The Rockefeller Republicans Return, Albeit Briefly
Former congressman Gilbert Gude's funeral at Church of the Little Flower in Bethesda drew hundreds of mourners yesterday, including Isiah Leggett and a special assistant Chuck Short, former U.S. senators Charles "Mac" Mathias Jr. (R) and, Paul S. Sarbanes (D) ,as well as former County Council member Howard Denis (R), former delegate Jean Cryor (R) and Comptroller Peter Franchot (D).
Chesapeake and & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Superintendent Kevin D. Brandt also attended before dashing back to the County Council to testify about a proposal to enhance protection for the canal. The homily was conducted by Monsignor Peter Vaghi.
Gude, 84, died last week. He was remembered for being Maryland's version of a Rockefeller Republican, a staunch environmentalist and a longtime supporter of the C & O Canal. One of his children, Adrienne Gude Lewis, who delivered the eulogy, is carrying on the family tradition in county politics; she's a staff member for at-large Democrat Marc Elrich, a freshman member of the council.
Gude served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1977. He led efforts to stop plans for a highway alongside the canal, which stretches 185 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland in Western Maryland. Gude introduced the bill that resulted in the restoration of the 19th-century waterway and the creation, in 1971, of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, the country's narrowest national park.
"To those of us in Bethesda, he was a neighbor -- a neighbor who changed all of America for the better," said Robert Dyer, a member of the Montgomery GOP Central Committee, in an email. "The Chesapeake and & Ohio Canal National Historical Park is his immortal legacy. We should take that legacy forward by aspiring to equal his leadership and commitment to a cleaner environment, regardless of party affiliation."
By Miranda Spivack |
June 13, 2007; 10:44 AM ET
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Miranda Spivack
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Posted by: Robin Ficker | June 13, 2007 12:16 PM
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Congressman Gude had a sense of humor, but I wish his stands on the issues could have been more clear. When I ran against him for Congress in the seventies, he offered lunch for two with Congressman Gude as an auction prize at a Republican Womens' luncheon. I showed up and was the high bidder. I asked the press who wanted to go and both the Post and Star did. Gude pointed out that the auction item said, "lunch for two," and would allow only one reporter. Don Baker of the Post lost the coin flip, but called me later to write about the lunch anyhow. The Star reporter won the flip and her article consisted of me asking Gude his positions on a list of over l00 issues, all of which he sidestepped. I got nothing to eat at all. There wasn't time.
Another day, I hosted a radio show on WWDC a.m. Congressman Gude was my guest. A caller asked him on the air what he thought of Bread. He replied that he, "had two pieces of toast every morning." The caller said, "No, I mean the band Bread!