Published: January 19, 2009 11:06 pm      

INAUGURATION: History hits home for Wojtaszeks

County GOP chairman won’t be making trip with wife

Each year around election time the Wojtaszek home in North Tonawanda becomes a house divided of sorts.

On one side of the political aisle is wife Caroline, a proud, lifelong Democrat who once did an internship in the Capitol Hill office of a New York Democrat, U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel.

On the other side is husband, Henry, an equally proud Republican who not only serves as head of the Niagara County GOP but is also the party’s designated leader upstate.

Year after year, the pair have engaged in lengthy debates over political philosophies, preferred candidates and poll numbers.

And then came 2008.

John McCain versus Barack Obama. Sarah Palin versus Joe Biden. A presidential election of historic proportions that caused a lot of Americans — the Wojtaszeks included — to raise the intensity level on their once agreeable political disagreements.

“Before this election, it was always something that we politely disagreed on,” Henry said. “This election season was pretty tough. When it was over, we were both kind of relieved. We didn’t have to argue about it anymore.”

The Wojtaszeks have been carrying on civilized battles over politics as husband and wife for 10 years now. They actually met 13 years ago at the urging of one of Henry’s relatives. While it became apparent to her from their first meeting that the two had very different political values, Caroline said those differences have led to a lot of interesting discussions and debates over the years.

Of course, their respective political leanings do create some awkward moments. Henry, for example, often needs to use his wife’s minivan to shuttle their three children from place to place. The problem for him: There’s an Obama bumper sticker on the back of the van.

“He asked me to please just take it off,” Caroline said. “He said ‘I am the chairman of the party and I can’t be seen with this.’ ”

The sticker is still there.

Lawyers by trade, the Wojtaszeks know a few things about presenting good arguments. Caroline works as an assistant attorney in the county’s District Attorney’s office. Henry is an associate with Harris Beach, a high-profile law firm representing public and private clients statewide.

Both said they found themselves debating the same issues discussed by the candidates themselves this year.

Caroline said things got more heated when McCain chose Palin as his running mate. According to Caroline, disagreements about Palin’s qualifications caused the Wojtaszeks to break one of their cardinal rules: Thou shall not go to bed angry.

“We still fight about her,” Caroline quipped.

For now, the bickering has subsided and Caroline is happily celebrating the Democrats’ big win. Caroline left Sunday for Washington, D.C. where she plans to take in today’s inauguration festivities with her brother, David Hooper. Oddly enough, Caroline got her tickets to the big event through the office of U.S. Rep. Chris Lee, a Republican heavily supported by her husband.

While Obama’s win gave her some bragging rights at home, Caroline said she’s more excited about what the election means for the rest of the country.

“It doesn’t hurt to have a president that really does inspire the average people to believe that there is going to be a better way forward,” Caroline said.

As for Henry’s inauguration day plans: “He’s going to stay home and take care of the kids, which is what I always do whenever he goes to his Republican functions,” she said.

Caroline hardly had to twist his arm.

“She certainly wanted to be there and I thought she’d enjoy the company of another Democrat, her brother,” Henry said.

Of course, every new election season offers another opportunity for one side to get the better of the other and it’s never too early for a top GOP strategist to start thinking about the future, including 2012.

For now, though, Henry said he’s happy for his wife and interested to see how well Obama lives up to all the hype.

“I’m certainly going to be a part of the loyal opposition,” he said.