Tucker Watkins

I was sorry to hear of his passing and I wish his family the best.  I actually did meet Tucker once and it remains one of more fond memories in politics.  I was invited to the GOP Gala back in 2007 where Fred Thompson spoke as he was gearing up for his presidential run.  I was 26 at the time and I drove down to Richmond thinking I would grab dinner and get a picture with Thompson, who I really wanted to run at the time.  Anyways, it ended being that the drinks were free and by the end of the night I was really in no condition to drive home so I grabbed a hotel room.  

The next morning I'm checking out and I have my badge or whatever it was in my hand and this good ole' boy comes up next to me and looks at my badge thing.  It was Tucker Watkins, who of course I had heard all about.  I'm hungover, mind you.  He immediately introduces himself, shakes my hand, asks me some questions about myself and told me a few stories about various Northern Virginia politicians who come down to Southside.  I forget all the details but the man spoke to me as if he had known me his entire life, gave me a big handshake after about 30 minutes of chatting and clasp on the shoulder.

I never spoke to him again and I have no reason ever to think the man knew who I was past that encounter.  But I thought it was an nice anecdote to seems to capture who he was as a man based on everything else I've heard.  I hope he has found time to finally rest now.  God bless Tucker Watkins.

RIP

Comments

[James Young]

Very nice story, and wholly representative of everything I knew about the man. My encounters were similar: drinking in Tucker's room at a couple of conventions and conversations as though we'd known each other for years. One of those good people in politics for all the right reasons. He will be missed.

[Bwana]

I knew Tucker via the Virginia Jaycees before he dove massively into politics...but he was the same way all the time, regardless of the arena. He prized involvement over everything-and just had the attitude that everyone should be involved, and he would find one more vote when it counted than the other guy had. Then, when the smoke cleared, he would hand you a beer and explain just how he ended up with one vote more!