By John Lindstrom
Publisher
Posted: July 18, 2019 3:10 PM

If you had not heard about U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) before this week, and you have been at least half-awake, you have certainly heard of her now.

Along with her fellow Democratic freshman U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Alexandria Octavio-Cortez of New York, Ms. Tlaib is part of the "Squad" the four women formed, trying to push Democrats further left. Before this past Sunday, they were still known primarily to the political cognoscenti who wondered at their tangles with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California).

Then Sunday, President Donald Trump entered the fray through Twitter, saying they if the Squad members hate America they should go back to where they came from (which in Ms. Tlaib's case is literally Detroit). And it's been nonstop since then. Many commentators say Mr. Trump's attack is an attempt to define the Democratic Party and his eventual 2020 opponent through these four with his – well, sorry, but this is what they are – racist attacks.

Ms. Tlaib has always been unafraid to speak her mind and share her views. She was removed with other protestors from a Detroit Economic Club luncheon with Mr. Trump. She made it plain in her campaign for Congress that one of her goals was to see Mr. Trump impeached. She has been active on social media, has been for years, speaking up for Palestinians, showing off her family, and making statements. She posted a Facebook video after Mr. Trump's tweets saying no bully would silence her, and she urged everyone in her 13th District to join together to fight for working families.

These are all, in their own way to be expected. But the image of Ms. Tlaib this reporter best recalls comes from 2013. She was in the state House and working in the House Appropriations Community Health Subcommittee with then chair Republican Rep. Matt Lori. Both played a big role in developing the state's Healthy Michigan Medicaid expansion, but given the animosity to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the Republican control of the Legislature, Mr. Lori's role was clearly bigger.

It was after the subcommittee had taken significant action to fund the program. This reporter was standing behind Mr. Lori waiting for another reporter to finish asking questions. Before I could get in to speak to him, Ms. Tlaib knelt beside Mr. Lori, whispering to him. What I could hear mostly was her thanking him for all he did for to move the bill.

Then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

That instant has stuck with me. At one time, lawmakers showing emotion with each other, even members of the other party, was actually a regular happening. Thus, I remember then-House Republican Leader Bill Bryant weeping as he said his goodbye on the House Floor to Democratic Taxation Chair George Montgomery. Or when then-Democratic Sen., now Wayne Circuit Judge, Virgil Smith hugged then-Republican Sen. David Honigman when Mr. Honigman returned to the chamber after life-saving surgery.

Yes, those were mostly during the pre-term limits era, when lawmakers worked together and socialized together and tried to find solutions together. It's not that term limits makes any of that impossible, just far harder than it should be. And when the toxicity of partisanship is added to the stew, it is less and less likely to see genuine emotional moments between lawmakers. Well, less likely to see emotional moments that don't involve anger.

But that moment of heartfelt gratitude Ms. Tlaib showed Mr. Lori was one time in what was even then a toxic partisan time lawmakers could and did work together, and express their appreciation for each other.

Whatever happens with this latest controversy, for this reporter at least when he thinks of Ms. Tlaib, that is one moment he will remember.