House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, was “shaking with anger” yesterday after the Senate Finance Committee rejected his compromise plan for transportation for the second time this month. As reported by Christina Nuckols with the Virginian-Pilot, the Speaker said:
I think we may just reject it and go home. I have a very fragile coalition in the House caucus that took a lot of cajoling to get them this far. We had a compromise… and that was my plan. Now it’s been completely repudiated.
By contrast, his nemesis Sen. John H. Chichester, R-Northumberland, was in an expansive mood yesterday evening when dining at Azzurro, a swanky Italian restaurant in the “west end” of Richmond. I know this because I happened to be sitting at an adjacent table with my wife and son, celebrating her birthday.
Accompanied by Sen. William C. Wampler Jr, R-Bristol, two women (presumably wives) and another man I did not recognize, the prime minister of the Axis of Taxes appeared in a jovial mood as everyone at the table engaged in animated conversation. (I cannot tell you what was being said: The hub-bub of the restaurant drowned out the words, and I would not have listened in any case: I respect the privacy of others, even if they’re on the “other side.”)
I have written extensively about Chichester, almost always critically, but I had never met him before. Was he really the prince of darkness, as I have so often portrayed him? As my family was leaving the restaurant, I introduced myself and congratulated him on his “legislative victory” that afternoon — his maneuver had already sparked a barrage of e-mailed press releases into my in-box. Ever the Virginia gentleman, Chichester rose from his chair and shook my hand. He modestly downplayed his accomplishment, suggesting that he’d just done what was “best for Virginia.”
Sen. Chichester no doubt has more important things on his schedule than perusing Bacon’s Rebellion, so he may be unaware of how relentlessly critical I have been. Regardless, he was most cordial. Indeed, when I told him that I would like to interview him to get “the other side of the story” into Bacon’s Rebellion, he readily agreed and gave me the name of his scheduler. With luck, fellow rebels, I will be able to pose the tough questions to Chichester in person that I have aired online. In the meantime, I will give the devil his due: He could have blown me off for interrupting his dinner, but he proved to be most charming.