The late Governor Jodi Rell greeting trick-or-treaters at the Residence, 2007.
Connecticut’s legislative leaders were interviewed constantly During the epic and contentious income tax saga of 1991. Democratic House Speaker Richard Balducci, State Senate President John Larson, House Minority Leader Ed Krawiecki – they were just a few of the many lawmakers who appeared nightly on statewide television screens during the protracted battle.
On a day when Krawiecki and his top lieutenant Bob Ward were not available for an interview, they turned to the ranking member of Appropriations, Jodi Rell of Brookfield, as a Republican fill-in. It was a good idea; she had a thorough knowledge of the issues, spoke well, and stood out among the sea of male faces.
“She’s really good,” then-WFSB VP of news Dick Ahles commented after seeing Representative Rell on the air. Two years later, when the Sunday news program CT ’93 was launched, Dick was its senior producer and I was the moderator. We asked Rep. Rell to represent the GOP during a taping.
John Rowland did not select Jodi Rell as his Lieutenant Governor a year later due to her appearances on our program. We enjoyed thinking, however, that shining a spotlight on her knowledge and competence didn’t hurt. It became a running joke upon seeing Rell over the years to say proudly, “We discovered you!”
This week Governor Rell will lay in state at the Connecticut State Capitol. Following that, her funeral will take place and she will be buried alongside her husband Lou.
We at The Laurel send our condolences to Governor Rell’s family and friends. She will be missed.
