Carla Aragon and Pete V. Domenici; Part 3 of 3

So we lived there the first 15 years and it was really uncapital hill. I mean, I was there and then when we moved about 20 years ago, we lived right on the hill. We lived real close. We're rolling? Okay. Okay. I'm joined now by Mrs. Nancy Domenici and she's going to field a couple of questions. You were talking about the first time that you moved to Washington. Were a little further away from all the action? Well, we were, for one thing, we needed a house that would hold all of our family. And of course every mile that you went north or south from the district, houses became less. And so we bottled very wonderful large house. But it was about 20 miles out. It meant that Pete had to go around the beltway or go through traffic about maybe 50 minutes to get to work. So we lived in suburbia, Maryland. And from there, Pete would sort of do his thing. And then he would come home at night and if someone was playing a basketball game,

I'd just bring a plate of food and we'd meet him in the auditorium or wherever they were doing things. So it was really suburbia living for many years out there. Well, you know, I was thinking about it. It's going to be what, 36 years that you've been in Washington. That's right. Has that been in half your life? You know, you're right, I'm 73. So we've just got about half of it. That's interesting because half in New Mexico and half in Washington, was it tough to adjust to the big city life after being in New Mexico? It was a hard adjustment period because I didn't know people. I think that's always the worst part. But after a while, you just felt like you had a foot in both areas. So it wasn't like you were missing out or so reluctant to leave one. But rather that you knew you had two areas that would become familiar. You know, a long time ago, we're 36 years. When you first find somebody in the grocery store that you say hello to, everybody's gone through this when you go to a strange place.

But all you need is one or two friends and then it makes a big difference. And now it seems like Washington is home. That's where we've lived more permanently all these 36 years. But I get back and forth to New Mexico a lot. We have a lot of kin folk in New Mexico. And we're lucky we have three-eighths of our family lives in Washington, DC, or around also. What has it been like being the wife of Senator Pete Domenici? Pete's a very public person. You're a very private person. The spouse of a senator is not like the spouse of a governor where there is sort of a set role in activities. And in fact, lots of times when they have talks to spouses what you do in a campaign, part of it is as soon as you get to Washington, you're not going to be anything. You're not going to be invited to the parties. You're not going to be in the limelight.

And that really is true. During campaigning, I think, spouses and family become all known. Well, we see that all the time. So when Pete comes to New Mexico, I have been lucky over the years sometimes to follow him where he goes or to go with him places. And it's sort of like I've got a great tourist seat because I can see pig farmers or I can go to San Diego where they're doing things with fusion or vision. And it's a learning experience in Washington. When he does his Senate business, it needs to be conducted by people that know. And he needs to have people around him all the time that our experience and he has a wonderful staff. Well, you know, that was amazing to me while I was there because we sat in his hideaway office and, you know, Steve Bell just shot off statistics. Chris Geigel was, you know, was blurting out this story or that story.

And he really has had people support him. And I mean, he is an amazing man, but he's had amazing people and compounded. That's made for a pretty wonderful 36 years. You know, Carla, one of the things I'm very naive on government, even now. And I feel lucky for the little bit that I've absorbed, not the little bit, the amount that I've absorbed, but I didn't realize how important staff were, particularly staffs that are on committees of jurisdiction, not your personal staff so much. Those folks have to know every bit of the law that comes in and out of those committees. They're up nights negotiating with whatever senators on the committee to make certain that they have something that can be passed. They work day and night and they're strong.

They know they're subject. They have to be powerful. So you wouldn't want just one senate office to have a great staff. We hope that all senate and congressional offices have wonderful people working for them. I mean, it's your taxpayer money. But he has been able to draw the best of the best, which has made him stand out. Is that going to be hard as he leaves office? Because he is used to people providing for him information or other things. Is that going to be tough? Well, I think he has to find those same kinds of people. They exist because many people in higher positions that are not doing details have that same kind of personal assistance that are executive assistance. So I'm hoping that that's what he finds. Right now, I'm the designated driver at home. And he shouldn't drive. So driving might be a little bit more complicated.

But we live right on the hill right now. And in New Mexico, there's enough people to come and go. You've got a lot of family members too. We talked a little bit about having to adjust after the senator leaves. I actually had a little difficulty adjusting. I think I was driving my husband crazy because I was home during the evenings. Do you have that apprehension at all that, oh my gosh, he's going to be home? What are we going to do? Is he going to drive me crazy? You know, I don't think he'll be home that much. And when he is home now, he likes to be phoning people and talking about ideas or figuring out what might be done. I can't imagine that'll stop really quick. There will be a translation period. I'm not quite certain what all that entails. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't. In an area where a lot of people have faded from a public position or an elected position.

And they're now in policy in some way. Whether that's a good spot for him, I don't know. Some folks go into teaching or writing books. I'm not certain of any of those fit what he would be doing. But I don't think he'll be like underfoot. Criticized or gotten angry or tried to plan things that go in the house so I can't expect him to do that now. Now, you have been to some of the tributes. I mentioned the one in June and there have been others. Is this a bittersweet time for you? What are your feelings as he's receiving all these accolades and farewells? I don't know if bittersweet would describe that. I learn a lot too because many of the things that have gone on or happened under his umbrella of authority, I never knew of. So lots of times even on this interview I've learned incidents that are interesting or perhaps how something came about.

The legacies or the tributes that are paid to him might be more a need for people that are doing that. But when something good happens, either a funeral or wedding, sometimes individuals we feel good about participating in that. Probably at some point in time there will have been enough tributes. And we don't want to be so oversaturated that I won't be able to live with him. But I don't think that's the case. I think that each group he's gone to has shown a different aspect of what he's done. Not bittersweet at all. Sometimes I wonder if the expense and the time that people are putting in it. If perhaps that might be spent a little bit differently. But I think that truth, they're trying to express their feeling. And they have that right and it's wonderful.

I mean we're on the receiving end. We probably will never have this red carpet again. Well you know it's wonderful because he has. And you may say no, but you have done so many things for New Mexico. It must leave you feeling really good. I did the work I set out to do and I did it well. It must have a sense of pride and just you know the wonderful little heartfelt things. You know writing a personal letter that touched people's lives. Inspiring an intern who went on to be a governor of Arizona. It must be wonderful to know that you both have had an impact in people's lives. I wish I could take credit for having an impact on lots of people's lives. I would feel satisfied if I had a good impact even on my own kids. But for Pete what you say I'm certain is true. But like most of our memories we can't take that whole wide view

and just always keep remembering it. So as he has mementos and pictures of those things that have happened or maybe people telling him about it, I'm sure that it makes him feel good. But it also makes you feel good about the American public in general. Maybe just general people that there's a lot of good qualities. For everything that he has thought about doing, how many others have had to carry it out? Who wrote the letter? Who composed the letter? Who saw it happen in the first place so that someone else knows about writing a letter? So there's a tenfold of all the good things that have happened. What was the high point and the low point in the last 36 years? For you and for what you think with your husband? Again, memory doesn't do me well because there are a lot of high points.

There probably been a lot of low points. Probably the lowest point I can remember is when he lost the governor's race. I mean, it was a very sad night. I'd never been in a campaign. And it was sort of chaotic traveling around the state and doing things. And then all of a sudden when they announced the verdict, you're on the losing side. So I was very tearful that night. I can remember we only had a twin bed left for us to sleep in. Every other bed was taken. So we curled up with that and I was crying, but he went to sleep. So that governor's race as I remember it was a very low point. I think there's been a lot of nice wonderful plateaus, good experiences. I can't say them with a lot of certainty that there are the highest for myself. And I'd like to thank people for this.

I've been able to tag along on some of the trips that Pete has been able to go on. And I never will forget going to North Korea or East Russia. I mean, those were places when I didn't even know hardly where on the map. And the austerity of North Korea when we went there and the big dull buildings made out of cement and looking into the buildings where people lived. And you'd see the light bulb as their source of electricity and the one picture on the wall would be of their chairman. And seeing no birds, no dogs, no animals. They've always had spells of famine. So we were there when famine was striking again. But I mean, it was a real vision of something that always had been unreal to me. And East Russia, I thought it was Siberia. Well, I found out it's not. And to see the places where churches had been used for all different kinds of things

and only now starting to become back of houses of worship. Now, speaking of worship, did you accompany him to the funeral for Pope John Paul II? I did a little bit of that. Pope John came also to the White House and the president had a long reception for him. And I went with Pete. And because Pete's back was a little grouchy, we got to sit in chairs. And because Senator Kennedy's back was a little grouchy, we sent right beside him and his son Patrick. So we were very close when the Pope spoke and very close to see how warm he was. But luckily, his sister, Sister Mary Annella, came from Albuquerque. And she got to go to the mass and see the Pope speak there and really see one of her bosses. And which I think, and she was so enthused, it was wonderful.

Tell me about the USS Albuquerque. And you were involved with that, going to see that. Right. At that time, many years ago, I think we're talking about close to 30 years now in the 80s, perhaps. New Mexico didn't have a submarine name for it. And so there was, there are a lot of big carriers that are named and other ships that are named for cities. And this U.S. Albuquerque was one of the fast attack submarines. And somehow our other Pete probably put in his request that one boat could be named after Albuquerque. So many, many Albuquerque folks went up to Connecticut where it was launched. And we had a champagne bottle all wrapped in metal so the glass wouldn't fly away. And as the ship came out of the water before it had really had its first launching, I got to whack the champagne bottle on there along with the luhans were there.

And it was just wonderful. But the most warm spot about learning about submarines, particularly those small subs, they have torpedoes in them. And these young men, and they're all men, are usually 18 and 19. The lowest ranks sleep under and around the torpedoes. If they wanted to get quick up at night, they would be busting their heads. And they're out to see maybe three months, sometimes longer, not knowing that we're being protected. So the U.S. Albuquerque has served a long time. It's been revamped. It's had a lot of wonderful sailors on it. This is the last question. We only have about a minute. But what would you like to say to the people of New Mexico as your husband leaves office? Well, I owe them a big thank you. You never know where the road is going to go, right? And the road not taken.

But I had no idea what being a spouse of a senator would be, nor being a spouse of a senator from New Mexico. So my world was opened up from an Albuquerque, small environment, at Gondos schools of physical therapists, to this wide environment of government, I think I learned, and I hope we all learned, it's so complicated. There's no one quick answer to all the many problems. And there's lots of layers. So I owe a big thanks to the folks that have elected Pete over the years. They've contributed money to him. Folks like you in the news media have helped make knowledgeable, the vast things that go on in government, some good, some critical, which is fine. And I've met a lot of other people in the Washington type government that makes you really appreciate the time and effort that they've had to do. So mine's just a big thank you.

Thank you to you. You've been a wonderful interview today and main supporter for the senator. So our thanks to you. My pleasure, Carla. Thank you. Great. Thank you.