| I found the sign on her headquarters door before getting too drenched, knocked and hopped inside. At least one volunteer was still at work on a Sunday evening, and soon enough was sitting down with Tracey Brooks herself, despite what seemed like an obstacle course in getting there.
I decided to start at the very beginning, and asked Tracey Brooks to place herself back in the position of a little girl. What did she want to be when she grew up long before she ever considered running for Congress while growing up in Clifton Park? Her father had a car business, she said, and thought tinkering with cars would be cool. But at a relatively early age, she told her father about wanting to be an attorney.
"I thought that would be a really great profession, to have the ability to advocate for poor people." Brooks said. She prepared for this tough profession from that point forth, it seems, going through a long list of high school activities befitting a young person interested in law. But not only debate club, girl scouts, and student council...Tracey herself described her attitude as that of an "over-achiever." Tracey's extra-cirricular resume is packed with athletics, music, and community service experiences her family got her involved in.
"We did a lot of community service in my family," said Tracey, also describing her experience with infants as a child. Her parents were foster parents to infants, as well as very active in the community. "We were kind of the Kool-Aid house," she reminisced. She also mentioned the influence of her elder kin. "My grandmother taught us that there's more than enough hours in a day to get a lot accomplished."
Tracey mentioned how important it was for children to have experiences like these, to "accomplish feats." As Tracey headed out to accomplish her feat of becoming an attorney, she set forth to LeMoyne College and became a paralegal for a few years. She wanted to make certain she could make the lifestyle choice of becoming a lawyer. Tracey had expected to earn her law degree in Wahsington, but a bad fall fractured her leg - on the day she made her deposit to attend school in Washington - and changed her plans.
Brooks moved back to the Capital District and attended Albany Law School. Her leg, she pointed out, is just fine. Tracey would do a spin at the end of the interview, to show off how miles of walking door-to-door is her new athletic passion. At law school, she said, "there were a lot of opportunities that came my way that I was able to capitalize on."
All during this time, Tracey said, she took her childhood experience of community service and continued to work for the good of communities. I asked her to recall a few experiences, especially those that she indicated at a recent debate were "a different kind of experience" than the other candidates in the field. What came to mind was when she had a law practice in the town of Coeymans, the mayor came to her to bring legal action against teens that were spray-painting graffiti about the town. The tags were in memorial of a classmate who had died tragically on the highway. What Tracey did, instead of tracing the spray-cans, was organize efforts with the school and community to build a memorial so students had a place to remember class mates who had passed away.
"Instead of pointing fingers, we came together...to build a lasting memorial that can be built upon for decades to come." Said Brooks. I mentioned that politicians often get flak for the whole statue-building gig, but it seemed worth more with a story behind it. Yet Tracey was quick to point out she was not a politician at the time, just one member of the community.
She was, however, Counsel to the Codes and Judiciary Committee in the New York State Assembly. "It's the counsel's job to look at what's there, identify what the Assemblymember is trying to accomplish, and then accomplish that in a realistic way." she said of her old job. She described becoming an expert on bills, and cited one major legislative accomplishment: Education for Child Performers in New York. "It was a trust fund for the earnings of the child performer, so that something like Macauly Culkin did happen." Brooks said. The laws also makes sure student-actors get an education up to par with New York's public schools.
This accomplishment had a bit of personal meaning to Tracey: her sister was a child actress. But it's what she took from the job itself that had the most lasting impact. "What I learned was the practical value of the legislative process. How to work with advocates. How to look at the unintended consequences of a bill and be open-minded to what other people's perspective is of what you're trying to do." Tracey stressed the importance of remaining "open-minded" as well as her role in bringing differing camps to an accord in order to get bills to pass.
"In legislation, you have to be a personality that's willing to work with other people. Because the recognition is that we're all coming from different perspectives." Brooks said. "We need to work together to make sure that we're achieving positive goals."
Brooks said that the reason she chose to work in the legislature then is the same as she does now. To her, it's a combination of her community service experiences shortly after college and the policies of the Gingrich Congress. "The human effect of the implementation of policy was not being taken into consideration," Brooks said. "I was working the inner-cities. I was working with our low-income families, with our single moms and pregnant teenagers. And witnessing and identifying how Federal policies in particular were hurting the growth of our cities and the growth our families."
Tracey Brooks likened that period in history to George W. Bush's work. "14 years ago, I left hand-to-hand service work because of New Gingrich. And I have worked every single day from that day to be prepared and ready to run for Congress one day." She added that she did this, "never in a million year expecting Congressman Mike McNulty to retire this early."
Tracey Brooks got a chance to make a run to be not just Counsel to the Assembly, but to be a Member of the Assembly. In 2002, as Assemblyman John Faso left Tracey's district to run for Comptroller, she was encouraged to toss her hat into the ring. "And then," she said, "it was a redistricting year." She was moved into a race against former Assemblyman Pat Casale. When I asked how her first run might be impacting her second, Tracey said it had prepared her for her current race and that she had also left her mark politically.
"I'm a proven campaigner in a multi-county race," she said. "We lost by three points of an incumbent. And since then, many of the Towns that I ran have flipped Democrat. Bethlehem is the number one example of that." She added, "That town's enrollment changed too, as well as my own town (of Coeymans)."
After the Assembly run, Tracey went on to work as regional director for the 21st District for Senator Hillary Clinton in 2005. "I would say she's my Elanor Roosevelt." said Brooks. "The Senator asked me to come work for her." Both women have helped each other on their previous campaigns, but more importantly, Tracey said, "I never would have been as prepared as I am today to run for Congress."
"I've worked in every single community, in every municipality." said Brooks. "I've learned the Federal priorities of this district inside and out, and I've been fighting for them."
"Now I'd like to be the next natural progressive step to be the person who fights for us in Washington."
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The first time I saw Tracey was last year, at an Albany County Young Democrats meeting. At the time, it was still very early in the 2008 presidential campaign, and she was speaking enthusiastically about her obvious presidential candidate of choice. As much as taking that next step and going into Congressional politics is just that...politics...I decided to delve into the world of the politics of 2008 with Tracey Brooks, starting with her unique position to share the thoughts of a very close, very involved supporter of Hillary's recent historic run for President.
"I was so proud," Tracey said of the "overwhelming" feeling she got the moment she found out the Senator was running, especially, she said, for her bravery. "It's a brave thing to put your name on a ballot." she said. "It's not an easy thing to do. And to see an opportunity but to be brave enough to take the opportunity," she said, was something to praise. Brooks pointed out this applied to the crowded primary for her seat as well.
"I really think the Senator transcended gender." Tracey said. "Senator Clinton was my pick. But I'm proud that Barack Obama is representing the Democratic Party " Brooks also described that it was also historic when all the candidates were considered and that every single state voted. "We put the Republican ticket to shame."
I've noted before that perhaps the presidential race was decided more on style than on issues, per se, as asked Tracey that since nearly all the Democratic candidates in this primary for Congress were so similar, was a decision based on the issues even possible?
"I don't expect that Democrats would be so different on the issues," Tracey said. "We all believe that there has to be health care for every person in the United States...we all believe that this country has be less dependent on foreign oil." She shared a story about going door-to-door for votes, and her observation that "The country is asking for a different type of political representation, a different type of policy representation. Someone who understands the human effect of our policies instead of these general policies." It was the difference in experience Tracey reiterated throughout the interview that seemed to her deciding factor of choice in the 21st.
On the primary at hand, I wanted to ask Tracey about a comparison I did between all the campaigns' literature they are now passing around to help spread their message. The Brooks brochures going out feature a quote from the Times Union in praise of the candidate, noting her grass-roots style and calling her "the appropriate successor to Mike McNulty."
Tracey Brooks pointed out that this was not an endorsement by the paper itself. The Brooks palm-card quotes a column by local commentator Fred LeBrun, and it even took Tracey by surprise. She pointed out that all of her endorsements, including those from the McNulty family and Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings, were unsolicited. "They came to me," she said "They believe that I can do this job and that I have the background for it."
While on the topic of newspaper articles, I let Tracey in on why I was interviewing her. Indeed, the history of my comments stand that I was of the opinion that unbalanced coverage of the campaign was unfair, in her favor. I put forth a few instances of what I thought were unbalanced coverage in the traditional media, including a virtual lack of coverage at a recent candidate's forum.
"I can't pretend to know what their evaluation of what's happening." Tracey said. "This is a very large community. I can tell you that we are also seven weeks out in this race. I can tell you about early on in my first race..talk about under-reported!"
Tracey also said "You also have to remember that last week was Joe Bruno's final week in office. There were a couple other stories that trumped a candidate forum, unfortunately." But, Brooks said, stories on the economy, jobs, gas prices, and the mortgage crisis were happening "simultaneously" and had relevance to the issues of the campaign. But she did point out that once the ballot choices have been finalized, print and broadcast media have to follow equal-time requirements.
I wanted to ask Tracey Brooks a little bit about the online world as well, as her campaign has been very visible on the internet. The Brooks campaign was the first to begin advertising in the Democratic primary, and chose the blogs as the premier market. Tracey described her campaign's movement on the blogs from rough beginnings to her present-day visibility.
"It certainly wasn't the most positive outlet for me when I first got into this race," Brooks said of the blogosphere.. "We've worked very hard to make sure I got fair, ample coverage, to let voters know who I am and what I'm about: that I'm a progressive candidate for Congress."
One issue that may have caused the netroots to be tough for Tracey in the beginning was a February controversy over charges that her campaign had cybersquatted some of her opponents' websites. This blogger covered this extensively, including strong commentary in condemnation of the Brooks campaign. With the opportunity to hear the candidate's rebuttal in her own words, it became clear why the netroots were tough in the beginning, but now a central asset to the Brooks campaign:
"There's certainly a lot going on the web," Tracey said, "Posters aren't kind. The one thing about the blogosphere is that we are all subject to complete unthruths," she said of all the campaigns. "We're running a campaign on the issues, so we're not responding," Brooks said of individual comments on the blogosphere. "And I don't have a team of people who sit there to say nasty things about my opponents." she added.
She did respond the particular issue of cybersquatting, pointing out that her campaign had in fact done nothing wrong, having not met the elements of the statute, and had caused no actual harm to any of her opponents campaigns. "I think it was an opportunity for a campaign that wasn't getting any press to get some." she added, referring to one of her opponents, Phil Steck.
She compared her situation to a recent Steck statement "blaming overzealous volunteers for signs" placed earlier than allowed that she "had a media company do something, which our campaign quickly corrected." Brooks added that she "would that voters are more concerned with the economy in the 21st district," and many other issues.
Upon this, I wanted to give Tracey the opportunity to perhaps put some non-issues to rest, as well as give her the opportunity to perform for the first time in what could be described as "under-fire". In particular, the old game of once-a-Republican-always-a-Republican is being played in the race, with three of the five Democratic candidates being former Republicans, including Brooks. Comments history will prove I've played this game, so I asked her if this was one of the things that voters cared about, and if time should even be attributed to it.
"What I hear at the doors," Tracey said, "is that voters are really disgusted to the point with the partisanship...what they say to me is 'I vote for the person, I don't vote for the party.'"
She also described her current affiliation: "I'm not a Democrat because I was just raised that way and went along with it; I'm a Democrat because I chose to be. Because I believe in the philosophies of the Democrat party." She pointed out she had worked in hand-to-hand community service and in the legislature on the issues of health care, equal pay, and basic quality of life issues that are central to the Democratic party even while she was registered as a Republican.
Tracey Brooks then offered an even stronger rebuke. "I know that people are saying I signed a Sweeney petition...I haven't even lived in Sweeney's district since I was a little girl." She said this was one of the untruths being pushed on the blogs and that her campaign was not going to respond to that. "I think this is a campaign about issues. And I will defend any of my opponents at a time in which a poster got out of hand and went after somebody personally, because I just don't find it appropriate."
"That's politics as usual, that people are crying they don't want anymore." Brooks said.
Since she spoke of politics as usual, I decided to press one more question about a campaign-related controversy in hopes of putting it to rest. When I asked her about the so-called walk-out of Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings upon vote that lead to the endorsement of Phil Steck by the Albany County Democratic Committee, Tracey Brooks were firm in her response.
"Mayor Jennings did not walk-out," she corrected. "Other people walked out long before he did...I think that's an unfair statement." Tracey said, "we were all asking people to sit back down and take the vote, including Mayor Jennings." And on the reason why we tend to get caught up in such politics as usual, Tracey answered simply:
"Why write about it? That's my question. Why perpetuate scandal that's not necessarily real, but manufacture it?" she said. "We shouldn't be covering people for any other reason except why they want to run for Congress." She then added, "I would ask you to pledge that to me, because I can promise to pledge it to you."
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I agreed to the pledge, and in keeping it gave Tracey her pick of a list of issues to choose from. She had been itching to delve more deeply into these from the start, and was most enthusiastic about women's issues. But she told me up front she didn't want just something that can be gotten off of her website She desired a different angle. So I gave Tracey the opportunity to dispel any misconception that much of her financial support has come from PACs such as NOW, EMILY"s List, and Women Under Forty solely because of her gender.
Tracey explained in depth that not only did these organizations come to her, but that gender had little to do with it. She said that all these organization had received top level endorsements "right out of the box" and that "a lot of women never get endorsed but get helped," by EMILY's list in particular. Brooks added that these organizations were based raising support only for women, and sometimes men as well, based on the candidates' positions on women's equality, pro-choice, and LGTB rights. Tracey Brooks hopes to join over seventy other women sent to Congress with these organizations' support.
On health care, candidates have been proposing programs like a Medicare-for-All system or a Federal version of EPIC. I asked Tracey if we might ever consider a European model of system and what her response would be to critics of universal health care who deride the policy as "socialized medicine." Tracey said "I think probably the United States will never have a system that is 'socialized' because the doctors will never be employees of the federal government."
"I think single-payer is ultimately what we're going to move towards," Brooks said. "We'll have a uniquely American solution to our issue." She then launched into explaining how we spend 15% of our GNP on health care, as opposed to the 9% spent my other major nations. "We have the money in the system already. We can come up with a great system for the United States."
Large parts of the solutions Tracey noted were health care information technology, electronic records, and nano-technology solutions. Not only did she note the many educational facilities in the Capital Region that needed support from Congress and that she'd been working on, we both shared a laugh about our Legislature's need for electronic records when it comes to the bill drafting process.
Two major parts of the Brooks campaign has been making solving the problem of high gas prices a priority as well as demanding government accountability. I asked Tracey about a quote on her website that says "Here in NY, career politicians have promised energy plans at the federal and state level for years, but haven't delivered." I wondered if Tracey would be more specific about who we should hold accountable, but said she wouldn't name names.
Then, Brooks said "The fact that we don't have an Article 10 in the state of New York is very significant when talking about the energy crisis. The fact that we haven't passed comprehensive reform under George Pataki or any successor at this point, we haven't identified how we're going to handle New York State's congestion in the lower part of our state."
"I think at some point we have to stop burying our heads in the sand," said Brooks. She pointed to what she called an aged infrastructure that couldn't be relied upon to meet growing demand or tougher competition.
I asked Tracey Brooks a couple of questions about foreign affairs that didn't pertain to the Democratic primary candidates' overall unity in support for Iraq withdrawl. On that, Tracey is as firm as four out of five Democrats running. But the Brooks campaign website includes a section specifically on Israel and Iran, pledging her support of Israel. I asked Tracey about what she thought about recent indications by Israel that a pre-emptive strike against Iran was not off the table.
"Israel is a nation that is a democracy that we need to support and maintain a strong democracy in the Middle East," said Brooks. She added that the United States had to work with it's allies in the world, and that it was "hard to generalize" on the issue of a stance on what options are on the table between Irsael and Iran.
Finally, moving back home to violence in the district's backyard, the recent slaying of a 10-year old girl in Albany has put the spotlight on Albany's gang and gun violence problem. I asked Tracey about her hand-to-hand community service experience on this issue, and she said she certainly saw the effects of it when working in urban settings.
"I think having child safety locks isn't asking too much," Brooks said of the possible solutions she seeks for the problem. "Having gun dealers having an inventory...I don't think that's asking too much of any industry." She added that even grocery stores had to keep one, but why not gun dealers?
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Soundpolitic Blogger's Note:
Brooks was being called for another late night-appointment, signaling a campaign that never sleeps. It was nearly nine on a Sunday night, and Tracey thanked me for the interview, mentioning in particular that her campaign had worked hard to get its message on the web already. It was the different angle and going deeper that Brooks thanked me for.
I also had to thank her for facing a blogger who had in the past been very vocal in opposition to the her campaign. Just as Tracey noted that getting on the ballot required courage, that courage must be maintained throughout an entire campaign. Sometimes, submitting to an interview means putting that courage to the test.
Because she did not back down and went the extra mile to ask the journalist, myself, to hold himself to the same standards, that courage was proven. In my previous interview with Darius Shahinfar, I was subject to a similarly strong answer to the same question. I advertise on these blogs that I began to cover the 21st New York because I saw a lack of adequate media coverage as an obstacle to making a good decision.
Many bloggers across New York and the nation are doing just this. For all of us, it's worth remaining civil and factual in our coverage. And we should own up to it as well if we haven't, which I note here.
And if this still read as though sought skeletons in Tracey Brooks's closet, know that my actual goal was to bury my own bones. I decided to keep the tough questions in, but also to make this interview more extensive than my previous ones to balance what I viewed as a past history of my own short-comings.
Did that history come out of having a certain kind of "obstacle" perspective at the outset? In the future, it's worth keeping Tracey Brooks' words in mind as we approach election day and continue to watch this election to its conclusion:
"Never have I faced anything with an obstacle perspective, but rather a can-do, will-do, must-do perspective...just like we have approached this race."
The more I get to know all these candidates, the better this field gets. Give them a look - the Democratic Primary is September 9th.
Tracey Brooks
Darius Shahinfar
Phil Steck
Joseph Sullivan
Paul Tonko |
