Just What Doctor Ordered

“Well, Doctor,” I said, “who wouldn’t want to get married?” I thought it was clever; apparently, so did he. With a hearty chuckle he replied, “Well, we’ve got a sassy one here, don’t we?” That meeting proved to me that Doctor was not bombastic, egotistical or a religious fanatic, as he is usually portrayed, but someone much different.

In the fall of 2002, I took a semester off from college in Ohio and spent it studying at the nonprofit Focus on the Family Institute, a leadership program in Colorado Springs, Colo. To my surprise, I was awarded the only internship position in the Office of the President.

Surrounded by three secretaries who manage his demanding schedule, and a security guard who accompanies him around the building and on most trips, Doctor works on the third floor of the executive wing in a corner office with a view of Pikes Peak—an area that requires a special pass or an escort to enter. That semester, I regularly met with my supervisor, Paul Batura—author, researcher extraordinaire and Doctor’s right-hand man—whose office was only a few feet from Doctor’s.

Since Doctor refuses to use the Internet (with the exception of e-mail) and can be overwhelmed by too much information, Paul and I searched—thanks in part to Fox News Channel—through top news stories, best-selling books, current magazines and recent radio talk shows for anything relevant to Doctor’s pet topics: public policy and family issues. Knowing he’s a meticulous perfectionist (it’s not uncommon for his monthly newsletter to go through 25 drafts) who frequently loses interest by the fourth sentence unless the work is compelling, I attempted to compile information the way Doctor preferred: in short, succinct paragraph form, so he could quickly be briefed for his upcoming television and radio appearances. Occasionally, Doctor would interrupt Paul and me through the antiquated office intercom; or, if I were fortunate (at Focus, we’d say “blessed”), he’d poke his head in the doorway and speak to us in person.

On his radio broadcast, Doctor comes across as a warm father figure; on political talk shows, he acts more like a right-wing commentator. In person, while he shows traits of both, Doctor behaved more like a seasoned businessman, providing guidance on my research project for his upcoming book Bringing Up Girls in a fervid and assertive style that seemed more boss than preacher. I completed my internship that fall excited not as much by my assignments as by my few surprising and enlightening encounters with Doctor himself.

Per Doctor’s advice, Nicole Russell did get married, and now lives with her husband in Arlington, Va., where she is a freelance writer.