More perfect union?
Not content with calling for a new constitutional convention to update our 220-year-old charter, Virginia professor Larry Sabato is holding a convention of his own this month.
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On Oct. 19, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, former presidential nominee Bob Dole and vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro will join Sabato in leading a mock constitutional convention at the Mellon
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Auditorium on — where else? — Constitution Avenue.
“Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer will emcee the day, and Sabato promises several more big names.
“We’re going to have a ball,” he said of the upcoming event. “We’re going to fly in young people to listen to the debate all day.”
In his new book, “A More Perfect Constitution,” the oft-quoted Sabato puts forth 23 proposals to improve the Constitution, and suggests that Congress and the states should set about convening a convention sooner rather than later.
“This is my career book,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it since the 1970s. I’ve been writing it for five years. Maybe because I live in a house designed by Thomas Jefferson on the U.Va. campus.”
Of the seemingly quixotic project to inspire a convention, he added, “Every major founder wanted us to refresh and revise the Constitution with some frequency.
“We’re trying to start a conversation. Can we build a better mousetrap?”
We couldn’t let Sabato go without asking him how he became the most quoted man in politics, as he’s often called. “Since 7 years old, I’ve been fascinated by politics; since I watched the 1960 political conventions,” he replied. “I’m sick. I admit it.”