| Big city dreams and an awe of politics landed Raphael Goodstein on Capitol Hill this summer.
He is working within the same historic and sometimes gilded buildings as congressmen, senators and the nation's leading activists.
He sees history in the making and operates within the very heart of American politics - a congressman's office.
Goodstein, a 1998 graduate of Carman-Ainsworth High School, is an intern for U.S. Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Flint.
It is not your typical summer job.
"Coming to work is pretty amazing. In a day I can meet people who work in (House Minority Leader) Dick Gephardt's office and then run over to (Sen. Carl) Levin's office," said Goodstein of Flint Township. "You walk around, and there are congressmen and senators walking around you. I have really enjoyed it."
Working in politics came naturally to Goodstein. His parents, Peter and Hanna, are active in local campaigns and his brother, Sam, worked for several summers as an intern in Washington.
"I was raised in politics," he said.
Goodstein will spend two months in the capital. He plans to return home Aug. 5 and then head back to school for his senior year at the University of Michigan, where he will cover football for the campus newspaper.
After a month on the job, he already has a coveted photo of himself poised next to former UM football coach Bo Schembechler, who was in Washington lobbying Congress to ban college gambling.
He also has attended events featuring newscaster Sam Donaldson, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
As part of his job, Goodstein gives tours to constituents vacationing in Washington, researches current issues, opens mail and runs errands.
"I think it is a little bit less glamorous than I thought it would be," Goodstein said. "You don't start out on the floor, casting votes in the Senate. You start by opening the mail."
He typically works 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and is taking a weekly three-hour class offered by UM in Washington. After work, there are sometimes receptions hosted by lobbyist groups that he is eligible to attend as a staffer.
And he sings Kildee's praises.
"He has been great to me," Goodstein said. "A lot of other people I've met have never even spoken with their rep. On Fridays, we have lunch with the whole staff. I don't think there are too many congressmen that would eat with their staff. He's very humble."
Goodstein also is lucky because he gets paid. Most interns work on a volunteer basis.
The money is, well, nothing to write home about but the experience is priceless, Goodstein said.
He found a new personal independence by starting over again in a new place, making friends and enjoying life, he said.
"I don't know how to describe it. I've learned a lot," Goodstein said. "It's been a great experience."
Marjory Raymer covers politics. She can be reached at (810) 766-6325 or mraymer@flintjournal.com. | 
