Walt Rubel: Domenici Conference was a showcase of political civility

Pete Domenici won six statewide elections running as a Republican in New Mexico. You can’t do that without making a whole lot of friends on the other side of the aisle.

Which is why I liked the Domenici Public Policy Conference at NMSU so much. It was the last vestige from a time when Tip O’Neill and Bob Michel would debate policy on the House floor, then come to an agreement later that night at the tavern.

Democrats who made the trek to Las Cruces to support their friend Pete included James Carville, Donna Brazile, Leon Panetta, Sam Nunn, Chris Dodd, Janet Napolitano, Ken Salazer and Patrick Kennedy.

The conference started at about the same time that Tea Party protests were breaking out throughout the country in response to the Affordable Care Act, and the fact that the leader for whom it was derisively named is black. It seemed like the political divide was more heated and personal than before.

From the start, Domenici clearly wanted his conference to be a living, breathing example that we could have weighty discussions about difficult issues like health care without disrespecting or belittling those who have opposing views.

I still remember the warning of former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist that it was a mistake to pass the ACA without any Republican votes because they would never accept it. I thought he was wrong and that they would eventually come around once the program was up and running. Now I know he was right.

It’s important to note that the warning was issued as an observation, not a threat. Frist, who was a surgeon before he was a senator, wasn’t rooting for failure. He was explaining the political realities from the perspective of someone who dealt with them every day.. 

To his credit, Domenici kept making the trip down to Las Cruces until the very end. It was hard to see him in that condition, and we all had to wonder what would happen to the conference without him. Domenici’s death was followed by the COVID pandemic. And that seemed like the end.

And so, I was thrilled to learn that NMSU is bringing the conference back. This year’s event on Sept. 8 and 9 will feature former US Rep. Heather Wilson; former US Sen. and ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake; former ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer; and Gregory Allen, founder and CEO of Decision Tree Research, who will discuss the use of AI in geopolitical strategies.

But I do wonder if there is still a market for political debate without rancor. As popular as he was, I don’t think Domenici could win a statewide race this year. And, to be fair, I don’t know if he would want to serve in the US Senate anymore. It’s changed a lot since his death.

So have we. We’ve gone from exchanging ideas to keeping score. Whoever comes up with the best insult wins. And folks are practicing all day long.

The Domenici Public Policy Conference is the antithesis of all that. It’s a little bit like watching them play football in leather helmets. Quaint and outdated though it may be, I hope the conference this year will be successful and that it will go on to outlive our current moment of political incivility.


Walter Rubel can be reached at [email protected]

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