"More than A Touch of Class" - Commentary by Tony Seton

More than A Touch of Class

Glenda Jackson won an Oscar, her second, for the 1973 film A Touch of Class. In that movie, she portrayed a bright, charming, funny, liberated woman who epitomized class in all its strength and dignity. I got to tell her that on Friday, when we met for lunch in San Francisco. Actually, she hadn’t come to dine with me alone, but to speak to the esteemed political luncheon group, of which I am a member, that has been entertaining top quality politicos since 1981. Senators, governors and other historic figures have joined the sixty or so members for a weekly off-the-record talk and luncheon at the North Beach Restaurant.

So what was an actress, albeit a very fine actress, visiting with our bunch of no-account pols and lawyers, lobbyists and journalists? Glenda Jackson is a Labour Party MP; that’s Member of Parliament for those of you not in the loop. She’s been representing her London district for a decade after giving up an illustrious acting career that saw her sparkle on the stage, on television, and on the silver screen. If her presentation to us on Friday was any indication of her political abilities, she is doing for England what she did for her entertainment audiences.

Ms. Jackson was in the Bay Area on holiday, and it happens that one of our group knew it and arranged for her to speak. She spoke off the cuff about our country, and its relationship to the world. She spoke about her country, illuminating some of the unique dynamics of their political system.

When she stopped for lunch, our illustrious leader told her what a magnificent presentation she was making, especially her responses to questions. She replied that if that were really so, it was because of the outstanding quality of the questions. As I said, she defines class.

What was so compelling about her presentation was her view of the United States. No doubt I appreciated what she said about ours being a wonderful country that has gotten off track because of a shared political persuasion. She reminded us that power is more than military might or money; that the United States exhibits the most powerful culture in the world. No doubt for better some times and not at others.

What made Ms. Jackson so appealing was the depth of her intellect, the clarity of her perspective, and the integrity of her purpose...to inform and to engage her audience in making ours a better world. In this she was distinctly different from the American politicos who had addressed our group, who all have a veneer, some thinner than others. Maybe they would sound better abroad.

In her biography, Ms. Jackson is quoted as saying "You’d think it something one would grow out of. But you grow into it. The more you do, the more you realise how painfully easy it is to be lousy and how very difficult to be good." She had said it about acting. It could have been about politics. Or life.

And that’s SetonnoteS...I’m Tony Seton.