Democratic senator Patty Murray, once called the "mom in tennis shoes" before she entered politics, is faced with a "profiles in courage" moment this week. She is the ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which holds a hearing Tuesday on the nomination of Betsy…

It's early 1987. Jack Kemp is at our home near Detroit on one of his many Michigan visits from 1985 to 1988. We are recruiting precinct delegates, county and district chairs in a ground game for 1988 presidential delegates. My 5-year-old son runs into the room with a small silver cowboy gun and red…