about race or a sex change. It think it says more about the voters being able to allow Danica to be rather than making it about her particulars, because she wasn't.
1
It seems to me like Hillary Clinton ought to have run this same sort of campaign: Stay focused on the issues/policies, and ignore the foul breathed elephant in the room.
1
So refreshing to see her embrace her qualifications, and a constituency that saw thru to them. However, heterosexuals cant get insurance to pay for elected surgery! The world isnt a perfcet happy place for everyone and equal rights doesnt mean leapfrog unprotected classes to your isolated personal utopia. Its just logical fair and equal to say reassignment should not be covered by insurance. How can someone searching for equality NOT see this?!? Still rooting for yall - out of pocket!
2
She'll be the only openly thrash metal singer in a state legislature anywhere. Rock on Danica!
3
I'm still feeling high on the last week's election results. High on Democrats victory, or, more appropriately, on citizens's response to Trump's stupidities. At 31 Danica has shown more maturity and wisdom than the dumbo in the White House at 71. Imagine, in a gilded environment, Dumbo turned back to coal and a singled, stigmatized kid in the corner turned to gem. Ah, what a Gem!
You go girl! Well done.
2
I really like her and think she ran a brilliant campaign. Seeing the back of someone like her opponent is a breath of fresh air!!
2
She is a great lesson for Ds aspiring to office. She and her team knocked on 72K doors, talking about real everyday concerns, not culture war tripe. The gentleman whose wife was a TV reporter murdered on camera says he and his team hit 40k doors. Very impressive people.
1
Years ago Chicago columnist Mike Royko described then Senator Adlai Stevenson III as "a politician who makes the blood run tepid."
He said he thought that was a good thing.
1
And THAT, dear liberals, is how you run as a Democrat.
Ever wonder why cities like Phoenix and Salt Lake City, located in the reddest states in the union, have elected Democrats as mayors for FORTY years straight?
Because collecting trash, fixing potholes and replacing street lights is not a Democratic or Republican issue or a black or white issue. And while they may stink at winning elections, Democrats know how to govern.
The formula, as proven by Roem, is simple; a little about yourself personally but don't beat it to death; your ties to the community; your in depth knowledge of the local issues.
It's how Democrats of color were elected in places like Helena, Montana, St. Paul, Minnesota and Topeka, Kansas last week.
It's not Trump that must be resisted; it's the MSM fishing expeditions.
1
If Roem is happy, I'm happy.
Love this.
2
Gosh--we need more people like her. Love how you refer to "people who are not up to speed but up for grabs".
Elsewhere in this paper, there is a different article about this issue. The comment section is downright depressing. It's amazing how many liberals are woefully ignorant about this topic. In self-righteous tones, comments cite chromosomes and body parts as the ultimate arbiters. Which sounds right but is provably wrong.
I used to be "not up to speed but up for grabs". I have a big heart. I am all about the underdog. I was also appalled at the statistics about suicide for transgender youth....but I used to not get the transgender issue.
You know what I found informative? I learned the term "intersex". The realization that biology can create a person with mosaic genetics, or atypical reproductive anatomy made me see how it was not a huge leap to that biology could also create those same variations in the brain.
Reputable papers like one in Boise this week made the comparison between transgender and "transracial". It highlights for me the wide berth of ignorance on this subject. Race is a social construct; gender is demonstrably not. For people with biological and neurological variations, this is not a wedge issue. This is their life.
I read somewhere that 40% of transgender youth actively tried to commit suicide before the age of 20. In light of the decreases in the rate of suicide in the gay community, I think this is a frontier that is yet to be climbed.
4
Well, let her know it's the traffic lights. Nowhere I have lived in the country has stupider traffic lights than NVA. Her district in the Western reaches of Fairfax and PWC has hundreds of brand spanking new intersections (everywhere you look there is a new subdivision) with no apparent traffic detection or flow control systems. I drove down 28 in the middle of the night many times only to be stopped pointlessly at light after light. Overpasses would be great, but control systems (or circles) would be a heck of a lot cheaper!
2
I was particularly struck with Ms. Roem's nitty gritty and the new governor of New Jersey's down to earth exuberance. How wonderful to have "politicians" who act like down to Earth human beings talking about real issues instead of the political animals we usually get stuck with.
2
Danica gets it, many politicians don't. We want improvements to our communities and our government. We want improved infrastructure, education, health care, living wages, security in our senior years, a clean environment and equal opportunity. From the far left to the far right the vast majority of us want these same things. She was not afraid to go into opposition territory and candidly discuss theses things and let insults roll off her back. I hope we can attract more woman like this into politics.
1
Danica embodies; "All politics are local." She is focused on addressing real world problems in her area. One day that is all that will be said about a politician focusing on local issues. The need to identify the person as straight, gay, transgendered will be gone. What a day that will be. It will be the day, the rightwing evangelicals of this country are silenced for good on this issue.
2
As a Catholic priest and theologian It has taken me awhile to grasp and appeciate why so many feel a "sexual reassignment" is the only way forward to inner peace, happiness and freedom but I have learned a lot these past five years abd certain TV programs have been helpful such as "Transparent." I wonderered to myeslf whether this was somehow a form of "rejection" of the beauty and goodness of God's creation. At worst, I asked myself whether it was a form of self-mutilation. I now view it as another advancement on the part of science and medicine to promote self-intergration and a higher quality of life. Ms. Danica Roem is truly courageous and a brilliant strategist in not focusing her political life on self-validation but rather on the needs and common good of her constituency. Thank you Frank Bruni for calling my attention to this.
9
Bravo!
I have spent the last 20 years dealing with nursing homes and aging parents. The human body is frail. I can't imagine that there are not dire medical consequences down the road from years on hormones strong enough to alter one's sex and reassignment surgeries. I also question puberty blocking when young people are too young to care about their own fertility. What medical studies I have read usually end with "studies on long term effects are needed." I wish the New York times would run some articles that address these issues.
I give up: Why SHOULDN'T she talk about traffic, and teacher pay, and other local issues? Did voters elect her because she's transgender, or because they like her views on issues whose resolution she can affect?
2
I wish that no one had even mentioned that she had changed gender.
Ms Roam focused on her sphere of influence during her campaign while understating her area of concern as a transgender person. And yet, with her victory, she now has the opportunity to affect both the local issues in her district and the broader social issues of the LBTG community.
Well, i like to get all opinions. Yesterday i listened to Rush Limbaugh talk about the LGBTQWTF...and, wait, what...hah hah that's funny. So, yeah, i get acceptance, but i don't get so much the fact that these treatments should be covered by insurance. Seems like elective surgery to me or bodily cosmetic. Them am like eureka, oh, that's why the Little Sister of the poor were usurped by the catholic bishops to keep their own brand safe. They didn't want to pay for contraception and i have been hearing about this so called religious freedom for several years. And,i am like...give to ceaser what is ceasers, and give to god what is gods. So, i see crybabies and selfish people on both sides. I think what jesus would say about LGBTQ groups defacing churches in australia and so called christians denying other people the right to marry, well, i am pretty sure he'd say, "so gross".
btw, didn't mussiline in italia get the trains running on time? Pray that is not anything but paranoid thinking.
Bravo to Danica! We need more politicians focused on solving problems instead of stoking the flames of division and hatred. Here's to boring!
2
We're not exactly post-racial, post-gender, or post-anything else, but yes, traffic is an important issue and Roem's gender is not. How about the Times continue on like that without a lot of braying about what slice and dice is winning and losing?
1
This is quite possibly the best opinion column that Mr. Bruni has ever written; certainly one of the very best ever written by anyone on the subject of transgenders or sexual orientation and politics. You nailed it Frank!
1
"...but by the content of their character."
1
I'd say most of the coverage of trans-gendered issues from the NY Times has been a perfect example of virtue signaling. Stop treating these people like their 15 percent of the population or as tool to prove how progressive you are about social issues.
2
There's a guy in the white house right now who could learn a boatel from Ms. Roem. Public service mean just that - serving the publics interest not your own. From what I've seen and what I've read, she would have made a better chief executive then the one we have now just one mans opinion but I prefer substance in a persons character and she has it in spades.
1
A better title for Bruni's analysis of Danica Roem would be "Boring Brilliance" or "Quotidian Questor" rather than "really, really boring". I almost skipped over the article but instead read about his admiration for her for sticking to boring but real issues relating to traffic flow and underpaid teachers. Bruni finds her brilliant in her not making her own transgender identity the issue but people's everyday problems as she promised in her campaign. We need "boring" to get the real work accomplished.
You would get it if you lived here and had to deal with RT 28.
Good article, which deserves a better headline.
1
One might recall the historical parallel here with Harvey Milk, who was elected to the SF City Council in the 1970s not on a platform of gay rights, which he strongly supported, but instead on the strength of his endorsement of "pooper scooper" laws.
1
When simply being yourself is heroic. Thank you Danica.
2
Speak for yourself.. and others who are interested in other people's sex lives.
Skin color, accent, gender none of it matters or should after the first five minutes.. It might or might not make us who we are.
Are beautiful people different from the rest of us? It even helps to be gorgeous in DC..
(Why is Afghanistan producing almost twice as much opium/heroin as last year?? cash crop... This is impt. )
Roundabouts to control traffic flow?? cheaper than over passes..
Who knew that all of God/ Mother Nature's children are biologically genetically DNA members of the one and only evolutionary fit human race species that began in Africa 300,000+ years ago?
Neither gender nor color nor ethnicity nor national origin nor faith are racial markers that define and divide us. Our tiresome ignorance and stupidity about our nature and nurture is the enduringly evil bigoted basis problem. Color is about Vitamin D production and protecting genes from damaging mutations due to varying levels of solar radiation in isolated populations at altitudes and latitudes. Color as race is a malign socioeconomic political historical white supremacist myth meant to legally and morally justify humanity defying African enslavement and equality defying separate and unequal African Jim Crow.
See "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "The Race Myth" Joseph L. Graves along with "Dog-Whistle Politics: How Coded Racial Appeals Reinvented Racism and Wrecked the Middle Class" Ian Haney Lopez and Matthew 25:31-46.
1
While pondering upon the quest of today, "hormone therapy" hit my mind. Whoever tries to plot my life as that which is not true and as which would be merely an enternanable object, should know this: your co-fellow human being is not your toy. If you try to edit the Book of God, you will be re-written by the hand not belonging to God.
Maybe, but she's not the only one, Frank!
Refreshing contrast to our show boat president with his unnatural blonde weave and constant boasting about how fantastic he is in every area of measure, A non stop blowhard does not take the time to understand the issues that matter to the people they represent , Of course a straight white male has an edge in most political contests but Danica is a refreshing change and the people realize she is authentic while the rest of us are stuck with a bombastic ignorant huckster out to destroy our democracy on the altar of his fragile ego,
2
The DNC platform can learn her aptly taught lesson about issues vs. identity. Roem provided the perfect model. It is Bannon who has said that as long as the Dems focus on identity they will lose. Bingo.
1
We Democrats in the national capital area think it's deliciously ironic that Danica Roem won the seat held by Bob Marshall, who sponsored a "bathroom bill" that would have forced trangendered people to use the bathroom associated with the sex on their birth certificate.
But more than that, it's great that she won. She'll be a great asset in the House of Delegates, and it's about time someone did something about that traffic! It's absolutely HORRIBLE, as anyone who lives here can tell you. Moral of the story: Democrats, run on local issues, and you, too, can win.
1
Wow Mr. Bruni! What a column! I love it and it brought tears to my eyes. If only the current occupant of the White House paid as much attention to important issues as Ms, Roem does!
1
Let's hope the DNC is listening.
1
We need more ... a lot more ... boring politicians!
1
I hope she’s Virginia’s first woman governor some day—she’s whip smart and focused on the bread and butter everyday issues that matter to Virginians.
1
Wonderful story. Great reporting and great insight.
3
Remember when all politics was local. When the dems were the raids and bridges folks...yes fairness, equity and inclusion are core values, and undergird real values voters, but we elect representatives to do exactly what she said...make our lives a bit better. And in part this is the belief that we are better together, that roads bridges are a sign of civilization..think Romans. I also fully appreciate just how scary this foundational Thought is to conservatives/libertarians. And the government can’tmsolve All problems but there could be standards...fairness, pulling one’s weight, understanding the those at the top stand on the should of all those who supported their rise. It is ‘so boring’ and yet transformational.
2
Brava to Danica Roem! A candidate asking to -- and getting -- elected on the issues and not identity.
Christine C. Quinn and Hillary Clinton may have won as well had they not made identity their platform.
So, take heed future candidates and New York Times, Americans are smarter and more interested in the issues and possible solution than you give them credit for. Ms. Roem is case in point.
12
Christine Quinn?...Really?? You must be new to New York.
After her time on the City Council and serving as cheerleader for Mike Bloomberg, who helped himself to an unprecedented third term as Mayor -- Quinn wouldn't have won if she were the only candidate running for anything!
1
In a period when most politicians seem to be narcissists seeking merely to use a public office as a source of emotional and venal supplies, Danica Roem reminds us what public servants look like and how a stately leader behaves.
16
Without remembering who Danica Roem was, I was hoping the headline was being ironic, and Mr. Bruni fulfilled my hope …
1
In 2012, Obama ran as an American who wanted to make America a better place. And he won. He didn't run as a black man.
In 2016, Clinton ran as a woman who wanted to break the glass ceiling and be president because she wanted to represent women, blacks, Latinos, LGBTQ, etc.
Worse, Clinton never managed to mention that she wanted to represent white men in any of her stump speeches. And all those white men who voted for Obama suddenly became "racists" and "misogynists," and voted reluctantly, didn't vote, or voted for the guy who actually acknowledged them.
Roem seems to have learned a key lesson. People won't vote for you to give you a personal victory. They WILL vote for someone who promises to help accomplish THEIR goals.
I don't think most voters care if you are a woman, a man, transgender, or a polka-dotted armadillo as long as they think you will fight for them.
Too bad that's in short supply.
11
You care about substance?
I wonder what you do every time our president opens his mouth.
Did you miss the: My healthcare plan will be beautiful. It will cost less. It will cover more. It will help more people.
Or: the wall will be a beautiful wall, paid for by Mexico.
Difference? One is a ripple in a thimble (Danica), and the other is a storm that will upset the ship I call home.
But thanks for the insights. Get a life Frank.
1
Identity is central to a public person's life, tolerance is visceral... or not, as in the current Administration's fat cats.
What counts more, however, is not the representative's religious or sexual or ethnic or color, it is her understanding of what the whole demos, the group, needs done. Ours is a democracy, e pluribus Unum, of myriad individuals unified by certain rights, needs, and dreams., some as simple as easier transportation.
So Danica, you go, girl. Mazel tov. Bene. Ole. You the woman. Welcome to the rainbow. Now, roll up your sleeves, we've got your back.
4
I don't know why it has to constitute "caution and cunning" for Ms. Roem to concentrate on the business at hand. Isn't it time to move on and treat LGBT people like people?
6
Gasp! You mean public policy is important, and Americans should hear more about a candidate's policies? If only the media realized this when they were covering Hillary Clinton's campaign.
11
Yes...thank you, Jason.
1
It would help move transgender folks along in society if journalists did not refer to ms Roem or others as any different from the rest of us. It does no good to mention that this person was the first black to do it, or that that person was the first women to achieve something. They, and indeed all of us, are just people, and the sooner we refrain from identifying anyone's differences the sooner we can get to a more stable society. Bruni should never have written this article.
1
I respectfully disagree. Ms Roem's opponent, Bob Marshall, referred to her as '' he'' throughout the campaign, and was instrumental in creating the so-called bathroom bill. It was impossible to ignore or wish away and was probably relevant to the election outcome. In a perfect world, I would accept your way of thinking.
3
Now THIS is the kind of plain-spoken style that decent Americans can get behind, and it serves as a brilliant counterpoint to the vulgar plain-spoken style that endeared trump to his marauding hordes of deplorables.
7
This isn't new or revolutionary. Minority professionals do this all the time. We have to actively remind people that we are delegates, lawyers, writers teachers, whatever...not just the black/transgender/female delegate, lawyer, writer, etc. By default people like you and that reporter try to pigeon-hole minorities as if that's the only thing they can possibly be an expert in. It shouldn't be all that surprising to you that an elected official wants to use her air time to talk about the issues important to her constituents.
2
...And Why That's a Good Thing.
She sounds like she is a person first and transgender second, or even third or fourth. More power to her. I hope she does a lot of good.
5
IT'S A GREAT RELIEF To know that a successful transgender woman in politics can be a bore. But is that because she's transgender, formerly (and genetically still is) a man? Or is it just an inherited trait that transgender women are vulnerable to?
1
"Roem talked about … traffic."
Well if that's accurate, Danica Roem can zoom right down here to Atlanta. My fellow citizens would elect her President for All of Metro Atlanta if she would be willing to tackle this traffic nightmare.
Best to Danica, great win.
9
"Being transgender isn’t the whole of her identity, the extent of her purpose or the crux of her mission. "
Wow, what a revelation! A candidate runs on issues and gets elected on issues. That, incredibly, have nothing to do with which bathroom to use. You expected a candidate to run on Hi, I'm transgender (or insert alternative identity of choice here), vote for me?
Congrats, Danica.
5
I think it's high time and just that anyone can be elected to be a public servant. Congratulations to Dancia.
Unfortunately, Frank and all the other journalists who work for the NYT should spend more of their time reporting on those politicians who are enemies of the very people they represent. Instead of trying to humanize someone like Roem, why not do some hard-hitting reporting about the misanthropes who have been in office. Let me give you an example: Paul Ryan is, in my opinion, one of the most heinous individuals in high public office today. Why not have a rigorous and open discussion about him?
5
Hurray for Ms. Roem on all counts. I think of an analogue, Dallas County Sheriff Guadalupe Valdez, who is openly lesbian as well as being Hispanic and a Democrat. On her first campaign her opponents tried to use her sexuality against her. That failed, because the real issue was a very messy county jail system. Now she is in her second term and bruiting a run for governor against the repellent Greg Abbott, whose lieutenant governor Dan Patrick failed to ram a bathroom bill through the state legislature. Senator Kirsten Gillebrand won her Congressional seat in the Republican upstate county where I grew up because she worked the district. I think there is a lesson in all three cases.
3
She was ELECTED to solve the traffic problem on Rt. 28
Isn't it boring when a politician focuses on issues rather than personality? Here she is, going to fix constituent problems. Boring. Why do the boring stuff when you can just call your opponent names.
Did her opponent never get a comment about Route 28? Did the constituents concerns about local issues ever make it to his desk, or was he too busy pandering to the haters?
Interesting contrast in political styles.
Her opponent went to the legislature for over two decades, probably because he called himself the, "chief homophobe." She won by promising to fix a highway.
4
Class act. Refreshing.
3
Really really boring? How about really really qualified? The voters in VA were so lucky to have a choice. Ms. Roem is an inspiration for everyone thinking about elected office get out there and run- chances are you can beat the odds and get elected! Would that be a novelty -America governed by elected citizen representatives rather than special interest funded lobbyist's representatives.
5
Ms. Roem is showing Democrats the path to reverence and victory. She is focusing on the practical political problems of her district and suggesting real solutions to real problems. Let's face it: It matters very little practically whether gay couples are refused wedding cakes by some bakers. (Of course discrimination in housing and refusals to issue marriage certificates are a different matter.) But few of the less educated white voters are given warm feeling when the government protects wedding cake rights of anybody. If that is what they think about when they think of the Democratic Party....
Democratic politicians must make it clear that they protect the interests of the misguided folks who voted for Reagan and Trump. There needs to be renewed focus on the practical, from highway overpasses to the potential jobs in the renewable energy field.
And why are unions so weak and ineffectual? Why are places like Walmart un-unionizeds? Its not because the work conditions are so great. The Democrats in long ago times, under Franklin and Eleanor, championed unions and made them a powerful force for the working class. Unions need to be strong again.
3
One of my daughters went to Catholic high school with Danica. One can only imagine that those were difficult times. It is inspiring that Danica is now the person she wants to be, and has become such a thoughtful and inspiring adult.
Go, Danica!
7
excellent, spiritually uplifting article. in the time of trump induced divisiveness and his administrations concerted efforts to marginalize the 'other', victories by heroes such as danica roem inspire us to never give up.
2
I think the writers of articles and comments should refer to Danika Roem as Ms. Roem. There is something about calling a woman by her first name that reduces her below a man. We often hear men mentioned without the address of Mr. But rarely by their first name. Danika Roem accomplished many things especially in the still post reconstruction south. Give her the respect she deserves by addressing her properly. She is addressing the proper issues.
2
Yeah for a victory of the importance of good roads and accessible health care over a social warfare issue. Democrats take note. Roem's example shows the path to winning at all levels next year. She steered clear of social issues directlym especially herself, and focused on issues people care about...roads, health care, etc. She did not engage in the social and cultural warfare debate. While, she did not deny the importance of her gender status, she did not focus on it. She treated it as, basically, unimportant and irrelevant. And voters agreed. Most voters care mostly about what government does (and chooses not to do) to improve their lives. Citizens want safe neighborhoods, good roads, fire protection, access to affordable health care, affordable education, assistance when disaster strikes, etc. If Democrats focus on that, and minimize the social issues, they will succeed. Republicans can't and won't do that. (Witness the proposed tax over hall and the healthcare debacle.)
Roem seems to get this. I hope others will too.
4
Frank, I was with you until you suggested that the way that Roem presented herself might be 'caution and cunning'. Do you really think that running on a 'hey I'm transgender, help me be a trailblazer' message would be preferable because someone it's less cautious and less cunning? I'm sick of politicians from local ones all the way up to the oval office making it about them. They all seem to want me to do something for them -- I want them to do something for me and our community. In that, Danica Roem is bold and refreshing and not the least cautious and cunning. She never hid who she was, she also never demanded anyone vote for her because of it. She was herself. And when she won, she refused to insult or demonize her opponent, despite his cruelty to her. She is one class act. As a native Marylander, I'm obligated to dislike Virginia, but not today.
Totally agree. And I would totally support the rainbow people if they would stop messing with pronouns or find some that make sense. The singular "they" business, gaining traction in some (mainly academic) circles, is upsetting and annoying for old grammar fogies like me.
1
Get over it. Grammar changes. Think of all the words that were common that are now offensive. What is "annoying" for you is someones actual identity. Even old fogies can surely make room for this consideration.
1
Danica is one heck of a class act. When asked about her opponent, she said she would not say anything about him because he is her constituent now. This is a win-win for everyone, no matter how you look at it. Maybe this is the start of a return to civility and attention to the problems people really want solved.
5
What's boring is assuming that sexual orientation has anything to do with qualifications for office. History says it doesn't matter or guarantee anything.
2
BTW, Gender identity has nothing to do with sexual orientation.
Her opponent proudly called himself "king of the homophobes". When asked for a comment about him on election night, Ms. Roem simply stated that he was now her constituent. Class all the way.
4
Roem has brilliant political instincts. In one post-election interview, she was invited to comment on her curmudgeonly, homophobic (by his own description) opponent and declined. As she said to the interviewer: "He's my constituent now."
5
What, we don’t want democrats to win? Transgenderism needs to become a commonplace “thing”, and if traffic congestion can be a unifying force, so be it. What are you saying, Mr. Bruni; that transgendered status needs to be the focus of any TG campaign?
1
Yes! I saw her on tv the other night and she was so "boring" as you say (in the right way) that the fact that she was transgender and had just been elected completely slipped away. I realized that as my attention wandered and loved it.
1
In a year that has been so bleak politically, that had made me really wonder if my fellow Americans are who I thought and hoped they were, Ms. Roem's success is very gratifying and uplifting. It proves we just need more good, solid people to serve, and voters will react.
5
Add another clown to the political circus, she'll only get so far because of obvious reasons, but still, does everything we do in this country lately have to be some sort of sideshow.
Can someone please run for the sake of the country and not some weird personal agenda.
2
Did you even read the article? One of the issues she ran on was important to the local electorate-traffic congestion. It may be an agenda that was personal to her, but also to thousands of voters and even more commuters.
You sound like her opponent whom she trounced.
5
So, you missed the entire point of the article: that Ms. Roem DID run because she thought she could do good for her district, and DIDN'T, herself, make a huge point of her trans status. It was her opponent who continually brought up her being transgender; she was more focused on policy (and Route 28).
4
I think you missed the whole point of Mr. Bruni's piece.
9
Great perspective. Thanks Ms. Roem and Frank Bruni.
3
My heartiest congratulations Danica;and do take Pride in your
accomplishments!
2
I saw her victory speech on tv, and I wept with joy. And, when this 73-year-old very, very privileged white guy heard who she defeated, I let out a shriek and wept again. (I'm still chafing over the abominable HB-2 perpetrated on the citizens of my fair state by our laughable general assembly).
And when I read your column, Frank, I wept with joy once again. Thanks!
Maybe Ms. Roem will become our first woman president. Then I'll weep for joy once more--with vigor!
12
Democrats used to completely, utterly dominate local offices, state and municipal. Totally focused on their communities and districts, and they were not just in touch, they were immersed. Danica Roem is only boring to Beltway pundits, her new constituents appreciate her dedication to what they care about, and it makes them much more open to the other, different parts of her story.
And can we please stop using obscure, odd terms like cis-gendered?! It's confusing, off-putting, and pretentious. Like throwing in Latin quotations without a translation. Or even with a translation.
1
If you don't like the word cisgender then suggest an intelligent alternative, Latin or otherwise. Perhaps the word is difficult because (at least for this middle-aged person) the modern model of human sexuality, with its nuance and complexity, is quite different from the mostly binary model I grew up with. Just as I have to overcome the high school grammar teachers in my head when I use "they" as a first person pronoun...change is hard but change is worthwhile.
3
I am a cis gender person. My body matches my gender identity. By describing myself that way you know how to address me. Think of it as a way for folks to not say a word like normal, which is rude, and ignores the reality of the gender identity spectrum.
1
What a breath of fresh air she is. More politicians should think like her maybe someday they will and things will get done. Until then Virginia has their woman and maybe, just maybe progress will be made. Good Luck to you Danica!!!
4
this story reminds me of one published in the NY times a few years ago: how an openly gay man became mayor of a rural west Virginia town. He was a native of the area and was elected/ re-elected because even the conservative folks saw that he addressed 2 pressing issues diligently - the depressed economics of the town and methamphetamine addiction.
3
She was right to campaign on local issues instead of her sex change! That's far more relevant to the average voter. That's also why Barack Obama was elected: he campaigned to fix the 2008 recession, not to be the first black president. And if only Hilary Clinton had run for something (instead of "I'm with her"), she'd be president today. Lesson to Democrats: tone down the identity politics and focus on what matters to boring straight white voters and everyone else, like too many guns, too little money for infrastructure, and too much inequality.
153
Obama did not run on fixing the 2008 recession. It happened near the end of the election cycle.
5
Hillary had 3 million more votes than trump. The electoral college gives extra weight to lessor populated states and that tipped the scale in trump's favor.
2
Hear, hear!!
A politician that wants to serve her constituents rather than herself. What did she do read the Constitution or some other malarkey?
8
I can't tell if Mr. Bruni is praising or complaining about Ms Roem, perhaps a little of both. In any event I neither see the point nor the value of this column. Ms. Roem was invited to criticize her defeated opponent and refused to do so despite his repeatedly vile condemnations of transgendered people. Such magnanimity towards one's rival is extremely rare in politics, a display of exemplary character which is no doubt a major reason why the voters elected her to represent them.
2
Praising.
1
I listened to her the night of the election and thought she was brilliant in her boring-ness.
4
Danica is conventionally feminine. She conforms to straight liberal perceptions of beauty and what a woman is. She also downplays her sexuality w no makeup and wearing a bandanna. She is no transgender threat. She looks like your sister.
If she were genderqueer, meaning neither male or female, or amped up her femininity and was actually sexy, I question the level of straight support. I live non binary (androgyny) and neither straight nor gay is particularly accepting.
She’s playing her role, politician, perfectly, and is a chameleon but understand she is the tip of the iceberg of diverse gender. But I’ll take her toe thru the door as a start any day.
1
Yep. Listen up, national Dems. Danica gets it.
T. Perez et al: I'm tired of your screechy emails with a donate button at the bottom. We can't win running against Trump et. al. (See Hillary 2016.)
We must have positive messages on things that affect people's lives, like Danica's overpasses. Play down the social issues, identity politics.
Even more important, we must listen and talk to everyone, not just the converted. Let's talk to the never-abortion voters, the anti-immigrant people. This can't be a zero-sum game, folks.
And it so can't be all Facebook, candidates. You're just preaching to the choir there.
Write op-eds and send letters to the editor to local papers, dead tree and online. People who read them are the opinion leaders. You can always repurpose them on your social media and tweet them out.
2018 is essential. 2020 is existential.
We have to do get this right. The republic hangs in the balance.
6
Years ago while living near San Francisco I remember reading an article about a woman who had won a municipal election while running openly as a lesbian. She got that it was a big deal but also seemed a bit frustrated by the fuss. I'm paraphrasing but at one point she inquired " Is there really a lesbian position on the municipal disposal of solid waste?" Danica may be her political descendant. Here's to more of the same!
6
...which is exactly why I voted for Hillary Clinton.
7
Ms. Roem appears to be smart, articulate, empathetic and energetic. Those are not things I find boring in a politician!
3
She sounds honest. I like that.
1
When politicians look for common ground, there's probably no ground more common than a choky, congested highway.
Who doesn't get THAT issue?
2
Danica Roem demonstrated how to avoid the identity politics trap that trip Democrats up. She focused on the issues, refused to make the election about the fact that she just happens to be transgender, and refused to attack her opponent. She's from her community and has a plan for local issues. This is what the future should look like. Good for her for her part in moving us forward.
4
I would say, democrats should take notice of her strategy.
1
Vanine:
Shouldn't the Democrats rather have Danica preside over their committee on planning and strategizing?
While I see your point, the irony of your headline could easily be misconstrued to mean something other than what you intended. I hope that doesn’t deter people from reading further. Danica Roem was a bright light and the most refreshing presence in this election. Her confidence and candor made me happy and I was thrilled she won, even if not in my state. Maybe “Danica Roem is just regular,” might have been better. Boring? I don’t think so.
1
Reading the comments so far, it's clear that a fair number of people absolutely did misconstrue the meaning of the headline.
2
Geez, a politician who will actually try to help their constituents? If gender is the factor in creating such a person, perhaps we need more transgender people running for office?
3
" “gender binary,” “gender fluidity” and such. As relevant as those concepts are". wrong. these terms (concepts) are TOTALLY irrelevant. or they should be.
1
Boring? Class, I say. A ton more than Roy Moore and all his supporters.
2
In 2008 Barack Obama never mentioned that if he was elected he would be the first black president of the US. By contrast, in 2016 Hillary Clinton never missed a chance to remind voters that she would be the first woman. This may have been persuasive to those already predisposed to vote for her. But for the rest of us it was more than a little insulting. Obama understood that those for whom electing a first was important probably already realized he was black. Hillary failed to understand that by constantly reminding us of what we already knew she seemed to be compensating for weaknesses in other areas like trustworthiness. In there is a lesser n on why she lost.
Firsts matter, but if being the first is one of your main qualifications, you might not be as qualified as you imagine. Danica Roem won her seat on the strength of her commitment to making the lives of her constituents better. I never believed for a minute that Clinton cared about anybody other than herself.
1
We saw different campaigns. Stronger together, speeches about jobs, it was the *coverage* made it all about being a woman, not HRC. Except for the glass ceiling shattering at the convention. Really were they supposed to pretend that wasn’t a big deal? Obama didn’t either.
2
The majority of Americans disagree with you.
Hillary won two of the three election phases.
First, Democrats selected her as their candidate.
Second, the entire country selected her as their candidate.
Third, the electoral college chose trump, because of the extra weight given to three states.
2
The great thing about Danica is that she is unabashedly herself; and that "herself" came across in the campaign: she stayed focused on issues relevant to the voters in her district and she remained objective and kind, unlike her truly horrible opponent who more than deserved the trouncing he received. He ran on being "a proud homophobe" she ran on getting traffic improvements to a major headache of a highway. Funny how the voters responded to her call to action versus his call to hate... or maybe not so funny, voters aren't the fools the GOP would have us try and believe they are. Do good stuff, Danica!
158
Since the election Danica has been prolific on social media discussing the issues and what she has already started doing to solve them. She communicates very well and seems to have done more in a week than most politicians do in a term. She will be a role model in politics for many reasons and hopefully for a long time to come. This is a great perspective on her work.
6
As a heterosexual, liberal white male, who is steadfastly in favor of equal rights for all, I found it tremendously refreshing to listen and watch Danica Roem discuss Route 28 and the other bread-and-butter, local issues that affect her prospective constituents, rather than focus on her personal identity.
It is a sign of progress that she can discuss the issues, and not make herself the issue. I was particularly impressed when, given the chance to skewer her defeated opponent, who despised everything she personally stands for, she didn't take the bait and talked of him as one of her constituents, not as one of her enemies.
Kudos to Danica and the voters of her district!!!
312
Good for her! Good for Virginia!
5
She sounds like "a breath of fresh air." If you can call it a strategy, it is brilliant. I know that many people become irritated and overwhelmed by many aspects of LGBTQ people's issues. Of course there are reasons for these issues. If my life was under a microscope and demonized, I would want to make my voice heard.
2
I want the politician in my community to study the issues and inform the constituents the best course of action. I don't need another friend or a cute story teller. A politician should be a problem solver. This person may be best suited to address the issues in the community.
5
“I’m a 33-year-old stepmom,” she said, referring to her boyfriend and his child.
------------------
Except that legally, this is untrue. You cannot be a stepmom to a child if there is no marriage legally binding her to her boyfriend's child. It does not bode well for Ms. Roem's wealth of knowledge if she believes that how she personally identifies overcomes the factual realities in our country. A family law attorney should tell the couple that, before an unfortunate death or breakup...
In the eyes of the law, she is just the girlfriend of the child's mother. Marriage is what makes for stepparents. (Not being mean, just being cruelly precise, which will matter if she is now in the field of crafting legislation...)
1
While you may be legally correct in that Ms. Roem has no *legal* relationship to her boyfriend's child, "stepmom" is not being used here to define a legal relationship, but an emotional one. Ms. Roes is claiming that emotional relationship with this child, and that's what most people understand. You don't need a legal marriage to be a stepparent. As a matter of fact, just marrying your partner does not convey immediate parental rights - the stepparent also needs to go through an adoption process before they have any legal parental rights to the child. Marriage to the legal parent may make it easier to adopt the child, but is not necessary.
4
The term “step mom” is not a legal term in Virginia, and your so-called legal
arguments are incorrect and pedestrian. Your entire argument is fatally flawed. Is that precise enough for you?
3
How long did it take you to find one thing to criticize about Danica?
2
Ms Roem reminded me of two things.
When Obama was asked about his race identity, during an interview about something else, he said, and I paraphrase "If I am hailing a cab, it is quite clear what color I am".
Secondly, I remember the politicians of my youth. I, like many others, tuned out when they were talking because America was comfortable, safe and considered the leading nation in the world. Politicians talked about infrastructure, taxes, etc, etc, etc -- not PR presentations.
Ms. Roem is a shining light...focused on attaining and performing in a job that raises the honor of "public service" to a shining achievement. While I am in the sunset of my life and probably won't live to see it, she is one of the politicians who may, on the national stage, help the U.S. recover from its bout of Trumpism.
7
Living in the DC area, I heard Roem speak frequently as a candidate and am not surprised she won. Anyone who has to commute through Northern Virginia every day would vote her in a heartbeat, so bad is the traffic and so passionate and well-informed is she about the issues, down to the left-turn lanes that cars can wait in for over 20 minutes because things are that messed up. Finally a transgender in office? Sure. But even more, finally someone who cares about something that matters to everyone!
6
Well, local traffic IS a fascinating problem.
3
Maybe it's that I grew up in the "Free to Be You and Me" 70s, but it occurs to me that perhaps it's time for us to stop focusing on whatever word or words come before the hyphen and more on the "American" that comes after it.
3
Danica is a breathe of fresh air in the fetid storms of bizarre Trumpian politics that whiplash through the public media on a daily basis. She is smart, vocal and has paid her dues, and she is destined to be a welcome and significant influence in the public sphere. If she is intentionally “boring” Frank Bruni by talking about mundane issues, that’s her tactic to gain acceptance and that’s her choice. She is just one part of the unique female uprising that is taking hold across America in response to the Trump Dynasty Coup d’Etat that is seriously corrupting our democracy. Go Danica, go!
5
You totally misunderstand Frank's message. He is pointing out that by making her sexual identity a non-issue, she has won by focusing on the issues that are important to the voters.
1
"She wasn’t making a deeply personal appeal and imploring voters to affirm her. She was making a broadly public one and encouraging them to include her, lest her talents go untapped and her potential contributions unrealized."
This - a thousand times this. She wants to make very specific contributions to her community and her transgender status has nothing to do with traffic flow patterns or teacher pay scales. I think it is awesome that her opponent tried to maker her gender an issue and was roundly and soundly booted out of office.
People talk about identity politics polluting the Democratic agenda. I say it is the complete opposite: identity politics are polluting Republican politics. Her opponent had he won would have obsessed about bathroom bills and other cultural issues (War on Christmas, anyone?) that have NOTHING to do with improving the day to day lives of people. Danica Roem's policies will improve people's lives. Good article Mr. Bruni.
312
This. So much this.
The Democratic National Committee needs to stop worrying about how to appeal to particular interest or demographic groups, or how to win those over to their side. I've read a thousand analyses of what the Democrats should do, and few of them have suggested that they simply field candidates who know how to solve problems - how communicate with voters on the things that matter to them. The DNC should spend less time trying to think up a clever slogan - something at which they've never been any good - and more time finding and enabling candidates like Danica Roem.
5
This line is poetry:
"......include her, lest her talents go untapped and her potential contributions unrealized."
I was a school administrator of a large public school and several teachers were from the LBGT community. I cannot imagine anyone walking into their classrooms and not smiling at the buzzing of happy students working hard, learning, making great progress, being creative and respectful. Part of my job was to observe and assess teachers. So often these reviews were exemplary. It is an enormous challenge to find good teachers, and the thought of any sort of discrimination against LBGT teacher candidates of amazing talent and enormous potential fills me with such frustration.
The same in politics: given the sad collection of folks currently inhabiting the White House, Congress and many state legislatures, should we really continue to elevate those who persist in going backwards, litigating over and over battles already fought and won in terms of human rights and civil rights for LGBT citizens? Are those "priorities" sensible when infrastructure is crumbling, millions of people have no health insurance, global warming is parboiling the planet, jobs for HS grads are shrinking and college costs are soaring, and a madman has nuclear weapons (actually two madmen)?
MLK inspired us with talk of people being judged by the content of their character. Today, it seems we need to add onto that: the content of their character AND their untapped talents and potential.
4
"May you live in interesting times."
This is supposedly an ancient Chinese curse, but whether or not that's true, the sentiment of the curse is.
I seek for my own life to be "interesting", but that's my choice, and the form it takes is of my choosing. In order to be free to make my life interesting, I must have a stable, efficient, functioning government overseeing and solving the problems and needs of our country.
The government should run like the "well-oiled machine" that Trump could only allude to, as he consciously set out to sabotage that very machine. Instead of tuning it up so it ran better, he blew it up, with nothing to replace it.
Now the machine is the center of attention all the time. It never recedes to quietly do the people's business. It boasts and brags and swaggers and threatens and destroys and undermines and dismantles. And it gets nothing done. No problems get solved, and new ones are created.
Our only hope is for more "boring" officials like Ms. Roem, who have their eye on the prize, no, not re-election - but identifying and solving problems with the power and resources of government - our collective power.
May Ms. Roem's quiet dignity, her humility, her zest for public life and the challenge and promise that come with it, her zeal to solve problems rather than create them, her dedication to a calling - not an office, be contagious, and spread across the land, and bear fruit in 2018.
4
I love Frank’s topics and writing. This is a great piece. What I have seen of Danica jibes with this piece. She was a local candidate and seems like she has the sistrict’s pukse - horrific traffic etc. She was honest about herself but didn’t run on her ‘identity,’ but what she knew of the district. She seemed to hit the sweet spot. The long-term incumbent on the other hand practiced the very identity politics Trump and the GOP accused Clinton and the DNC of in 2016 (after waging bathroom wars in NC for years!).
I wish her and her constituents good luck in solving their traffic problems.
2
Great piece! I personally don't care about a candidate's sexuality or gender, I care about how that person will work to improve their constituent's lives. I didn't vote for HRC because she was a female, I voted for her because she was the most prepared, the most experienced, the most capable candidate for POTUS. Ms. Roem seems like a terrific representative and kudos to the voters for choosing boring and capable over divisive and regressive.
4
So weird to see your surprise that transgender people are just people too. For some of us, even those who don’t really understand, that was always just a truth. Welcome to the wonderful world of humanity, Frank.
Danica Roem is the future, and quite brilliantly so. I see commenters criticizing Frank's cisgender privilege, thus managing to not only utterly miss the point of his column but also doing exactly what Danica didn't: being out of touch with the mainstream.
2
Well! Someone elected to public office who focuses on issues that would benefit her constituents as a whole! What a unique concept!
2
It seems that Roem represents a class of legislators that I can only hope we see more of, and that there seem to be less and less of these days. Legislators who have done their homework, who don't just fire bills from the hip on things they think will work based on their gut feelings, but look at the data, look at the issues, look at the things that people need that require reading and talking and LISTENING to people. Not just telling people what they need, but asking people what they need and figuring out how to make that happen. A number of recent elections, too, have shown that people are getting tired of pandering to the culture war, and that we just want someone who will listen and work on the issues that need addressing.
2
I know it's wrong. My children tell me I'm wrong. But all this brouhaha over pronouns drives me nuts, as well as the created words for situations that have always existed. And it's there I felt compassion for those who feel alienated by identity politics (and yes, I am well aware that white male deer hunter Evangelical Christian is an identity, too): how could I remember to call a young man "they." There is one of him. I am sorry that English does not have a single pronoun that is genderless. As a woman, I am well aware that I am a wo-MAN and a hu-MAN with full huMANity, but I have always refused to cede it. What we see mostly is that one reason gay marriage became so acceptable is that the gay people who have come out of the closet (thank goodness! it's about time!) are our children, fathers, mothers, friends, and neighbors, and therefore we can clearly see that while this is a big deal, it is surely not the biggest deal. We should be at the ready to stand up to cruelty and bigotry and hatred. But good on this young woman. Things get normalized when they are so clear, well, normal. I am so glad she won.
1
Danica is authentic! More power to her! Thanks Mr. Bruni for your piece on Ms. Roem. She deserves national recognition. As a Northern Virginian, I am mighty proud of that gal, my gal, our gal!!!
3
My new favorite heroine!
2
This, Frank Bruni, is the heart of the matter, and you have declared its clarity.
Thank you.
1
Very correctly, Ms. Roem says she's about government, not making a personal statement. Brava, Ma'am! Stay focused on the job at hand.
2
Finally a smart politician. Someone should take a lesson
1
On average, most Americans don't care who does what to whom when the lights go out. It's really none of our business. We do care about mis-timed traffic lights.
220
Uhh, Steve, we care if the people to whom something is being "done" is underage or a non-consenting adult. Otherwise, I'm with you on the mistimed traffic lights
1
The thing is, people like Marshall, or Roy Moore for that matter, assume that most people DO care who does what to whom. They want that kind of behavior coralled by traditional parameters.
At the expense of getting things done that would make most, if not ALL people's lives better.
How such men can hold office for so long, yet make such outrageous miscalculations over and over, IS something that should concern us all.
FYI, Gender identity has zero to do with sexuality.
2
What we have here is a brilliant politician. Lest people forget, Reagan turned the tables on Mondale regarding "the age factor" when he stated: "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience". She has now done the same thing.
5
There's such a big lesson for Democrats here. Heck, Danica Roem should run for president. Democrats might actually start winning election again if they could successfully communicate that they can lead government to solve a problem or two.
Hillary Clinton couldn't do that. Nancy Pelosi can't do that. Simply being anti-Republican hasn't gotten the job done. Stale slogans and buzzwords may work with liberal focus groups but they don't work in the field. Promising 1000 things to try to hit every special interest doesn't work either. You end up with a cloud of total meaninglessness every time you open your mouth, which is why Hillary Clinton never made a speech that anybody wanted to listen to.
Danica Roem campaigned passionately, credibly, one one issue that really matters to people in this district, an issue where government could actually have a positive impact on people's lives. Dems should think about how to translate that model nationally. Keep it simple.
19
There are functions that can only be accomplished by government and Ms. Roem is focused on them. I worked for a state legislature for many years. I am very impressed by her demeanor and genuine interest in her constituents.
23
Thank you for this piece - for it to be truly complete it would have included some discussion of your own cisgender privilege. The fact that you seemed to be waiting to hear a transgender-related speech from Roem after her election suggests that you think trans people all center that part of our identity. I'm glad you learned that particular lesson, but it goes further than that.
As a specific example, you lauded the fact that she didn't talk about "gender binary" or "gender fluid" - those aren't terms that are relevant to all trans people, the fact that you seem to believe they are suggests that you still have some learning to do. There are trans people who are totally comfortable with the gender binary, and there are many trans people who don't identity as gender fluid (me, for example). Caution should also be used when referencing the LGBTQ community in the context of a story about a trans person, others in the LGBTQ community (particularly gay men) are as capable of male and cisgender privilege as anyone.
Finally, it's great to recognize that trans people are fully formed people, but also important to recognize that, particularly in the earlier period of "coming out" many trans people do center that part of our lives. It's an important period of exploration and understanding, so recognizing that we are fully formed people doesn't mean belittling those who are still figuring things out and as a result very much focused on that part of their identity.
10
Perhaps, Chrissy, you should let us know 'your identity' beyond having a feminine name, if you feel that how people identity themselves is what's important, rather than their ideas, their work ethic, their successes and their failures?
One of the issues of our world today is that rather than coming together we are polarized in little groups, each with a name tag. I don't know about Mr. Bruni, but 'cisgender female" which is what I imagine you would call me, is a label I reject.
I reserve, as I assume you do, to call myself whatever I want, and not to have my identity shoveled onto me by others, no matter whom they are.
1
You should be aware that Mr. Bruni has made no secret of the fact that he is a gay man . Cis privilege is not in his arsenal .
If your account of how Danica Roem articulated her campaign was as you have written, then I think she campaigned brilliantly. She included in her message who she was—to counter any negative attacks—along with what she wanted to do as a legislator—to counter attacks that she was running on her notoriety.
Campaigning like that, she deserved to win.
43
Those of us in Virginia who were on the ground knew Danica could beat bathroom bill Bob. She's smart and ran a brilliant campaign, managed by my friend Kenton Ngo, who has been working in Virginia politics since he was a high school kid. I don't think he's even 30 yet. Emerge Virginia is a training ground for women candidates here, and Danica took part in that, and she also had support from volunteer canvassers from Planned Parenthood, NARAL Virginia and Moms Demand Action for GunSense in America, among others. We all got the vote out for her. It was my honor to have supported her candidacy. I couldn't vote for her because I don't live in her district, but I went and canvassed for her and donated money. She will do Virginians proud.
43
Yep.
Looking forward to being able to vote for Danica as VA's governor someday soon.
1
"Being transgender isn’t the whole of her identity...
That is pretty much true of all of us, isn't it? Our outside, no matter what it is, isn't our whole, or even a majority of our identity, but it is what people see first and make judgement on before they know anything else about us.
Except those who work hard to create an exterior image for others to judge, usually hiding who they are, I don't know anyone who likes to be judged for for their singular characteristics.
17
Bruni hit the mark. I saw Roem speak for about a minute and a half on election night and she instantly became one of my favorite politicians.
32
I am profoundly moved, and proud, of Roem's success as a trans woman. But frankly, what brings tears to my eyes is that she's an elected official committed to *doing her job.* That means fixing problems in her community, like infrastructure. It also means serving all constituents, even those who disagree with her. I wish we had a thousand more like her, from local government to the White House.
64
This is it. In a nutshell. This is it. I too wish we had a thousand more like her, from local government to the White House. I fervently hope she is the wave of the future....an elected official committed to *doing her job*!!
1
Wonderful article---reminds all of us that ultimately what we elect our lawmakers to do --- solve problems. What we appear to have now are few lawmakers equipped to engage in a learning process that results in actual laws, regulations, and budgetary allocations that literally make the trains run on time. Instead, what we now have on capitol hill are legislators consuming huge amounts of time raising money from rich donors, engaging in petty name calling, blindly adhering to their particular ideological bent, and oh, I forgot, chasing female interns and aides around offices.
22
Keeping one's private life out of the public discourse used to be called "good manners," which (even) included not dragging one's family around like show horses, let alone not expounding on one's intimacy. So there is a politician with good manners. Thank you, Mr. Bruni, for this news.
33
Okay, can we stop talking about her gender, now? I would tend to agree with her that is not the issue. Her job is the issue. Her political promises are the issue. Believe me, I get how historic this is. But it has zero to do with what she has been elected to do.
The key take away here is one we can all take to heart: Shut up and do the work.
15
Kinda the point of the article, isn't it?
1
Danica Roem’s mettle was tested from an early age by prejudice and discrimination and yet she has emerged from those trials without bitterness and with a desire to serve her constituents and her country to the best of her ability. Adversity has made her stronger.
Contrast Ms.Roem with Donald Trump who was handed the world on a silver platter from birth and whose mettle was never tested by anything more taxing than avoiding STD’s on the New York dating scene. Mr. Trump is now an ignorant, embittered demagogue whose only desire appears to be serving his own interests whatever the cost to our country. His wealth and privilege have made him weak and unprincipled.
Danica Roem - “Make Politicians Great (and boring) Again.”
37
Frank wrote: "Being transgender isn’t the whole of her identity, the extent of her purpose or the crux of her mission."
-----------------------
It is, however, likely the reason she was elected, and definitely the reason she received so much publicity nationally the day after the election, and the reason why you are writing this column about a low-level legislator just beginning her career. Let's be honest...
That's the problem with identity politics. How many stronger candidates are perhaps overlooked, because they are not the flavor of the moment? How many promising young legislators will have to work twice as hard to have their own platforms heard -- as you mention, rush-hour traffic affects us all, and maybe "others" have better ideas that they have developed about how to fix such problems, but they will not be heard because of their own personal characteristics. (ie/ white, male, not poor, no "background story" of unique interest...)
This is what has happened in the past decades in higher education too. In our rush to compensate for "diversity", and to overcome the groups in the past who have been advantageous -- again, those white, male, not poor, etc. -- perhaps we are overlooking individuals of excellence and not measuring their worth as individuals, because they can't check a diversity box. It makes all of us poorer, in the end.
As a Chicagoan who followed local politics, I knew jJr.Sen. Obama was not prepared to be president. In the end, he did not deliver.
6
I get your point, but Ms. Roem was not running against any of your (hypothetical) white male not-poor "stronger candidates," she was running against a (white male not-poor) long-term placeholder who apparently had not disturbed himself to address the problems of the commute in his district. Too busy worrying about bathrooms I guess.
That was the choice before the voters, and if Ms. Roem is interested mostly in working on the local infrastructure I imagine it was a good one. She might have had an advantage in being transgender, but I further imagine that it was a strike against her in some peoples' minds. In the end, actually that stuff doesn't much matter, which is the point.
5
The point of the article is that she's a great choice because of all that she offers - totally independent of her gender identity. She wants to get to work solving the day to day problems faced by her constituents. She won because she focused on that while her opponent engaged in identity-based culture wars vilifying the LGBT community. Diversity, competence, and integrity are not mutually exclusive.
1
The only identity politics that was played was by her opponent who spoke incessantly of her gender and barely mentioned the problems of his local constituents and his solutions to those problems. Ms. Roem of course had to discuss her identity to both supporters and opponents but her stump speech was almost completely focused on micro-local issues, as it should be seeing as she was running for a state delegate position and not the Bully Pulpit.
5
What a class act virginia has as a new representative. They got lucky with that one. Thank you Bruni for a great write this morning.
17
Roem was helped a lot by Marshall, her opponent, who is a culture war warrior and the chief homophobe in the Virginia legislature. He was against anything that would help the LGTB community, including gay marriage. His chief recent accomplishment was to author a bathroom bill that had so little support that it was not even reported out of committee. He also failed to address traffic problems in his 25 years in office and was a leader in the legislative refusal to expand Medicaid. In short, Marshall was an embarrassment to large numbers of his constituents and an ineffective legislator.
Roem won because she is well spoken, presents herself well, and looks like she will be an effective legislator; she is right on the important issues that affect her district will likely work hard to deal with those issues. She was elected, because she was the right person for the job, not because she is transgender.
I'm an old guy, now retired; I suspect that the voters in Roem's district are like me. I don't know much about transgender people. I do know a lot about gays and lesbians. They were my friends and co-workers and subordinates when I was working and continue to be my friends. They should be judged on their merits just like everyone else. That is why we reject people like Marshall.
It is poetic justice that Marshall, Virginia's chief homophobe, was unseated by Roem, a transgender woman.
514
This is why the idea of identity politics sets up a false opposition. This woman has policy positions to make life better in her community and in her country. Her identity as a trans-woman is not really the point.
17
Danica Roem is my hero! She charts the course we MUST follow.
9
Having spent the past two years traveling around the country and speaking to people from time to time about politics I can say that most people seem to want above all honest, effective, efficient government. They want a better future for their children. They want jobs--but they also don't want their families poisoned by pollution.
The question every elected representative should ask him or herself is whether or not a policy is good for their constituents. Not, is it good for my party or is it good for the people who voted for me.
I hope that the Democrats, the party that believes that government can be a force for good remembers that going into the next round of elections. Focus on the needs of the voters--not on the culture wars.
11
Rather sad that more reporters didn't notice her background in journalism and her practical positions from the very beginning. It's what the Democrats need -- some intelligent priorities that focus on practical topics that concern most people.
7
I've been reading about her campaign for a few months now, and -- honestly, I was so dispirited living in this age of Trump -- I didn't think she had a chance against a multi-term incumbent. Imagine my very pleasant surprise when she won! I think she is a far cannier candidate that people realized, Mr. Bruni expertly pointed out here. And I expect her to be quite a force once she is seated in the legislature. You don't win your first political race as a transgendered woman without intelligence, determination, and focus. Her constituents are very lucky indeed.
8
The kind of politician I especially like is one that solves problems and brings home the bacon. Here where I live I see lots of bacon being brought home. A new VA health center just around the corner is an example of what I mean. Another is the brand new recreation center that is free for residents to use. There is little to gain from voting for a politician whose main promise is to provide a scapegoat to blame every problem on.
6
Really nice piece. As horrible as things are at this moment in time; smart people like Danica, getting elected at a national level, truly gives me hope for the future. We’ll get through this; perhaps bloodied and bruised, but we will.
8
Whereas Danica refused to hide who she really is, republicans have been pretending to be something they are not for decades. Oddly enough, Trump did not try and hide his loathsome character and it made no difference to republican voters because in the end it appealed to exactly who they really are.
Whereas Danica appealed to the best of who we are when it comes to accepting others as we want others to accept ourselves, Trump was able to appeal to the worst of who we are. While Danica was able to help those of different sexual orientation take another step out of the closet, Trump has let the Hate out of the closet that has long been at the root of the Republican Party.
We can only hope that in the end the kind of love (and common sense) that lies beneath Danica's election can defeat the kind of hate (and ignorance) that lies beneath Trump's election.
15
I watched the same interview referenced in the article and came away with the same general impressions as Mr Bruni. I was struck by the lack of concern she had for addressing the 800 lb gorilla in the room. That means either she's incredibly on message, she's just ok with herself, or more likely both. Any way, I think her district has done well for itself.
17
A beautiful piece. So well said.
7
Despite our current, difficult predicament, our union has a little more perfection after the election of Danica Roem.
We progress not because of the current crowd circling ominously over our Republic, but despite them all. With Danica’s election, we validated, yet again, that despite Trump and his crowd, the nation still has a solid moral core, a core large enough to hold us together through these testing times.
Frank, I just look forward to the day when writing, or reading, such a column would be quite blasé.
13
The election of Danica Roem is a much-needed port in a storm of hideous national news. Thank you, Mr. Bruni, for profiling this extraordinary woman, and thank you Ms. Roem, for lifting our spirits at a time when all feels lost.
8
Boring is good. And I am glad that boring Danica Roem won.
But boring Hillary lost to exciting Trump. Many Americans and much of the media could not take their eyes off of the entertainment. The more sordid, the more people peered. Voyeurism was what fueled Trump.
I don't know what is the take away lesson. Maybe there is more than just being boring. Maybe we should begin to reward boring.
4
In my sixteen waking hours each day, I might spend one hour in a bathroom in total but I spend the other fifteen doing something else. I suspect this holds for Delegate-Elect Roem as well. So she rightly focused on the 15/16ths of her day doing real work unlike her opponent who as "Homophone-in-Chief" railed about that one sliver of time. Voters gave him much greater time to spend on other things come January. Good for them. Good for Danica. Good for us all.
3
A politician that I can like and admire on all counts. We could use a few more like her.
5
It sounds completely and totally refreshing to hear about a politician that pivots to the issues, instead of away from them.
I believe that makes her a 1%er.
4
It does says something about prejudice that Roam was elected, which is fine, but I've always failed to see how gender means ANYTHING about quality.
I've seen horrid people abuse power (political and private) hurting others, destroying lives whatever sex they are.
Let's see how Roem performs in office.
Ms. Roem could teach both of our major parties some really great lessons. Both have been so drug down by what Europeans call "communitarism." I'm not sure that is an English word but the whole, "Vote for me because I'm....gay, pro-gun, Black, White and here to save "white" culture, Hispanic, pro-choice, anti choice..." Issues that are emotional and polarizing. Too many candidates go out for the "community vote..." Candidates from neither party seem to work from a platform on common items of concern that are shared, if not universally, at least across many "communities."
Honestly, I'd never heard of Ms. Roem, but she sets a wonderful example. Just think if politicians preached, "We need a healthy society, how can we work on this?" Instead of, "Don't touch Obamacare, or Destroy all vestiges of Obamacare..." Or as in Ms. Roem's great example..."We all hate endless traffic jams...I'm going to focus us on fixing them..." What community group would not rally around that? We might actually get members of wildly divergent communities to sit down, work on a common problem, get to know each other, and God forbid...build some bridges instead of digging chasms which only seem to get deeper every day...I wish Danica Roem the best and I congratulate her on her vision and her victory.
2
So refreshing to read of a politician who can hold on to an idea or two for longer than a nanosecond.
2
As a beleaguered San Francisco voter, you can bet that 'identity politics' can run into the stratosphere here. The more kinds of 'minorities' you can ally yourself with, the better your candidacy -- or at least some would-be politicians seem to believe that. This ends up with some pretty 'tinfoil-hat' types on the ballot -- instead of grounded people who are willing to work and compromise to enable the city to work in a reasonable fashion. I utterly applaud Roem for actually wanting to serve her constituents instead of her soap box. Congratulations to you, Ms. Roem. Can't wait until our country can be about making our communities a better place -- and taking the 'tribe' out of it at ALL levels.
3
I've heard a journalist trying to get her to say something about the man her defeated (who said plenty of awful things about her). Her reply was "I don't talk ill if my constituents, and he is one of my constituents now."
Of course, the elegance of Danica Roemer's manner is lost on the WH.
8
Ms. Roem is proof positive that where we are going is a whole lot more important than where we have been. The entire political class had better learn from her. Their time is about up.
411
It's sad that this gets the gold star, and that anyone thinks that this candidate has a lesson to teach us all without having yet spent a day in the job.
Sadly, the identity politicking that the column purports to be against only reinforces why they will continue coming up empty on the big stages, when people care little about your personal characteristics and more about what you can accomplish. Other than getting herself elected, she really ain't done nothing yet...
2
As if no politician has ever dealt with boring matters before her?
1
I think she is absolutely amazing. As she talked knowledgeably about traffic, tears filled my eyes: She’s what it’s all about. I think we have a star, Frank. Watch out for her - she’s a winner, all the way to the top.
36
I think she is absolutely amazing. As she talked knowledgeably about traffic, tears filled my eyes.
----------------
Be honest, though.
You were not crying because she talked knowledgeably about traffic. When that day comes -- when we can measure a candidate based solely on his or her ideas and not on personal characteristics -- it will be worth crying over.
Dry your tears, I say, and keep your fingers crossed that Roem is permitted to fade into the background as an unknown state legislator. If she rises above and stands out based solely on the content of her work, and not because of some unique personal characteristic, that is when the tears should flow openly.
We are not there yet. This is artificial adulation based on the background story. It's not strong enough to fix anything that affects the majority of her constituents, but it was catchy enough to get her elected and to fill copy, and broadcast minutes, about her election-day success.
2
Identity politics needs to take a back seat sooner or later to a choice for the best person and the most effective representative for getting things done. There are so many needs we have as a society, and its refreshing to have what could be a person of identity instead focus on industry. Great article!
27
Jason,
I was ready to recommend with the thumbs up your first sentence here, but I do not think you realize the final two directly contradict it. Really, you don't see it?
1
I really think large roundabouts as they are use are used In England might be the answer although they would take a little getting used to at first. They are a lot less expensive and much faster to construct.
13
Having driven in Scotland for the last five years I can attest to the large number of roundabouts---we call them rotaries here in America---that help ease traffic congestion. They wouldn't be as difficult to get used to in our country because at least we wouldn't have to remember to "Keep Left."
6
They wouldn't be as difficult to get used to in our country because at least we wouldn't have to remember to "Keep Left."
--------------------------
You would be amazed at the difficulties many American drivers have at roundabouts and rotaries (traffic calming circles), in the places they have already been implemented in Wisconsin and Minnesota exoburbs (developing rural areas). It takes a lot of (boring!) education to bring drivers, er... down to speed on how to use these new tools.
I wish this discussion in the comments were of a high-level evaluating and recommending the practicalities of implementing what the engineers' recommend. Unfortunately, we don't read about the mechanics from people who specialize in this field because it is boring compared to a transperson winning national office. Dare to really dream...
2
Lived in the UK for decades and they really have the roundabout thing down pat. There are so many places here that would benefit from min-roundabouts; it's such a simple and sensible solution! (Oh, and Danica Roem is awesome).
3
When more people who wish to devote themselves to a political position begin addressing the needs of their constituents, rather than the demands of their party, then we, the people, will finally get our representative government back.
I certainly commend Ms. Roem for her honesty, her dedication to her constituents (as well as to her opponents), and her realization of her duties as representative. There certainly should be more like her -- everywhere.
46
She's smart enough to know what she's really running about. Sure there's history in her election, but folks do not elect anyone to be the first trans or first gay or first black. They elect folks to do the job, to see what the citizens and the community need and to tend capably to those things. Period.
40
"They elect folks to do the job, to see what the citizens and the community need and to tend capably to those things. Period.
From your mouth to God's ear. However, a good, hard look at the present congress makes a mockery of your opinion.
2
A fine dissertation on the point that diversity should not be an obstacle to participation in politics but it should not be the point of participation in politics. The point of participation in politics is public service - including for those that didn't vote for you.
94
Mark Lilla was roundly criticized for his call to not focus on identity politics. I think this column speaks to why he is right. We shouldn't ignore our differences; we should embrace them, but then focus not on what might divide us, but on what we share.
54
Wrong. Stop segregating yourself and you will stop being segregated. You are not typical but you are normal. Stop w the trans tragic narrative and move the debate forward 50 years in 5. I am trans.
With that title, I was hoping you were going there and you did not disappoint. "To every person who's ever been singled out...who's ever been a misfit..." Spoken directly to my heart. However, what spoke to me as well was that ALL of us have those same concerns, about overcrowded roads, school safety and those are things that can be stepping stones to uniting us. I see brilliance in people like Ms. Roem, those who embrace the ordinary, the every-day things that unite us, not those that divide.
75
Danica Roem is the classiest person I've seen and heard in years, perhaps ever. From her inspirational and gracious acceptance speech, to her determination to keep the focus on her promises, she is without equal. I hesitate to refer to her as a politician. With the tragic state of our national politics, Danica is a bright beacon for a better future. Likewise, those who voted her into office herald a more rational electorate. Thank you, Danica, for giving us something many of us haven't had for a very long time - hope.
110
Wrong. She is a just a person, not a saint. Just as we should not exclude her, we should not elevate her. Such positive comments segregate just as much as exclusionary comments do. I am transgender.
So many politicians think that they only work for their "base". I wish more would remember that they work for all of their constituents, even the ones who didn't vote for them.
69
This is further evidence that no individual is defined by his, her, their characteristics but by character, conscious integrity, and values like Ms. Roem's work ethic. The Roy Moores and the like need, like her, to grow into the 21st century. Not all change is good, but this one certainly is.
36
I listened to Ms Roem and was impressed with her goals, her demeanor, and her passion for wanting to serve the people who voted her into office. There was no "look at me" or boasting about her remarkable achievement. Her gender and her achievement are givens. Without overt boasting, she showed that she was a person, a human being, who wants to make life better for her family and for others. By not flaunting her gender, she spoke volumes.
67
Just being yourself is the best sales pitch because it is the only sales pitch that is not a sales pitch, which by definition is manipulation. This and not witnessing is how Christians are supposed to win converts. Witnessing makes God into a sales manager, which is blasphemy.
20
Good on 'ya, Danica.
27
I love it when my politicians are boring. Though we tend to lionize those pols who have dealt with terrible crises, the lesser known sorts able to exercise a quiet finesse that smothers trouble before it starts are often twice as valuable. A relief and a departure from the current political climate, where there's a fire in the kitchen every single day.
38
Hooray for that! I could not agree more!!
1
This to all those who worry. What is Rep. Roem interested in?
"Her determination to follow through on her central campaign promise “to replace traffic lights with overpasses where possible.”
In other words, basic politics. Long may it wave.
53
Although genteel and charming our Prime Minister does not create headlines and last Spring when he told us Canada would no longer enter into trade agreements where foreign citizens and foreign workers do not enjoy basic human rights the story was carried on page three of the business section.
We are Canada ; you can imagine my shock when the President of the Philippines savagely attacked our Prime Minister and the leaders of other countries who insisted that human rights considerations be on the table for trade negotiations.
Putin and Duterte are America's friends and the news and the body counts are always exciting but what we need right now is a little boredom and a good night's sleep. If peace order and good governance were on the ballot against R&Ds it might not get elected in Mississippi Alabama or Texas but I bet it would put up a solid fight in most of the other states.
48
"Peace order and good government" tend to secure "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
It doesn't seem to work quite as well in the other direction.
2
I grew up in Fairfax County. I’m so proud that the voters, the un-bohemian DC suburbanites that I know so well, gave Danica Roem a well-deserved victory. Yes traffic is terrible in northern Virginia. It’s pretty bad in the Bay Area as well. I hope we get a boring infrastructure candidate here too!
45
She sets a good example for all of us. We could use a lot less rage in politics, among candidates and people in office and among citizens.
29
This is America, Mr Bruni, thanks for bringing the pursuit of happiness.
18
No intangibles here. A true bread and butter issue by a concerned educated citizen who actually CARES. The personal angle thing. The I know your pain thing. Not a thing here. Government for the people BY the people. And one thing we know... SHE is good people.
30
Danica Roem was smart enough to know -- and to convey to her constituents -- that whether voters might view her being trans as an asset, a neutral or a liability (or perhaps they didn't even know), they would not elect her to the House of Delegates specifically to be trans. They would elect her specifically to be competent and effective.
Good luck to her, with the traffic issues and more. And of course, congratulations on being a pioneer. It's hard these days to be the first of anything.
As to whether she's boring... the couple of interviews I've seen suggest she has a sly sense of humor and is anything but boring. However, given the tempest currently occupying the White House, boring sounds better every day.
57
I'm a proud constituent of Danica Roem here in the 13th district! The world is now discovering what we've already learned about her during the Democratic primary last spring. I haven't seen it mentioned in any of these news stories, but she defeated 3 primary candidates to earn the Democratic nomination. She is everything these commenters describe and so much more. She's dynamic, a hard worker, a person of the people, empathetic, and a policy wonk who worked 9 years as a reporter for our hometown newspaper. She knows every nuance of local issues and so much more. And only 33 years old. Couldn't be happier with Danica. She will make a great Delegate and will wow them down in Richmond!
2
Really, to do her justice at the outset, your title should have been " 'Boring' and Brilliant!" And you also should have credited her amazing, and unique response at her election when asked to make a statement about her defeated opponent she called him her "constituent" and she wouldn't attack her "constituents."
58
Another inane column. Surely it isn't news that all politics is local. Surely no one believes that a community oppressed by traffic congestion ponders the hairstyles and self-definitions of a political candidate. The media might try to make it look like people think these things are important, but no one actually thinks they are important.
5
@Anne Elizabeth:
I don't mean to be pejorative, but your comments suggest an utter disconnect from the core point of Mr Bruni's excellent column. Then again, it's become the American Way to bash that which we don't understand.
2
If the media is Fox News, then the media does focus on any differences candidates may have with the white male conservative model, i.e., a Republican.
2
Roem is my new hero. And I’m a 56-year-old white dude. She could teach the DNC a lot about how to connect with the electorate. Be genuine, and focus on what people care about.
163
I was frankly astonished at the level of political skill and human connection Danica demonstrated. A newcomer able to take absolute command of the narrative by basically saying, again and again: "It's about the traffic." Its also about the issues and lives of the voters.
We need more candidates who will actually work to improve the lives of their voters -- not their donors bulging pockets.
Now we get to see how well she can do to execute on her issues.
35
She knows trans is the flavor of the day and she declined to be eaten alive by the press and the public for it, to be consumed as topic as Bruni does here. She took control of that narrative, just as she took control of the narrative of her sexuality. She had to: it's America! I'm transgender.
Great piece! Thanks for writing it!
27
I’m an old white straight guy from New York; my role models growing up were Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas and Gregory Peck. In politics, JFK was the man! But here I am, agreeing with the tone and message of this column. Especially with the advice Mr. Bruni implies about skipping the LGBT jargon, often delivered with a tone of defensive arrogance, at least in public—in favor of a more “common touch” designed to reach people a bit wary about the LGBT world. Focusing on issues, shared concerns about quality of life, seems much more inclusive and engaging an approach than simply trumpeting one’s gender status. It nust have been, since Roem got elected over the homophobic dinosaur.
43
I'm trans, so I know its hard to be blasé about ones sexuality and not be defensive when others deride it, hate it and us, use it for rank political gain. So it's easy to say for a white masculine guy who can hide behind parodies of masculinity as those you list, but you are absolutely correct. Us trans people will do far better by ignoring the hate and talking about the weather.
1
Bravo Darcey!
The boring stuff is what governance is all about. It's local, there are many points of view, and no matter what action your agency takes, some people suffer and some benefit. That's why we have politicians. Good on Ms. Roem for minding the store.
26
So well said Frank. Someday LGBT people will be treated with the ordinariness so many of us take for granted. Until then, a win like Danica's, especially against an opponent with nothing but low blows, is really EXTRAordinary and that's very cool.
Also very cool: I found my very first typo in a Times article. Sorry it had to be you Frank. 5th paragraph from the bottom, last sentence.
Good column though. Thank you.
6
When asked to comment about the man she defeated, Ms. Roem said that he will soon be her constituent and as she would not disrespect any constituent of hers, she simply moved on to another subject.
What class.
73
It is comforting to hear a bit of sanity rising out of the current political din.
18
Every politician should take note that we are all citizens while every citizen should take note we are all politicians.
Congratulations to the political citizen Ms Roem
12
Great column. We need about a thousand politicians like Ms. Roem all across America. We might actually get something done.
25
Sometimes nowadays it seems as if people in minority groups will take whatever causes them to be "oppressed" and make an identity out of it. They use it as a platform for all of their beliefs in many cases. When I came across this article, I expected the topic to be the opposite of what was actually covered. I assumed it would say Roem was "boring" because her main focus was LGBT issues. When I read that she used her influence to be just like all other politicians, it was very refreshing. I feel people become so wrapped up in WHO a person is that they let it affect what they think that person believes. Many may think that all LGBT members are liberal activists that will do anything to make everything relate to them, and their sexuality or gender. We need to understand that they are just like everybody else, and should not be represented by who they are, but by the message of what they spread. Blaire White is a transgender political Youtuber who I personally love. She has many "republican" views with some more liberal views mixed in there sometimes. She does not use being trans as justification for her beliefs or associate it with them at all most of the time. Her views are her own, just like Roem's are. All politicians have to be boring sometimes or nobodies point would ever get across.
2
Hadley, when LGBT have their rights like you do, they won't need to be so focused on their sexuality. The fact is, we are so focused because so many straight people are so focused on it. But your point is well said.
5
Thank you for bringing Ms. Roem to my attention. She seems to be a genuine person of substance; one who doesn’t rely on sensationalism to accomplish her goals. We need more politicians like her.
17
Brilliant and yet, this is what public service, as an office holder, is supposed to be all about: recognizing and addressing the needs of your constituents. Here is a second way, in today's political climate, that Danica Roem is leading the way to a better future. What a breath of fresh air. Who knows? It may well catch on!
16
What a world it would be if all politicians were as good as Ms. Roem. For a person who has lived her life being a "misfit," she could opt for bitterness and division. Instead, she ignores the hurt and tries to find common ground with everyone, even her newest constituent "Bob." Can we bottle that love and take it across the Potomac to DC to hand out at Congress and the White House?
15
Exactly. But know that after a lifetime of exclusion at being a "misfit", it's damn hard not to be bitter about it - one's life has been erased - and those who say be happy because bitterness is so unattractive need to step back and give it a rest.
Public office is a boring slog through policy and procedure, mostly. The hype is to inflame support and to overpoliticize issues and platforms of contestants. How refreshing it is for a winning candidate of ‘third-rail’ status to focus on mundane necessities. May we all realize that we’re all people traveling on the same roads wanting to make transport better.
7
"Roem let [her opponent's] cruelties roll off her, went back to knocking on doors, defined her common ground with fellow Virginians and planted herself there."
This seems to me the central lesson we can learn from Ms. Roem's victory, one that has been sorely missing in Democratic politics. Identity politics is a slashing force in progressive politics, alienating potential allies and demonizing anyone who disagrees; Barack Obama understood this all too well, which is why his winning campaigns sought to build consensus. Congrats to Ms. Roem not just on a well-deserved victory, but on recognizing the power of seeking common ground in an increasingly divided country.
16
Oh if only more politicians could be like Danica — looking to help, serve and make her constituents' lives better — our country (and the world) would be a much better place.
Hopefully Democrats watched and are watching but, alas, Democrats aren't necessarily the brightest bulbs in the box and I fear that Danica will prove to be the exception. I wish she would run for president. What a great example of how a politician should behave and treat her constituents.
3
@Bob Johnson:
"Democrats aren't necessarily the brightest bulb in the box"? What an enlightened judgement. The presumption then is that Republicans are the bright bulbs?
Aside from inane generalizations, most of could point to Roy Moore, Saran Pallin, and, well, our ersatz President as being epitomes of dubious intellect.
Frankly in today's political environment, based on observation, the majority of both House members call into question the height of the intellectual bar which needs to be cleared in order to win elections. Pro tip: don't trip over it.
1
So you are only misogynistic against women who are not transgender?
Ms. Roem is a trail-brazer by being normal, focusing on her job as a public servant. If she can get the traffic congestion under control, I'd say "Welcome to the new normal!" Wishing her and her constituents nothing but the best results.
6
Danica Roem rode the anti-Trump wave and I'm glad she is who she is fighting as Democrats should for the needs of the working class. Commuting is very boring, but that's part of the everyday stress of getting to and from work. I'll always remember a friend who said when I asked him why he left his job, "Five hours." That was the time he spent commuting to and from New York City. Ms. Roem let her Republican opponent express the open-faced bigotry that Trump has loosed upon the electorate; and they roundly rejected it and him. She showed the class and dignity, even embracing her opponent as a constituent, that has been so lacking in the last year. Most importantly, the voters responded to a person who demonstrate decency and concern for them.
17
I would be delighted to vote for candidates like Ms. Roem. Diligently working on solving practical problems; and do so while being positive and inclusive. We would be much better off as a society if more public officials up and down the ballot followed her example. I will follow the Delegate's career with interest.
5
Danica is young, white, attractive, educated, in a relationship, and in all ways privileged as a trans person. She is the Sidney Poitier of trans people, as he was of Blacks in the early 60's. It is easier to be positive when it all flows in one's direction; that said, one catches more flie with honey than vinegar and being a Southern gal, she knows that.
Me. Bruno, The most enjoyable read for me , was in seeing what percentage of your readers opposed your obviously biased view against this highly functional , hard working , sensitive, intelligent trans gendered person running for office. I think it is refreshing these days to see a positively charged , inclusive, non vaunting presence in the political landscape ..
Maybe Hillary Clinton would have won if she had not consistently made a big deal out of the historicity of her candidacy. Yes, it would have been historic if she had won, but she should have let the talking heads bray on about it. It was a serious mistake for her to make that case on her own behalf. Ultimately the public cares about what government does, and not who is governing.
8
whaddoino
"Ultimately the public cares about what government does, and not who is governing."
Right. That's why Trump is squatting in the White House.
4
Well, Lisa, that is certainly the only position that explains his tweets.
1
Exactly, Lisa. Whaddoino seems to know nothing.
1
Was it Mario Cuomo who said you campaign in poetry and govern in prose?
So, she's focused on getting the job done, and that's prose.
Well written, Mr. Bruni, and thanks for your grace and wit, as Acastos wrote, Ms. Roem. Nice to see civility in the public realm.
12
I totally disagree with her. You can build those overpasses and ease traffic for a while, but the quicker commutes will invite further sprawl and more commuters, eventually you will be right back where you started from. It makes no logical sense that everyone in a suburb should bring a 4,000 pound machine with an internal combustion engine with them to work everyday. Fix the commutes with effective public transportation options and make it sustainable.
9
From what little I know of Danica Roehm, I would think that she would agree with you in the long term. Most Democratic candidates agree with the gist of your embrace of effective public transportation. Republican candidates disdain anything with the word public in it.
2
Adam, you are of course correct and effective public transportation is the best long-term solution to the increasing traffic sprawl. However, let’s not overlook something quite important here: Ms Roem has raised an issue important to her constituents and you have engaged her in a smart and thoughtful manner. OMG, the start of a sensible conversation about a problem thousands deal with every day. No sleaze, no “loser”, no “culture war” claptrap, no saber rattling, just something I have feared we would lose: good old-fashioned GOVERNANCE. It’s a breath of fresh air and I look forward to more of it. Every journey begins with the first step. I hope this is the one.
1
Wow. And I thought that Luettgen missed the point. You are an inspiration to point-missers everywhere.
1
Frank, what a wonderful column. Sometimes we have to be told
to stuff identity politics in a bag somewhere and follow a candidate where she lives.
I love she ran on traffic and the poor condition of Route 28. I love that she’s so very up to date and never once made her sexual identity the issue, instead of an interesting factoid.
But most of all I love the simple way she won-by identifying a real problem as well as it’s solution.
Well done, Danica! I wish I’d been qualified enough to run with you in asking for their votes.
47
An absolutely beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman who i hope, after she fixes the commute for her constituents, becomes a national force. You captured the spirit of her. Thank you.
66
Well, I suppose that getting elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates is ONE way of making sure as a transgender woman that she can find a bathroom she can use. Sorry about that, but the trans community won’t ever achieve true equality until it can laugh at itself as readily as others can who aren’t what David Brooks characterizes as Christian evangelicals dealing with a “siege mentality”.
Look, she presumably got elected to make a difference in matters that affect her constituency directly, not merely to make a statement about trans realities; and presumably that constituency elected her to do those things. So, I can’t say I’m surprised that she’d use an on-air opportunity to kvetch about traffic. Traffic AFFECTS voters and other life-forms. So boring may be what gets her RE-elected, particularly if she can point to BETTER traffic in a couple of years.
But, then, Frank gets around to that realization eventually. Ms. Roem seems to be pretty good at giving lessons. Congratulations to her on her win.
6
@Richard Luettgen: Frank didn't "get around to that realization eventually." It was his point all along.
13
Two days in a row, we agree once I got past the snark in the first paragraph.
Her opponent was the man who sponsored the "bathroom bill" specifically to teach hatred of transgenders. You could not sell this as a believable plot for a TV drama.
Her voters also deserve a huge thank you as each of them had to decide if a faster commute and human decency were more important to them than finding a small, weak group to feel superior to. They were truly the "values voters" of this election, and showed us all what an informed citizenry can do.
4
Thanks, Carson, I did realize that.
When we elected somebody to office, it may be due to the passion placed in convincing the public that she is there to serve them ably and honestly; that she has the know-how to do what she said she would do; in other words, to walk the talk. Anything else ought to be just an afterthought, if any.
12
A wonderful piece -- I was impressed with Roem last week, and the fact that she considers her opponent, who always addressed her as 'him' or 'he', as her constituent as well. And she plans to fight for him as much as she will fight for the rest of her constituents.
However, the best line in this column is this: "Sometimes you have to meet them where they live to enlist them on a journey to a fairer, better place." Fellow Democrats, take notice.
148
It is clear to me, having heard Danica describe her anguished teen years, difficult coming to terms with her gender identity, and excruciating coming out period, alone in a rural community, that she is a truly amazing person. Her ability to talk about her inner pain and then swing to talk about Route 28, traffic, education, health care and civil rights is exemplary and masterful. And as mentioned by another commenter, her grace in victory toward her opponent is a lesson in generosity. We are lucky in Virginia to have her.
117
She laughs through the pain daily and if you think she doesn't you know nothing of transition. She comes out in each encounter and its never over. She has the patience of Job and the wisdom of an 80 year old.
5
Nice column. There is too much focus in much of the news, perhaps more on cable, on the entertainment value of a candidate or representative. There is too much emphasis on photogenicity, something that has robbed us of valuable political talent since the advent of television. If we could let go of "ratings value," we might be much better off. But how do we get people, and the media business, to go along with this?
I am reminded of Senator TIm Kaine, also of Virginia, when he admitted he was boring. We need more of that.
179
I killed my television 30 years ago--so can you. You won't miss it after about three weeks.
12
Yes, until the Astros make the World Series! Then you have to go hang out in some awful sports bar.
Anyway, it's great to see appeals to tribalism fail at the polls, for a change, and Ms. Roem's sneering opponent lose out.
6
Like Pundette I got ride of my television, or more accurately my cable connection, twenty years ago. I don't miss it. On line streaming. Even NFL games are now easy and simple. You still have to watch the commercials or make a kitchen or bathroom run during them just like the old days but my Roku box works just fine. Cut your cable. You will be glad you did.
Mr. Bruni -- is there any way you can get the political journalists at the times to make sure they focus on policy issues? They've been doing better (with the recent attempts at legislation on Obamacare and taxes), but they failed miserably during the campaign -- instead focusing on controversy and personality. When 2020 rolls around, can you make sure they remember what matters?
179
i think that many would agree with you, we should have clear policies to consider and debate during the elections. the well of useful information ran dry due to the campaigns and the candidates, not the coverage by the times.
Thanks for homing in on this bright light Frank.
I am not saying that we need another newcomer to politics running for president, but her message of focus on the universal concerns of citizens is right on-the-money.
Yes, that was your point. Someone else said stunning. Yes, stunning.
This is a perfect message for the re-boot of a political party hoping to figure out where it went so wrong. Yes, identity issues are important, and Democratic party leaders have hoped that voters would connect the dots between fairness for groups that are discriminated against and fairness for all. (They haven't.) Once white men believe they are one of those disparaged groups though, it's time to regroup.
Practical, economic, and local issues are important. Practical, economic, national issues are important too, to everyone. Compare this newcomer's concerns with those of the newcomer we are stuck with for the next three years. Concern about a traffic light unless it channels traffic to one of his properties? A tax cut whose prime benefit is for such a tiny minority of all voters?
Our Congress needs her message, but we can start by getting the Democratic party to understand it.
117
Bernie understood that. The media found it boring. The DNC found it boring. The clown won over reason and thought thanks to people who are bored by the real world problems of which Senatoe Sanders spoke. That’s all, folks,
1
bernie "I am not a Democrat. I am a socialist," sanders misunderstood the majority of Democrats. Don't dismiss the fact that Hillary was overwhelmingly chosen by Democratas to be our candidate, and also the fact that she won the popular vote by over 3 million more votes than trump.
1
Isn't it stunning when we have a self-realizing moment that reveals we've bought into a trope, despite our best enlightened efforts, and our self-image of being at the forefront of leaning forward/being sophisticated ?
Ms. Roem is savvy enough to know it's all about the job, the job, the job - the rest is noise :)
135
Turns out that if you actually know someone who is different from you, the gender preference/age/ethnicity stereotypes are much harder to sustain. But you have to know about the difference, which is why the bravery of the LGBTQ community in coming out in very public ways has been crucial, especially in our political, military, media, entertainment, business and family communities.
98
“As relevant as those concepts are, they’re questionable bridges to people who aren’t up to speed but are still up for grabs, in terms of fully opening their minds and hearts to us L.G.B.T. Americans.”
Amen, brother. It’s easy to get lost in lingo and forget about the human commonality. I am a cisgender social worker who has worked with transgender individuals and groups over the past four years. I admire their courage in being open, sometimes if only to themselves, about who they are in their gender identity and note that they are service members, teachers, I.T. professionals, and students. Many are also unemployed due to stigma and prejudice. May Ms. Roem’s electoral victory open a few doors to employment as well as a few eyes.
71
Dania is a refreshing breath of fresh air. She evokes an honesty, genuineness and openness rarely seen in politics. I wish her well..
166
It would greatly improve our elections, and the success of the most qualified candidates, if the press too would focus on issues that affect the voters' every day lives instead of what they did in 2016 to enable the election of an unqualified immature sound-bite tweeter instead of a woman who had done her homework to be prepared with detailed policy plans to address problems ranging from health care to immigration to infrastructure.
I am so glad that Danica Roem is hard at work trying to lead us to vote to choose government that works for all of us.
215
Agreed. The lede on Denica’s campaign has always (and understandably) been her compelling personal narrative, but the more extraordinary story is her singular and unbending focus on the issues.
116
All elections are local.! People correctly determined that what was important is that a person represent them knowing what their problems are and offering solutions. The persons gender had no bearing on that.
This is what is transferrable to other areas and elections. Leave the hate to the Republicans.
268
In the best of all possible worlds, identity is less relevant than a host of other issues. Ms. Roem took the giant step of looking past the personal to the universal. It's the kind of vision we all need to move forward. Let people be as they are and judge their ideas, their platforms, their actions. It's supposed to be the American way.
196
If more people running for office focused on the issues that affect their district's voters' everyday lives (traffic, zoning, infrastructure, intelligent redevelopment), they would strike a chord with their district's voters. Brava for Danica Roem to be intelligent enough to know this and follow through on it. The subtle nods to acknowledge her identity didn't distract from the real issues at hand. Those who focused on divisiveness had no answer against someone who had a cogent message and was truly trying to make her district's voters' lives better.
A candidate should be assessed on ideas and game plan, not on extraneous categories that won't affect performance.
310
Unbelievably, you failed to mention her stunning remark when asked about her opponent:
"After her victory when Roem was asked about Marshall she simply responded, “I don’t attack my constituents. Bob is my constituent now.”
Grace and wit of this order cannot be too often celebrated.
1363
She also remarked something to the effect of her opponent suffering enough from his election loss without others piling on...classy.
19
wow. what a remarkable response. I really wish there were more of this in today's politics. Hurrah for Ms Roem!!! Long may she represent her lucky constituents!
17
(Paraphrasing from dim memory here) Reminds me of the statement once made (I forget by whom) that we will be closer to equality when an African American coach in the NFL can have a bad year like the rest of the coaches. We’ve reached that point in the NFL. Progress! Terrific column, Mr. Bruni.
3
We will have made strides as a nation when people like Danica can focus exclusively on the mundane and familiar, not because her personal journey is taboo, but because it with no longer make waves. Someday, gender identities and attractions will cease being controversial.
In the meantime, let's appreciate this smart, confident individual and wish her many accomplishments, beginning with reduced car congestion.
532
Oops, I meant "will" no longer make waves, not "with." Sorry!