David Carlin, the son of former Kansas Gov. John Carlin, was an intern in Slattery’s office under Anderson. He described her has having a “larger-than-life personality.”
“She always gives you a great, big hug,” said Carlin, now a lawyer in D.C. “That’s something that typically doesn’t happen on the Hill.”
For Naylor, the most important thing he learned from four years of working with Anderson was to always be nice to people. Kindness, Anderson likes to say, gets you everywhere.
“She’ll call up the superintendent’s office with a request, and it’s here in five minutes,” he said. “When she’s walking around the hallway, everyone calls her Miss Carolyn or Miss Kansas.”
At Naylor’s description, Anderson just laughs and says, “I guess they just have respect for me.”
When Naylor walked into Moore’s office during August recess four years ago, he remembers her poking her head over the top of her desk, asking him if he was all right and if he needed anything.
Now, he calls her his “D.C. mom” and he’s her “kid on the side.”
Those are the kinds of relationships she developed over the years. She keeps in contact with Slattery and his family, as well as interns and other staffers she’s worked with over years.
And it’s paid off. Between the years that Slattery left Congress and Moore was elected, she worked for former Rep. Karen McCarthy (D-Mo.).
Howard Bauleke, who had worked in both Slattery’s and McCarthy’s office, became Moore’s chief of staff and suggested Anderson apply for a job in the Representative’s office. Years of working with Bauleke had taught Anderson one thing: They got along well. In fact, their famed banter and jokes about being a married couple continue to this day.
In addition, he got her back to working for the Kansas delegation, something she has enjoyed and will miss in her retirement.
Moore, a law school friend of Slattery’s, hadn’t known about Anderson and her reputation until she started working for him. But he’s glad he hired her.
“If there’s one thing I can say is my favorite thing about Miss Kansas, it’s her smile,” he said. “Whenever you walk in the door, she always has this big smile on her face.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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