and, finally, bill, -- joe connelly, under the distinguished journalist assert our community through his work at the "seattle post-intelligencer," both in print and now online. he has been a columnist for many years and you can still enjoy his column. so with that i will turn the program over to john, and we will get started. >> i first met slade gorton in 196-6122 rookie reporter covering the legislature. it so happened that the man who introduced us was my former high why advisor, an amazing democrat. when you introduce me to slade, he said in sort of a -- that he was scary smart and i thought for bob to say that, i always thought was very smart, spoke falling to i don't know where the time is gone, all these 46 years, but i keep interviewing men and women in their 80s and '90s the real inspiration. jim ellis, the other day i was trailing dan at the steps of the capital and he was taking them to at a time. is artificial knees as well. but the really fascinating thing about the job i have now is to take the experience i gleaned from covering a lot of amazing people, scoop jackson, s