A Personal Remembrance of Bob Hattoy

From Rachel Binah, California DNC Member, active member of the Environmental Caucus (and former Caucus Chair)

Bob Hattoy founded the Environmental Caucus of the California Democratic Party. He knew that we must educate, support and occasionally prod Democrats to be the Party of the Environment. He was an inspiration, a friend and a fearless foe of those who harm our planet. Flamboyant and always outrageously funny, Bob was a vain publicity hound with flashes of insecurity. He always needed reassurance -- "How was my hair on Nightline, last night? The make-up they put on made me look like Hitler."

Bob could never resist a barb or a jab at those in power. And he kept us laughing because he rarely, if ever, edited his clever thoughts. His mind worked triple-time. If he thought of a pun or joke, he simply was unable to suppress it. He was a master of the one liner and could have been a stand-up comedian. He invented environmental sound bites. When he was critical of the Clinton White House, in which he worked as Liason to Congress for Environmental Affairs, he always joked about being transferred to the Interior Department's Bureau of Mining -- where he worked in the basement. He said if they had a sub-sub basement, or an actual mine, they would have put him there to keep him quiet and away from the media.

Recently, at a DC reception, as she was being sworn in as Chair of the Environment & Public Works Committee, Bob said to Senator Barbara Boxer, "I'm so used to criticizing the government that I forgot that with you, they'll be on our side now. I want to testify. Have a Hearing so I can testify!"