So you thought you wanted to be a politician? by SoupCatcher

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

So you thought you wanted to be a politician?

POSTED BY: SOUPCATCHER
UPDATED: Saturday, September 4, 2004 07:50
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Thursday, September 2, 2004 2:32 PM

Some rambling thoughts. Due to my growing interest in politics, I’ve floated around the idea of actually tossing my hat into the ring and running for local office. I’ve never taken this beyond the level of fantasy for a number of different reasons, the least consequential of these being that I really don’t feel like subjecting my past (specifically my undergraduate years) to close scrutiny. This really wouldn’t come into play at the local level and probably wouldn’t even be an issue until the federal level. But it got me thinking: would I have done things differently if I planned on a career in politics? Do people who are planning to enter a career in politics actually think about their actions in this way? “Well, I really would like to do that, but if the opposing campaign ever got their hand on this video footage my campaign would be sunk, so I better just pass.”

And then I saw this video clip. And it really helped me revise my opinion of what you can actually get away with on camera. I feel a little context on the clip is necessary. This was shot by the local ABC affiliate in New York during the early days of the convention. Andrew Card was giving a speech to a group of young Republicans as part of the days activities. From the empty seats in the background it looked like a nice intimate gathering of the future of the party; a chance to meet and greet and inspire the next generation of leaders in the movement. Well, some other folks thought this was a perfect opportunity to protest. Now let me state right off the bat that this isn’t my cup of tea. If I’m going to protest something I try to get together with a group of like minded individuals and take to the streets. I’ve never seen much advantage in going into a hostile environment outnumbered to scream and yell. I fail to see how any good can come of such actions. But back to the story. Eleven people somehow obtained credentials and smuggled signs onto the convention floor. During the speech they peeled off an outer layer of clothing and started blowing whistles and yelling against Bush’s policies on AIDS. This resulted in something of a scrum, much pushing and yelling and counter-waving of signs. During the confusion one young man from Wisconsin took a blow to the head. The protestors were taken out and arrested, one of them for assault.

All well and good. The camera operator got some nice footage. In the middle of all this, one protestor is dragged to the ground. And then a young man proceeds to deliver a nice kick to her while she’s down. Okay. That was kind of cold. But I guess you get one cheap shot in the heat of the moment. But the only thing that stops this guy from doing it again is a suit on the security detail who actually has to bull him out of the way. Afterwards, the reporter goes and interviews the kicker and asks him point blank if he kicked a protestor while she was down. The guy just looks into the camera and says that he doesn’t think he did that. And there I had my answer. If someone who goes to a political convention can actually kick someone while they’re on the ground, on camera, and then deny it immediately afterward, then I have no worries about anything I’ve done in the past. I may have done some stupid things but nothing that compares to that.

So I feel much better now. Maybe I will revisit that career in politics.

[Here’s the link to the video that the local affiliate shot. I have been told that it is NOT Mac friendly but I haven’t verified that with the old PowerPC. All I know is that it works fine on WindowsXP. I've actually split the link in two just so the margins of this thread aren't outrageously large. Cut and paste together.]:

http://ww2.7online.com/global/video/WorldNowASX.asp?playerType=native&
ClipID1=247870&h1
=Headline&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=111867&activePane=info&playerVersion=6

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

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Thursday, September 2, 2004 2:54 PM

SUCCATASH

Very interesting. In all fairness, I couldn't really see him kick the girl. The camera was on his back, not his legs. I may have to watch that again....

"Gott kann dich nicht vor mir beschuetzen, weil ich nicht boese bin."

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Thursday, September 2, 2004 5:36 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

A career in politics?
Well, you seem like a sane person, and we could use some sane politicians.

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Thursday, September 2, 2004 6:13 PM

THEGREYJEDI

In time, you will all call me Iustis Augustus Pius, Caeser Americana!

--------------------------------------------------
http://tomeofgrey.blogspot.com

http://www.jed-soft.com Gamer Rigs, Budget Prices

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Thursday, September 2, 2004 11:02 PM

SOUPCATCHER

Quote:
Originally posted by rue:
A career in politics?
Well, you seem like a sane person, and we could use some sane politicians.

Well thanks for the compliment but I'm definitely not planning a career in politics. At least not in the near future. It's only something I ponder when the research on the graduate degree isn't going well

.

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

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Thursday, September 2, 2004 11:48 PM

HOTPOINT

I ran for local office once back in the mid-nineties. Electioneering is surprisingly hard work mainly due to all the complete idiots you have to deal with.

Scuffles between opposing groups are more common than you'd think at the sharp end of politics. I've been threatened by the Hard Left for being a "Fascist" and jostled by the Right... for being a "Red"

Oh yes. I didn't actually win the election... all those handshakes and insincere smiles at ranting lunatics for nothing

...................................
Hurrah, hurrah, when things are at their worst
With cries of “Death or Glory” comes the mighty Twenty-First

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Friday, September 3, 2004 12:47 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.

Oh yeah, I can see me getting into office with my charming and winning ways.... NOT!!

But, I'll vote for you and Rue if you want! How about you guys run for Prez and VP???

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Friday, September 3, 2004 9:14 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Well, we all have our 'great moments'.
As a side note, the idea of public office sounds like a level of hell to me, severe introvert that I am. But Soupcatcher on the other hand ...

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Saturday, September 4, 2004 12:12 AM

SOUPCATCHER

I'm with you on the introvert part, Rue. It's just that I have this built in desire to fix things. It must be the engineer in me. Every so often you'll find one of us in politics.

*shuffles feet*
*looks the other way*
*whistles*

Herbert Hoover.

Okay. So maybe engineers aren't cut out for public service

.

In all fairness, he did great things with famine relief in Europe. Hunger in the US, not so much.

Hotpoint, good to hear that you actually gave it a shot. Sorry it didn't work out. One of the main reasons that I have never taken this beyond the realm of fantasy is that I just don't want to run towards a bureaucracy.

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

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Saturday, September 4, 2004 7:50 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

Jimmy Carter - nuclear engineer.

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