Howard Coble: A true example in public service
By Anne Davey, Opinion Editor//
“I think there’s no higher calling in terms of a career than public service, which is a chance to make a difference in people’s lives and improve the world.” – Jack Lew
While the country stands divided on nearly all political issues, it is undoubtedly true that our political system could not operate without the great men and women that act as public servants; defending our liberties, fighting for important causes and being the voice of the people of this nation.
Howard Coble is one such public servant. Congressman Coble served North Carolina’s sixth district for 30 years. One of the longest serving republicans in the House of Representatives, Congressman Coble is truly the model public servant. Anyone that knows him speaks of his commitment to the community he served, his affable and personable charm and the family-like way in which he interacted with his constituents. He is famous in the state he served for so long, and is known on Capitol Hill for his trademark plaid blazers and ever-present fedora style hats.
During the summer before my junior year at High Point University, I had the opportunity to work for Congressman Coble. I served as an intern in his home office in Greensboro, North Carolina. My time with Congressman Coble’s office taught me so many things, and truly opened my eyes to public service. Politics is far too often seen as contentious, greed ridden and ineffective, but working on the front lines of constituent services, I got to see what it is really about. Congressman Coble’s value of service and commitment were pervasive; the entire staff truly cared for the people they served and did everything in their power to help them. The issues a Congressman deals with on a daily base stretch so far beyond CSPAN and the congressional hearings and votes the public sees. Working in a district office, particularly Congressman Coble’s, was all about helping people. From arranging a White House tour for families visiting N.C., to helping people with the immigration process for spouses and children, to expediting passports and granting appointments to military academies all the way to ensuring disabled veterans were getting the care they needed, each day brought a new challenge and a new lesson.
Working for Congressman Coble was the political experience of a life time, because everything he did focused around the people of his beloved district and state. I’ll never forget people calling just to say hello to the congressman and others coming in with photos from weddings and of grandchildren to share with him, because every person he met, he made them feel special. It was about much more than elections and votes, it was truly about serving people. His campaign slogan could not have been more fitting — “Howard Coble: Our Congressman” and that he was.
After 30 years in Congress, Howard Coble ended one of the most distinguished careers in public service for a much deserved and long awaited retirement. Now, he is in intensive care at Moses Cone hospital for surgery to remove skin cancer lesions and a lymph node. As a pillar of the community and a model politician, people across the country are praying for his swift and full recovery. Congressman Coble will forever have left a legacy of service and kindness, and I am eternally grateful to have learned so much about being an elected official from such an incredible politician and man.