Remembering Doris Kelly, another longshot

Stefanik meddling in Middle East policy while showing hypocrisy in backing blue

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It was almost 20 years ago, that 80-year-old Doris Kelly came to The Post-Star and asked its editorial board for an endorsement while running for Congress in the 20th Congressional District.

Kelly, a retired school teacher from the Poughkeepsie area, was a Democrat running against a well-funded Republican incumbent named John Sweeney.

She lacked experience, financing and any noticeable political operation.

It was clear she did not have a chance.

Our editorial board did not mince words earlier in her campaign when it suggested no one should waste a vote on Doris Kelly.

So when we finally got around to asking her how she was going to do on Election Day, she gave an unconvincing endorsement that she was going to win.

We pressed her.

"If it isn't to be, one of the things that I've been saying is that if people can look at me and say: 'If Doris Kelly, retired teacher and activist, actually got out there and ran for Congress, then maybe I can do it, too,'" she said.

In my column later that week, I wrote: "There was a sincerity there that you rarely see at any political level."

"There are a lot of people out there who would be very good in that situation (running for Congress), but would be afraid to do it," Kelly said. "I've been on search committees, and it's really hard to get local candidates to run."

As expected, Doris Kelly was routed by John Sweeney on Election Day in 2004.

She received over 96,000 votes, but that was only 29.8 percent of the total.

On Saturday, I ran into Paula Collins at the Glens Falls Climate Change Walk in  Crandall Park where she was campaigning.

Collins, a cannabis tax attorney, is a Democrat who declared her candidacy in February.

"I’m aware that I am putting my hat in the ring fairly late in the game,” Collins told North Country Public Radio at the time. “It could be that I’m either late for this election or early for the mid-terms.”

Like Doris Kelly, she does not have much of a campaign operation or much monetary support, but she insisted she is serious candidate who is  learning the ropes this time around.

What stayed with me her insistence that Elise Stefanik could not be allowed to continue in office.

She reminded me of Doris Kelly 20 years ago.

During the editorial board meeting then, Kelly talked about visiting a homeless shelter at Christmastime.

One person told her one vote wasn't worth anything and Kelly said she disagreed.

"Look," she told the person. "If you don't have a job, it's politics. If you can't get medical insurance, that's politics. If you can't get food, that's politics. What you need to do is find other people that think the way you do, get them to the board of elections, and get them to vote for people who care enough to change your situation."

It's a good reminder for us all.

On her website, Paula Collins criticized Rep. Stefanik for not caring about her constituents.

- Collins pointed out that a vote for the Republican ticket is a vote that says to women that the government places their abilities to reproduce above their very ability to survive a healthcare crisis.

- She pointed out Stefanik voted against the most sweeping immigration bill Congress had considered since the 1980s.

- She pointed out Stefanik voted against aid to Ukraine and that has compromised its ability to defend itself in recent offensives by Russia.

- She pointed out Stefanik defended those who assaulted police officers on January 6 and called them "hostages" on national TV.

It's hard to believe that is the position of the majority of the people in the 21st Congressional District.

Doris Kelly remained feisty to the end. After it was clear she would not win election in 2004, she did not concede.

Talking to approximately 40 supporters at the Terrapin Restaurant in Rhinebeck, she pointed out that she had been outspent 80-1.

“It’s a victory for us that wonderful people came out and worked together discussing many issues that people have been silent on for the last three years,” Kelly said that night.

Doris Kelly died on Dec. 13, 2017. She was 93. Her obituary described her as "politically active."

One of the walkers at the Glens Falls Climate Action march in Crandall Park in Glens Falls.

Climate Change Walk

Diane Collins deserves a lot of credit for drawing attention to the issue of climate change with a walk and speakers in Glens Falls Saturday aimed at helping people do their part locally to limit climate change.

About 50 people did the walk from City Park in downtown to Crandall Park where another 50 people turned out to hear the speakers and visit the information tables.

I acted as the MC for the event, introducing all the speakers. I'm hoping this is part of an annual event that educates folks on what they can do in their own lives to combat climate change.

Stefanik in Israel

The New York Times reported on Sunday that Rep. Elise Stefanik was in Israel on Sunday and addressed "some lawmakers" at Israel's Parliament and denounced President Biden for delaying some military aid while also praising former President Donald Trump, currently on trial for falsifying business records.

The Times pointed out that American political parties have acknowledged they should not take their differences overseas.

"While a time-honored adage of American politics has held that partisanship ends at the water's edge, Ms. Stefanik’s remarks may help strengthen her bona fides with the former president by paying little mind to the principle and decorum behind that unwritten rule."

In other words, she is undermining U.S. foreign policy.

Since Rep. Stefanik has solved all of our problems in the 21st Congressional District, it's good to see she is now ready to solve problems in the Middle East.

Sarcasm intended.

More Stefanik

Rep. Elise Stefanik posted on X this past week about her support for those in law enforcement.

"Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to protect us. It's time we took measures to protect them.," Stefanik said.

Yet, just a few weeks ago, she described those convicted of beating police officers on January 6 as "hostages."

That seems to be hypocritical.

Supporting ATF

Glens Falls continues to be a vibrant community with lots to do.

The Adirondack Theater Festival's first show of the season, Todd vs. the Titanic, opens a month from now.

  Joe Kinosian plays the sole survivor of an apocalyptic event outside a theatre in Schenectady. He attempts to persevere, mourn and stay sane by playing all the roles in a big musical about the Titanic by himself.

As someone that has always had a fascination with all things Titanic, I can't wait to see this one, especially the set.

Todd vs. the Titanic kicks off the ATF season on June 27 and runs through July 3.

This is great theater. Check it out.

On Golden Pond

Turner Classic Movies runs great old movies in the month before the Academy Awards. I take that opportunity to record movies I have not seen and re-watch other movies I have not seen in a long time.

One of those this year was On Golden Pond.

It was the final movie of Henry Fonda's illustrious career and it paired him with another legend, Katharine Hepburn, in a rare Hollywood story focused on an couple facing their twilight years together. The movie got a lot of attention because Henry Fonda's real daughter, Jane Fonda, played the daughter. But ultimately, this is a story about getting old.

I first saw it when it came out 42 years ago when I was just 25. The experience watching this movie at 67 is much different than watching it at 25.

I forgot how good Henry Fonda was in the movie - Henry Fonda and Hepburn both won Academy Awards while Jane Fonda was nominated - but I related to the old man much more now.

Henry Fonda died five months after being honored with the Oscar.

Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book "The Last American Newspaper" into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.