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Lincoln Chafee succeeds his father
By JOHN E. MULLIGAN
Journal Washington Bureau
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Five days after burying his father at the family farm on the Potowomut River, the mayor of Warwick succeeded him, taking the oath of office shortly before noon in the U.S. Capitol.
``I know this is a distinguished body that I am entering. I do it with a sense of extreme responsibility and I can only pledge that I'll work very hard,'' Chafee said minutes later at a reception for his family, his old friends and his new colleagues.
``Thank you for all you've done for us in the last week,'' Chafee said. That was the extent of his only speech of the day -- and his allusion to the personal and political maelstrom he has weathered since Sen. John H. Chafee's sudden death on Oct. 24.
That set the general tone for Chafee's debut in the seat he must win in his own right in next year's election; the 46-year-old Republican lived up to his reputation for understatement, good manners and subdued demeanor.
But Chafee also showed his humor and at least some grasp of the difficulties ahead when he cast his first vote less than four hours later. It was ``aye'' for the historic dismantling of the Depression-era law that regulated the nation's banking, securities and financial services industries.
It was an ``easy'' vote, in Senate parlance, despite its controversial history and its huge implications for the economy. Most of the contention was compromised out of the measure in recent House-Senate talks, while Chafee was still concerned, as he told one reporter, with ``fixing potholes and preparing for winter in Warwick.''
The vote was 90 to 8, with one senator (Peter G. Fitzgerald, R-Ill.) voting ``present.'' Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was absent.
``Don't have to anger anyone in the majority leadership!'' Chafee remarked of the vote on the financial bill.
That put in a nutshell the perils Chafee will eventually face if he bucks the Republican party line as often as John Chafee did -- and Rhode Island voters expect.
The day was filled with symbols -- equal parts grand Senate tradition, coarse political reality and poignant echoes of the loss that gave rise to yesterday's event.
Chafee, his family and his entourage arrived early from Rhode Island. He entered his father's former office at about 9 a.m., wearing a dark suit and a green and white regimental striped tie.
As his chief of staff, David Griswold, began the introductions, Chafee retired briefly to his inner office -- little changed since his father's departure -- to compose himself.
Then came greetings and briefings of the day's events.
At about 11:15, the migration began from Chafee's office to the Capitol: Chafee's family and friends, some of his old Warwick City Hall staff (many now jobless under the new, Democratic administration) and his new Senate staff (handed down intact from his father).
Presently, Chafee and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., emerged from the Dirksen Senate Office Building, crossed Constitution Avenue and walked under the reddening trees on the Capitol grounds and up the East Front steps -- tracked by a few reporters and television cameras.
They entered the rear of the Senate chamber a moment before the appointed hour of 11:30.
At 11:31, Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, the Banking Committee chairman interrupted the pending business, final debate on ``S-900,'' the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999.
``We've started assembling for the swearing-in. I would suggest we move off the bill now for that purpose.''
Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., requested a quorum call -- the Senate's customary way of killing time -- while awaiting the arrival of the presiding officer, Vice President Al Gore, who is himself the son of a famous senator.
Chafee's Senate staff lined the walls of the blue-carpeted chamber. Looking down from the gallery were several dozen other friends -- including former staffers of John Chafee -- and family.
In the front row were his mother, Virginia Chafee, in a scarf and suit, Stephanie, in a black dress, and their children: Louisa, 8, in a plaid and black velvet dress; Caleb, 5, in blue blazer and khaki trousers; and Thea, 2, in a blue velvet dress. Chafee's brothers, sister and other close relatives were also on hand.
Lincoln Chafee's initiation into one of the world's most powerful clubs was under way. With Reed at his side, he stood at the rear of the chamber and, beaming, accepted the welcomes from his colleagues-to-be: retirement-bound Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y.; Susan Collins, R-Maine, a John Chafee prot g , who hugged Lincoln; the chairmen of Chafee's newly-assigned committees, Jesse Helms, R-N.C., of Foreign Relations, and Robert C. Smith, R-N.H., of Environment and Public Works; Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and Bob Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Democrats who often allied themselves with John Chafee; and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the chairman of the GOP Senate campaign organization.
Also on hand were Representatives Patrick J. Kennedy and Robert A. Weygand, who is running against fellow Democrat Richard Licht for the opportunity to face Chafee on Nov. 7, 2000.
The buzzing and glad-handing stopped when Gore took the chair at 11:40. The Senate clerk read Governor Almond's certificate of his appointment of Chafee on Tuesday, ``pursuant to the power vested in me by the Constitution of the United States and the laws of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.''
At Gore's direction, Chafee and Reed walked down the center aisle of the Senate, Democrats to their left, Republicans to their right, and stepped up to the desk.
Chafee placed his hand on the Bible he had taken away to school at Andover and had used for his swearings-in as mayor. He raised his right hand, mirroring Gore, who demanded:
``Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you God?''
Lincoln Chafee answered in a firm voice, ``I do.''
Thus he joined the 210-year-old line of Rhode Island senators that includes Republican Ambrose Burnside, (1875 to 1881); Republican William Sprague (1863 to 1875), whose family's mill empire nearly bankrupted the state when it collapsed; Republican Nelson W. Aldrich, (1881 to 1911), as Senate leader, the most powerful Rhode Islander ever to serve in government; Democrat John O. Pastore, the immigrants' son who oversaw the creation of the telecommunications industry (1950 to 1976); and Republican John H. Chafee (1976 to 1999).
Chafee's colleagues and well-wishers rose in a prolonged ovation.
The Chafee party retired to the Old Senate Chamber for the traditional (since the age of photo ops, at least) reenactment of the swearing-in for cameras.
Caleb Chafee mugged for the cameras and high-fived the vice president; Thea nestled in her mother's arms; Louisa swayed on her feet and smiled.
Then the party walked back past the statue of Roger Williams to the reception, which featured soft drinks, light appetizers and dozens of brief, warm encounters with the new senator.
The family took lunch together downstairs in the senators' dining room, after which Lincoln Chafee returned to his office.
Among the day's news developments were his committee assignments: Environment, which he had sought, and Foreign Relations, which he had not. But the latter ``is a great interest of mine,'' Chafee said.
He learned -- no surprise to those familiar with the Senate's rigid seniority system, that he will not inherit his father's Senate chamber seat, nor keep his sunny office beyond Jan. 3, 2001 -- the end of John Chafee's fourth term, which he is filling out.
He had put on his schedule a U.S. Chamber of Commerce ``meet-and-greet'' in December with business lobbyists and potential campaign contributors.
He cast that first painlessly historic vote -- with Stephanie and Louisa Chafee applauding in the gallery above, strictly against Senate rules.
And he reflected as his first day dragged into evening -- as so many Senate debates do -- upon his new circumstances.
``I want to make a difference here in some way.''
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