Helen Louise Jones Daniels was an educator,civil rights activist,and a local leader in the Democratic Party. She was also my mother. As a 9 year old,mom took me to the 1964 Democratic Party Platform committee hearings in Washington DC. It was there where I got a tour of a major media press room courtesy of NBC Correspondent Elie Abel,chatted with Dr.Martin Luther King,had lunch with Ella Grasso (who later became Connecticut's first women Governor),and because neither of us was watching where we were going,nearly walked into Robert Kennedy.
My mom was very actively involved in the 1964 Election of Lyndon B.Johnson. It was largely due to the fact that her hero Hubert H. Humphrey was on the ticket as Johnson's Vice President.
Mom was quite excited by declaration the year before that I was going to be President of the United States and because of that,I got to tag along with my mom to meetings and gatherings she would attend when my other brothers had to stay home. Because of my intentions to run for President,she overlook the embarrassment she received when she learned I was the only kid in the entire school who cast his vote in the mock presidential election for Johnson's Republican opponent,Sen.Barry Goldwater.
On January 4th 1965,I turned 10 years old. My mom chose to have my birthday party at an Italian Restaurant known to be a spot where Hartford's local politicians would congregate. Among the guests at my party was the city's Mayor.
If the party itself wasn't a big enough deal,then my birthday present was. It was there where I learned I would be attending the Presidential Inauguration on January 20th.
It was my first plane ride,and the first time I can recall wearing thermal underwear...and I still managed to piss off my mom by standing up and clapping when Barry Goldwater was recognized.
