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I was planning for this week’s column to be a wrap up of the general election, offering some thoughts on the results and an examination of the turnout.
Then, I woke up Friday morning to the news of the passing of John D. "Jay" Rockefeller IV, West Virginia’s former governor and U.S. senator.
I had the opportunity - the privilege, if we’re being honest - to interview Sen. Rockefeller several times during my early career.
The first time he and I spoke was in a telephone interview at a time when Congress and the administration of George W. Bush was in major discussion on the imposition of tariffs on imported steel.
Those tariffs would go into effect in March 2002. I was not even seven months into my first year professionally working as a journalist, having finished college just the year before, and was told I would get some time to speak to a sitting U.S. senator on the matter.
Growing up in West Virginia, I knew the name of Rockefeller, and, of course, Byrd, but never imagined I would have the chance to speak with either of them.
The call was scheduled for the mid-afternoon, (probably around 3 if I remember correctly) and I was told to wait for it. So I did. I sat at my desk in our old Weirton building, and waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, a little after 5 p.m., my phone rang and I picked up, fully expecting to hear the voice of an assistant asking me to hold on the line. Instead, I was greeted with a jovial "Craig, this is Jay. Sorry I’m late."
I was nervous, of course, but he put me at ease and we spoke on steel and tariffs, and a few other topics for several minutes before he had to go for another call. Little did I know it would be the first of many conversations.
Whenever Congress wasn’t in session, he toured the state, and with Weirton Steel still in operation and holding some sway in the national dialogue at that time, he made it a point to visit the Ohio Valley at least once a year. During just about all of those visits, he and his staff made a point to call and set up some time to meet with us at The Weirton Daily Times. It wasn’t a press gaggle. It wasn’t a call, saying to meet at some designated location where we would be given two minutes and a single question when he had an opening in his schedule.
He came to our old building on Lee Avenue, where we would sit down in the conference room and chat, often for 30 or more minutes.
It became almost a tradition, in many ways, but it also was never lost on me how big of a deal that was.
I’ve been doing this job for 25 years now, and the only other member of the U.S. Congress from West Virginia - either Senate or House of Representatives - to do that was the late David McKinley. David also made it a point to make time for us during breaks. We had long been moved over to Steubenville by then, but he still crossed the river to sit down for a chat once or twice a year.
All too often, even in smaller markets, those types of interviews are reserved for journalists with many more years of experience under their belt. Almost never for a wet-behind-the-ears, cub reporter. I’m grateful for every one of those interviews, for a multitude of reasons.
The last time Jay Rockefeller publicly came to Weirton was in March 2014. He had announced his plans to retire from politics, and the local steelworkers wanted to give him a big sendoff. An event was planned for the former Serbian-American Cultural Center in Weirton, and myself and two former colleagues - Shae Dalrymple and the late Dave Gossett - provided coverage. It was obvious the years were catching up to him, but it was good to see him back in the valley greeting so many people like old friends.
Jay Rockefeller was born into a prominent family in New York, made wealthy through the oil business and other ventures. He had opportunities most of us could only dream of, then, after college, he opted to work for the Peace Corps, developing a friendship with Robert F. Kennedy, and eventually making his way to West Virginia as part of the Volunteers In Service to America (VISTA) program. He would often say those years were what inspired his desire to be involved in public service, and later politics, with a love of the Mountain State, and a goal of helping others as much as possible.
He had a way of connecting with almost everyone and trying to work together for the benefit of all, whenever possible. It’s something we seldom see these days.
I know not everyone liked him, but, in my mind, West Virginia was blessed to have him as one of our own.
My thoughts are with his wife, Sharon, their family, and all who knew him, and hope his life can inspire others to find their own ways to serve for the betterment of their communities, their state, and their nation.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is part of the news staff of The Weirton Daily Times. He can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)