Katharine Graham: Ass-Grabber!

A (very classy) little old lady when I met her, Katharine Graham (1917-2001) was larger than life: incredibly driven, energetic and prescient, very wise and supremely influential.  The Washington Post Company, which her father Eugene Meyer had bought in 1933 and she took over on her husband Philip's death in 1963, grew to a dominant position in the news media and to diversify successfully into many other realms (education, television and technology in particular).

By 1999 the Post empire was leading the way in digital news delivery with the ambitious, groundbreaking washingtonpost.com. and for 8 months yours truly sat in the newsroom among veterans like Doug Feaver (the midnight desk editor who took the call June 18, 1972 about the Watergate burglary), young bucks like hysterical cut-up Daniel Froomkin (then Metro Editor), and sundry other journo's.

As we worked together for several months on a cool technology project, the digital division's deputy General Counsel Katharine Weymouth (then Scully) became a good friend, and I eventually learned that she was Ms. Graham's namesake and grand-daughter (young Katharine is now Publisher & CEO, and assumed by many to be heir apparent to WPO when Uncle Don decides to retire).

there's a Ben Bradlee's connection too... but that's another story!

One day that April, Kay left the 15th street NW HQ and surprised the 'post.com staff in Arlington VA.  As she chewed the fat with newsies and with chief executive Marc Teren, the young Katharine appeared and yelled, "Hi, Gran!"  Grandma wheeled around, embraced our legal counsel, and then grabbed a good handful of little Katharine's rear end, giving it a quick squeeze followed by three or four long, loving grandmotherly kneeeeads.

If you have children or grandchildren, you remember this reflexive, affectionate and innocent fondle from when they were 2 or 3 years old. Quite a different effect here for us in attendance - but most pleasing!