“And now the ideas and the ideals which he so nobly represented must and will be translated into effective action.”

Those words could have been spoken by a eulogist for Senator John McCain. They were not.

They come from President Lyndon Johnson’s first address to the Congress – on November 27, 1963.

We could be at a similar moment today.

Will our elected officials use this opportunity to advance the “ideas and ideals” of a fallen leader?

Years of gridlock and the approaching elections make that unlikely in Washington.

What then can we do in Annapolis?

I’ve reached across the aisle before.

During my first term in the House of Delegates, I worked with pro-choice and pro-life legislators to increase funding for family planning.

After Freddie Gray’s death, I had discussions with a Republican colleague, but our alliance floundered because family planning was now linked to Planned Parenthood.

This week, I’ve started thinking about where I might find common ground on encouraging people to follow John McCain’s career path of public service.

I will let you know what happens.