JAMES ROGAN

Nearly fifty years ago (January 13, 1972), I cut school with my brother Pat. We took the bus into downtown San Francisco because I wanted to attend a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing at the Federal Courthouse. I had read that a couple of US Senators would be holding the hearings, and I wanted to see them in person, take their picture, and maybe get a chance to ask their advice on how to enter politics. They were the sons of two legendary 20th Century political leaders: Senator Robert A. Taft, Jr., who was the son of the late Senator (and three-time GOP presidential candidate) Robert A. Taft; and Senator Adlai E. Stevenson III, son of Governor Adlai E. Stevenson, the 1952 and 1956 Democratic presidential nominee. I took this Kodak Instamatic snapshot of Taft and Stevenson during the hearing; they both signed it for me later. Taft died at age 76 on December 7, 1993. Stevenson died two days ago at age 90. Rest in peace.