On the recordFebruary 7, 2019
on Thursday, January 24, a good friend of mine, former Daily News photographer Harry Hamburg, died. Both Marcelle and I were in shock at the news. Harry is one of our dearest friends, and Marcelle and I loved him. I have lost count of the times we would share stories about his son Bruce and daughter Aren, and, of course, his grandchildren, Sophia, Ali, Dylan, and Will. Marcelle and I especially enjoyed the family conversations and the deep love he had for his late wife Becky. I think we knew more about each other's families than most people would. One of us would tell a story, and the other would say, ``Oh, that reminds me,'' and away we would go. Those of you who knew Harry Hamburg could see that happening. We also shared a love of photography. I have an office here in the Capitol with a great view of the Mall and the Washington Monument, and we would often meet there. We would talk about photography, current events, and friends. We called it ``prayer hour with holy water.'' We had our own particular choices of what holy water and what proof. Occasionally, Marcelle was able to join us. Often, my policy adviser, Kevin McDonald, was there. And, of course, Harry was a welcomed friend at all of our holiday parties and office gatherings. Kevin McDonald went to the funeral in Pennsylvania. He filled me in on how moving it was and the things he heard there.…
