How often does a politician make you cry?

[mike carey]

Over the last couple of days the ABC has aired snippets of an interview with the former Deputy Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, hinting at something significant that the full interview would reveal. That full interview was just broadcast.

 

When Albanese was a small child his single mother had told him that she had met his father in Italy when she was travelling in Europe, that they had fallen in love and married but that he had been killed in a car accident while she was pregnant. She had then returned to Australia and raisied her son.

 

When he was 14 she had told him the true story. His father had not died but rather, had told his mother that he was betrothed in his village and could not marry her. When she returned to Australia, facing the shame of being a Catholic unmarried mother, she had lived out the story of being a widow, adopted the father's name and given it to their son. As a typical teenager he had dismissed his father along the lines of 'if he didn't care, I don't care about him'.

 

Move forward to when he had a son of his own, he decided he needed to seek his father out. His parents had actually met when his father was a steward on the ship his mother sailed on to Europe. As a politician he knew the CEO in Australia of Carnival Cruises, the inheritor of ownership of the liner his mother had sailed on. Incredibly, Carnival found his father's details. Long story short, they met in 2009, and his father brought his two Italian sons to that meeting. Albanese's father died of cancer in early 2014, but they was able to say their farewells late in the previous year.

 

Albanese was clearly emotional as he ended the interview, and the emotion was infectious.

[+ SundayZip]

This is a beautiful and dramatic story. I understand how someone who was raised without a father would value him so much.

 

I wonder if everyone feels the same way about their father, especially those who have known him their entire life and who do (or did) not particularly like him. I've had friends and coworkers who lost a parent while they were a child and have spent their lives with an idealized version of that parent. When I would complain about my own, hyper-judgmental, asshole father, they'd tell me that I should be thankful that I have him in my life. So I'd shut my mouth and bite my tongue. My father died several years ago and I do not miss him. Even more, I'm glad that he's gone. Maybe I'm an uncaring, ungrateful son, but I know that my sentiments are shared by some, if not most of my siblings.

[+ sync]

My father died several years ago and I do not miss him. Even more, I'm glad that he's gone. Maybe I'm an uncaring, ungrateful son, but I know that my sentiments are shared by some, if not most of my siblings.

 

I don't believe you should judge yourself too harshly. It is relatively easy for most men to achieve fatherhood. Considerably fewer of them achieve parenthood.

[+ glennnn]

Joe Biden can make me get misty eyed, because I know his back story that he has had great tragedies in his personal life, but just keeps on punching. I think of him as an old friend, because I have admired and supported him thoughout his career. He is real and genuine, and it doesn't hurt that he has always been such a babe. I was happy for him that he did not seek the presidential nomination. But when I realized he might be leaving the political stage as he spoke at the DNC, I found tears were running down my face. He has been my lifelong inspiration for what a total man should be and I will miss seeing him.