Lincoln NE (SN) – Governor Pete Ricketts shocked his Republican colleagues Tuesday morning, announcing his full support of Democrat Kamala Harris for President of the United States.
“The Senator and I may not see eye to eye on health care, capital punishment, welfare, women’s rights, homosexuality, religion, or education,” the Governor told reporters. “but she has been talking a lot lately about an issue that is very dear to me.”
Ricketts revealed that he had a change of heart when Harris started elaborating on the debate stage about her experiences as a child in the mandatory busing of her and other persons of color to predominately white schools.
“There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day, and that little girl was me,” Ms. Harris said at a Democratic debate.
Governor Ricketts added that he, too, experienced similar busing as a child.
“I’ll never forget it. It was 1976, just a year after our family had moved to Omaha” Ricketts said. “My daddy came into my room and said, “Look, Pete… our private jet is in the shop right now, and your dad has a ton of work to do starting this First Omaha Securities thing. I still want you to get to attend your private ski lesson in Aspen with Bill Briggs tomorrow, but I have arranged for you to ride there in a Greyhound bus.” I’ll never forget the shame in his voice.”
The Governor swore he would never ride a bus again.
“I cried the entire way to Aspen” he shouted. “It smelled weird, and I had to sit the entire time, surrounded by middle class people. I sat next to some Asian guy who didn’t say a single word. For over ten hours. It was horrible!”
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