海角大神

Last year, I met an extraordinary man, a veteran labor lobbyist named Robert Juliano, or 鈥淐ool Bobby J,鈥� as he called himself.聽

Mr. Juliano loved to talk 鈥� about growing up on Chicago鈥檚 West Side, about arriving in Washington in the early 1970s, about his work for hotel and restaurant employees.聽

But most of all, he loved to talk about his old friend 鈥淛oey鈥� Biden. They met in 1973, right after Mr. Biden joined the Senate. Soon Mr. Juliano was 鈥淯ncle Bobby鈥� to the senator鈥檚 young sons. Earlier this year, a letter arrived at his home, on White House stationery, wishing him a happy 80th birthday.聽

鈥淚鈥檒l always remember how you were there for us from the beginning of this journey,鈥� President Biden wrote, with quotes from William Butler Yeats and Satchel Paige. 鈥淢iss you pal!鈥澛�

When Mr. Juliano died last month, tributes poured forth from both sides of the aisle. Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut 鈥渁n unmatched champion of workers.鈥澛�

Former Republican aide Doug Heye : 鈥淲hile walking Capitol halls or camped out at the shoe shine stand, he taught me the value of bipartisanship. A funny, kind, generous, ribald soul.鈥�

In , Newsmax reporter John Gizzi 鈥� a neighbor and friend 鈥� tells of how Mr. Juliano backed Nevada GOP Sen. Paul Laxalt for reelection, because of his relationship with the restaurant workers.聽

Retired Monitor correspondent Gail Russell Chaddock recalls how she noticed Mr. Juliano during Senate 鈥渟takeouts,鈥� and introduced herself. Soon, he became a regular source and dinner guest.聽

鈥淚f all those regaled by his adventures could pool their stories, we鈥檇 have quite a picture of Washington back when people talked to each other,鈥� Ms. Chaddock says.

I, too, enjoyed our regular chats, full of reminders of a gentler era 鈥撀爋ne that Cool Bobby J hoped wasn鈥檛 too far gone.聽