Sorensen graduation in Charlottesville.

This past weekend, we of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership’s 2005 Political Leaders class had our final monthly session and our graduation ceremony. The bulk of our weekend was spent in the dome room of the Rotunda, which was a fine note on which to wrap up the ten-month program.

On Friday night we were really lucky to have former U.S. Army Chief of Staff Ric Shinseki speak to us. He provided a detailed and fascinating look at his own career and the state of the military. A condition of his appearance was that his talk was off the record, but suffice it to say I found it both educational and affirming.

(If you’re not familiar with Shinseki, do yourself the big favor of reading Seymour Hersh’s 2002 profile of Shinseki or, for an abridged look at the same topic, The Guardian’s 2003 piece.)

The graduation ceremony was held on Saturday morning. We started with superlatives, in which I was voted “most likely to be the center of the next big political scandal.” So…uh…thanks, guys. All 33 classmates received their diplomas and said a few words.

It was a good year, and certainly a worthwhile process. I can think of very few topics at very few sessions that were uninteresting or even neutral, in no small part because discussion with my classmates was often able to make even boring topics interesting. And though what we learned throughout the class was certainly interesting, I can say with all sincerity that developing friendships with everybody else in the class was the most valuable aspect of the program.

I know of several Virginia political bloggers who have applied to the program for 2006 and, if I have any say (which I don’t, so let’s just think of that as a rhetorical device), they’ll be admitted — I think they’d all make excellent fellows. Interviews are being held this week and, presumably, admissions will be announced in late January, like they were last year. I expect some joyful blogging around then.

This blog entry would not be complete without including this poem that fellow fellow Dan Jordan e-mailed out this night before our final Sorensen session.

‘Twas the night before graduation, when all through the Rotunda,
The Fellows reflected and started to wonder.
How did we get here to the tenth and last session,
No bruises, no scars, no bad partisan tension.

When out on The Lawn there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from the bar to see what was the chatter.
Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians too,
Putting policy before party, demagogues they eschew!

But again rose the question, how did we get here,
A quest, that for some, began just this past year.
Run for office? Campaign? Something out of the blue?
So much drive and commitment, just what should we do?

When what before our wondering eyes should appear,
But a place called Sorensen, to many so dear.
So on to the website, the applicants they flew,
Resumes, curric vitaes, 8×10 glossies too.

Now, Gottstein! Now, Connie! Now, Waldo and Arnatt!
On, Mullen! On, Cathie! To the top of the ballot!
To the top of the list, the class of oh-five,
From Nova to the ‘Noke, now drive, drive, drive!

So down to C’ville, these politicos they flew,
With ideas for the Commonwealth, some tried, some true.
And laying their partisan differences aside,
The class of oh-five took a stimulating ride.

The budget, our schools, meth labs and more,
So many diverse issues for this group to explore.
We must find solutions, yes, that is the key,
But little would it matter if not done ethically.

For if we set the example for all to follow,
Gridlock, special prosecutors, will all ring hollow.
We’re in this together, from the Blue Ridge to the sea,
From rich folks to poor folks, say, the entire citizenry!

So, with full minds and heavy hearts we come to say so long,
To a place and a staff that is second to none.
But we heard Sean exclaim as he cleared the chicken from his plate,
“Good luck and farewell, now go serve this fine state!”

It was fun.