Memories, Personal and Political, of Orrin Hatch (1934

Orrin Hatch was an exceptional person — unique. He was a senator from Utah, a Republican, for 42 years. He passed away last weekend.

Hatch was a friend of mine. I have few friends in politics — I mean, among candidates and officeholders. He was one. He loved music, for one thing, and composed music. (I am a music-lover too.) He was not an e-mailer — at least not with me. He sent handwritten notes. And he had an enthusiasm, even in his later years, that most people associate with youth. There was a gee-whiz quality about Orrin, which I found endearing. Not that he wasn’t a wily ol’ pol. But he was still gee-whiz.

HW

About the Author

Heather Wolf

Orrin Hatch was an exceptional person — unique. He was a senator from Utah, a Republican, for 42 years. He passed away last weekend.

Hatch was a friend of mine. I have few friends in politics — I mean, among candidates and officeholders. He was one. He loved music, for one thing, and composed music. (I am a music-lover too.) He was not an e-mailer — at least not with me. He sent handwritten notes. And he had an enthusiasm, even in his later years, that most people associate with youth. There was a gee-whiz quality about Orrin, which I found endearing. Not that he wasn’t a wily ol’ pol. But he was still gee-whiz.