The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History

by Sharon McMahon

before Alan even gets to the punch line. But Alan can’t help but extoll Norm’s virtues. “It’s been a wonderful, rich ride of true friendship, which is a beautiful thing”[7] and “I really respect and admire him. And love him. He is a wonderful, wonderful individual.”[8] These are words you don’t expect from a juvenile delinquent cowboy from Wyoming. “There are a lot of issues where I’ve had an opposite view,” Norm said. “I’m a liberal Democrat. He’s a conservative. He’s a good Republican. So it’s not that we had agreement on everything…. We had fights in committees or subcommittees, and then we’d slap each other on the back and say, ‘Come on, let’s go have dinner. Let’s go have a drink.’ I don’t know how to describe it. We just see each other and begin to laugh.”[9]