Deborah Niedermeyer writes:

I just spoke to Niilo on the phone. As I told him, since moving to Seattle I have missed him terribly.

Ever since I was a recent college graduate newly arrived in Fairbanks, Niilo has been a huge encouragement to me. He has always been supportive of my intellectual efforts, my political activism and ultimately my career as a political asylum and first amendment lawyer. Because my own parents, wonderful as they are, have never been particularly interested in any of these things, I am grateful to Niilo for being a kind of spare father-figure when I very much needed one.

Even though we’ve moved to Seattle, I am still relying on Niilo’s advice and opinion. He told me today that he thought Obama was our best choice for president. When Niilo’s political assessment of a situation is consistent with the way I myself have been thinking, I am pretty confident that I’m on the right track.

Onward!

–Deborah Niedermeyer

P.S. Brian and Luke send their love.