While John Dingell's colleagues were invoking the spirit of Democratic leaders of the past to provide some momentum for their health care bill, Dingell was invoking his memories.
The 83-year-old Michigan congressman, who succeeded his father in 1955, came to a Capitol rally for health care with the same gavel he said he used to preside over an historic Medicare vote in the 1960s.
"I'm going to lend it to whoever it is who gets to preside over this legislation," he said of the 2009 health care effort, "because a good piece of wood doesn't war out with one great event."
If a bill passes, Dingell's name will be prominent on it. "And I'm sure my little daddy up above will be looking down on us," he told the crowd.
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