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By Kate O'Beirne, NR's Washington editor |
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Rep. Fossella, then 32 and just a few years out of law school, won a tough special election in 1997 to replace Susan Molinari in New York's 13th district, representing Staten Island and the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. Fossella's great-grandfather, James O'Leary, a New Deal Democrat, served the same district in Congress from 1936 until 1944. Fossella has him to thank for the Bush campaign's invitation to address the convention. Rep. O'Leary voted to establish Social Security and Fossella is an enthusiastic supporter of the most radical reform of the program in its history. He will explain that he keeps faith with his great-grandfather and would strengthen Social Security by permitting personal ownership of market investments. The folks back home are thrilled with the prominence of their local boy who will be "putting Staten Island on the map" tonight. A couple of busloads of his supporters will be in town to join a late-night celebration with the congressman. The national GOP should likewise be celebrating Fossella's convention appearance because the O'Leary-to-Fossella story is far more than a family affair, or a neat hook for an articulate pitch on one of Gov. Bush's top issues. Vito Fossella represents the migration of ethnic Catholics to the Republican party. Catholic Democrats are an endangered species that promise to spoil Al Gore's environment. |
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he red carpet is
out for the 200 members of Congress in Philadelphia this week who are
teeing off at the best golf courses and dining at the top restaurants,
but Rep. Vito Fossella has landed the most coveted ticket in town. Tonight,
the young New York conservative, in his first full term, will be on the
First Union's stage in prime time to promote personal savings accounts
for Social Security.
