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David Marshall is a Penobscot County Commissioner, a former Maine legislator and chairman of the Katahdin Area Republicans.
The recent passing of former state Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Talbot brought to mind many warm memories of my freshman days as a very young Maine state legislator and the wonderful people I was honored to serve beside for four years.
In 1976 I was a recent graduate of the Gorham State College (now the University of Southern Maine) who had returned to my home town of Millinocket to ponder my next move. By some twist of unplanned circumstances, I was recruited by some local Republican businessmen to run for the Maine Legislature. (I had been involved in our local Republicans party back in high school).
Well, I unexpectedly won that election in an upset and off to Augusta I went.
My seatmate was Rep. Talbot (a Bangor boy originally) but now representing Portland in what would be his third and final term in the Legislature.
Gerry was a pioneer. The first African American to serve in the Maine Legislature and we were to be seatmates for the next two years.
Gerry was a man of great integrity and principle. He had wonderful illuminating stories he shared with me of his background and his aspirations. We became very good friends. Gerry was very helpful in helping me to navigate those first days of what would become a political career.
Gerry used to joke that he was “a liberal black Democrat from Portland” and that I was not. Indeed we proudly represented the ideals of the left and the right respectively.
As you might imagine, we differed on many issues of the day but the two things we did agree on was that we liked each other and that we respected each other.
I would point out that in those days there seemed to be less personal acrimony among legislators. Yes Democrats and Republicans had our differences (still do) and we took our politics seriously, but rarely did we take it personally. When the Speaker of the House’s gavel came down at the end of the daily session we smiled and oftentimes went to lunch together.
I guess you call it civility, but nonetheless it was the order of the day — the norm — and it made my time in Augusta a happy experience.
Well, obviously things sometimes change. Politics is a rough sport and sometimes even a contact sport from what I see, but respect and friendships are often enduring.
Gerry was a remarkable individual who I truly admired and respected without reservation. He was what we called members of the other party: the loyal opposition.
So farewell the honorable Rep. Talbot from your friend on the other side of the aisle. It was indeed a pleasure and an honor to have known you and to have served with you.