Almost 10 months ago, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., survived being shot point-blank in the head at a public event in Tucson. Despite the horrific attack, Giffords has made a remarkable recovery so far and has retained her elected position. Though some might delicately question whether her tragic injury has interfered with her ability to serve, the people of Arizona's 8th Congressional district would do well to hold on to Gabby, as they affectionately call her, in spite of her current limitations. Her survival story, although sad, is her biggest asset to positively change the political culture in Washington.
Elected to Congress in 2006, Giffords quickly became a rising star in the House. She stood out from the rank and file as a vocal Blue Dog Democrat, a moderate from a purple state who collaborated with those to her left and right. She cruised to reelection on the Obama wave in 2008 and overcame national discontent with the Democratic party by squeaking out a victory in 2010. Giffords was not a transformative figure, but rather an admirable public servant.
In the months following the shooting, Giffords has focused on her personal recovery. She has not, however, been entirely disengaged from the political process. Her congressional staff has been working on constituent services around the clock. Moreover, as Giffords closely followed the political fiasco surrounding the debt ceiling debate, she became adamant that she cast her vote on the issue even if it wasn't pivotal as a matter of dedication to her constituents. Just by appearing on the House floor, Giffords created a split-second of unity at the climax of one of the most divisive political battles during the Obama administration. Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., even hugged in the adrenaline rush. It was powerful moment for Biden, Bachmann, Arizona and the country.
Although Giffords was a well-respected congresswoman before her injury, her influence in the Capitol, if she makes a full return, will be magnified by her heroic survival story. Emotional stories are the driving force behind today's politics. We might, for instance, be inclined to support Obamacare because the president signed the bill with Marcelas Owens at his side, an 11-year-old boy whose young mother died fighting cancer and fighting with her insurance company. Bachmann has attempted to woo voters as the defender of 11-year-old girls who were forcefully vaccinated against cervical cancer by Gov. Rick "Big-Brother" Perry, R-Texas. Gripping narratives, not facts or details, are the only force with the power to jump through our media hoops and break through our political gridlock.
After a critical brain injury, Giffords will never be the same. She may return to enough physical and mental health to adequately represent the people of Arizona. The reality is that neither a pre-injury Giffords nor a special election replacement would make much of a difference in Congress' current paralysis. But as Biden said after his spur-of-the-moment hug, "The thing that sometimes gets lost in this place [is that] there is a basic humanity here, man." With a new round of elections on the horizon, that humanity has been especially elusive these days. Giffords' real power in Congress would therefore lie in her story as a patriotic comeback story. She found herself in the line of fire for being a politician, and to return to the Capitol full-time would be an inspiring demonstration of commitment to her constituents and her country. Her return likely won't mark the glorious return of cooperative bipartisanship, but she may be able to foster basic civility in the institution, a major baby step for a more effective Congress.
Giffords and her husband will take to the airwaves in a few weeks, giving a full sit-down interview with ABC News Diane Sawyer, and Giffords will ultimately make the best decision for herself and her health. But if she goes back to Washington, her bold, against-all-odds reentry into an embarrassingly broken system sends the message that hope, perseverance and the spirit of service are not dead yet. If Giffords of all people still has faith in our political process, Congress just might pull itself together and get back to work.