Why Lefty Bloggers Should Always Get to Fly First Class

by emptywheel

As I've explained before, I used to consult for a big automotive company, working primarily in Asia (the job got moved to Asia earlier this year). I flew several times a year to Asia. So for the past several years, I've been an "Elite Level" flyer for Northwest. Which means I get bumped up to First Class pretty consistently.

Back in February, during my first trip home from the Libby trial, I ran into an attractive (in a frat boy way) but too-heavy man sitting across the aisle from me in First Class. He seemed to be as interested that I was reading Lawrence Walsh's Firewall (on Iran-Contra) as I was in reading his folders full of "articles from Staffers" on "Islamists." It was even more fun when I got out my computer and started doing a blog post on the trial. After all, Mike Rogers (whom I lated recognized this to be) had been challenged in '06 by Jim Marcinkowski, one of Valerie Wilson's friends from her CIA cohort.

It happened again, today. I was sitting in the first row of the plane. The nice gentlemanly man on the aisle was already there--I ended up shoving his briefcase to the side so I could fit my bloggy laptop-sack next to his Congressional bag. He said he wanted to get to his bag during the flight, so we rearranged nicely. And then I sat down. As the other passengers came in, I heard someone say "hi" to the Congressman. At which point I started kicking myself for not knowing the Republican Congressman from MI by face (apparently, only the Republicans are still taking 2.5 day weeks--I've only ever seen Mrs. Dingell in my middle-of-the-week flights, not any Democratic Congressmen). The Congressman got pretty attentive to what I was doing (and today, I actually looked like a DFH blogger), particularly once I pulled out The Wrong Stuff--the book on Duke Cunningham I'm hosting FDL book salon for on Sunday. Luckily, the flight attendant was very superb at his job, and he called us both by name as he asked us for our drink orders (I had white wine, and "Mr. Knollenberg" had a half-glass of water, no ice.), so I could figure out who I was sitting next to. Meanwhile, I think Knollenberg decided not to pull out his KoolAid Republican work to review on the flight. While he may already know everything bad about Duke Cunningham, his former colleague, I'm sure we don't know everything about Joe Knollenberg.

Anyway, sorry for the completely random post. If you care, Knollenberg likes peanuts, but not pretzels or chips. And he doesn't like to drink a lot of water on plane rides. And he's kind of fussy about little pieces of trash floating around in his space--though that may have been exacerbated by the fact that he had to sit next to a DFH blogger reading (and taking extensive notes) a book on Republican corruption. Though I should say, he was very polite (as was Mike Rogers) and pulled my bag down from the overhead.

I'm sure I was having a lot more fun with the experience than he was, anyway. There's something to be said for making a Republican Congressman's flight back to DC a little more stressful by attentively studying Republican corruption while sitting right next to him in First Class.

[Editorial note: this was blogged using Jane's new network card, which means we should be liveblogging in real time from the Conyers hearing tomorrow.]

Comments

[bmaz]

First class AND a network card. I hardly know you anymore.....

[emptywheel]

bmaz

The emptywheel you've always known was flying first class. And the network card--it's a loaner from Jane.

[jonno]

Jane's card works like a charm

[zAmboni]

I think we need to spam Knollenberg's poll on the front page of his site (although it was more relevant last year):

Current Poll
Do you think Congress should permanently repeal the death tax on family-owned businesses like auto dealerships?

Yes is leading 78 to 22%

[tekel]

Woot! Someone should call Chairman John and let him know you'll be in attendance. Maybe one of his staffers can hook up with you on IM or something- you can help shoot him questions.

[ i can't believe they're not already doing this ].

[johno]

I love the tidbits. But white wine? what happened to beer-thirty?

[Waccamaw]

ew -

Anybody ever tell ya you have an absolutely devilish idea of "fun"? ;-) Glad you made it to deecee in flying style and fine fettle; looking forward to reports from the frontline.

[mamayaga]

I've frequently flown with Dem Congresscritters on Monday flights from Chicago to DC. The reason you don't see them is that they are back in economy with the rest of us proles.

[John Forde]

Love this quote-

"There's something to be said for making a Republican Congressman's flight back to DC a little more stressful by attentively studying Republican corruption while sitting right next to him in First Class."

Give them no friggin quarter.

[Mimikatz]

Next time ypu do see one of the Dingells, talk to tehm about global warming and energy sustainabilty. He is the kind of person who makes me feel that people who aren't going to have to live through the effects of GW shouldn't have a vote on those issues.

[dipper]

I once flew with Ronald Reagan when he was running for Gov. of California. He was polite too. Strange how all those guys are polite, isn't it? Thanks for the insider story.

[dipper]

I once flew with Ronald Reagan when he was running for Gov. of California. He was polite too. Strange how all those guys are polite, isn't it? Thanks for the insider story.

[orionATL]

that was fun to read.

thanks.

weblogs are more fun, and more informative, than the wapo or the nytimes any day.

[Mauimom]

I too went over to freep the Congresscritter's poll on "the death tax" [including auto dealers].

Jeeze, the whole Michigan "Dems are against auto manufacturers" bs [a la Dingall]. Don't these idiots realize that if they hadn't fought CAFE standards and other attempts to protect the environment all these years, they might now be producing Toyota-type vehicles, instead of gas-guzzling behemoths. [And thus might be selling vehicles Americans want, instead of losing sales to Japan.]

Pushing for national health care coverage would have created a two-fer for the industry [still could].

Welcome, Marcy. Showers this afternoon here [hope you got in safely]. More forecast for tomorrow. Then cool on Thursday. But yucky tomorrow a.m. [the humidity].

So do you have to fly a certain number of miles EACH YEAR to maintain that Elite status? {I'm only acquainted with United's requirements.]

[emptywheel]

mamayaga

As to Dingell and Conyers and Kilpatrick (the Dems I MIGHT see), I'm going to assume they go to DC on Monday and leave on Friday. I'm on more of a Republican schedule, Tuesday through Thursday or early Friday.

But I suspect Dingell and Conyers, at least, would be right next to me in first class if they were on the plane. They've been flying this route for a very very very long time, both of them.

[Susan Kitchens]

Okay, silly question here: What does DFH as in "DFH blogger" stand for?

[lukery]

Susan K - Dirty Fucking Hippies. It's a term of (self) endearment for those of us in the reality-based community.

[Mimi Schaeffer]

Click and vote on Congressman Knollenberg's Web site that Congress SHOULD NOT "repeal the death tax o family-owned businesses like auto dealierships."

[Jeff]

EW--Thanks for asynchronously liveblogging your experience with a CongressCritter. I vicariously enjoyed flying first class.

[Susan Kitchens]

lukery-- thanks for that. Makes the whole Flying First Class description all the better.

"Say it first, say it loud, I'm DFH and I'm proud."

[SharonRB]

Great story, ew.

[Neil]

Knollenberg likes peanuts, but not pretzels or chips. And he doesn't like to drink a lot of water on plane rides. And he's kind of fussy about little pieces of trash floating around in his space--though that may have been exacerbated by the fact that he had to sit next to a DFH blogger reading (and taking extensive notes) a book on Republican corruption. Though I should say, he was very polite (as was Mike Rogers) and pulled my bag down from the overhead.

Good stuff.

I watched the SJC interview Sara Taylor under oath yesterday on a CSPAN re-run. (Is it just me or does Sara Taylor look like she won an Oscar playing June Carter opposite Joaquin Phoenix's John Cash?) "Um uh er Ah Er I um just er want um to er make um sure ahh."

I missed the week. I appreciate catching up here at TNH.

The week at the beach was HOT. I mean it, and not in a Paris Hilton kind of way. I think it was 95 and humid until Thursday when the temps broke and the heavy air lifted. I'm not complaining. Early morning was that best for long walks on the beach. The swimming was fine. Do it if you get a chance.