Claudio Gallegos wrote his last post for the Orange Juice today. He is moving on but won’t be forgotten. He put this blog on the map…by agreeing to join a Republican (me, at the time) in discussing O.C. politics in a bipartisan way that had never been done before.
It happened back in December of 2005. I introduced Claudio to our readers in this post. He got started right away with his early 2006 endorsements.
On April 1, 2007, Claudio declared his campaign for Congress. But it was an April Fool’s joke! Claudio would however be a great candidate for whatever office he might be interested in. I suspect however that he won’t toss his hat in the political ring for a few years yet…
He wrote his first Coarsening of America from the Right post on June 14, 2007. And his last one on November 2 of this year.
He wrote his first Martin Millard Monday post on August 7 of this year, and his last Millard post on November 5 of this year.
And he started his landmark Ignorance to Enlightenment series on June 5, 2007, and finished it on August 9 of this year.
Claudio told us one he had one more week to go, and then he wrote parts one and two of his farewell to the Orange Juice.
I don’t have enough time to go back through every post Claudio ever wrote for us. Suffice to say he put his soul into everything he wrote. In the process he led me down the road to independence. For that I am every grateful.
Vaya con Dios Claudio! Gracias por todo. You will always have a home here at the Orange Juice.
Claudio has written some of the finest things on Orange Juice. He will be sorely missed.
Great writing.
Butt…
This has been one of the longest, drawn out farewells in the history of come-back-around-for-another-round of farewells!
What is the real reason why Claudio is leaving? Not this “gots to spend more time with my family” bs but the REAL reason. One of you OJ readers must know the truth. Be honest Art.
Claudio—
Thanks for your thoughtful posts here at OJ. Thanks for keeping your posts clean but hard hitting. You stayed away from the personal and focused on the policy which was also appreciated.
But most important, thank you for helping part the Red Sea, allowing Art to make the journey out of the red wilderness and into the purple valley.
bladerunner.
FYI I was with Art at Claudio’s farewell gathering last night.
From my perspective Art is too smart to enter the purple valley.
Sorry we didn’t get to see you at Memphis last night.
Claudio. We shall stay in contact off line. I need to see how your party fares as we move down the road to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Best regards,
Larry Gilbert, who may be left handed but generally is “right.”