Raise the Hammer

That's what I thought. Radio personality, public image and all...a sign for him just popped up on a lawn down the street...I have only had to prevent myself from making a cheap looking kite a couple of times.

I have to admit I like the campaigning aspect. I don't know what it is, but there's something about having a candidate (respectfully) offer you their time and tell you what they're about. After which, I/we usually spend a few moments picking apart the conversation.

I find sometimes, though, a candidate might do worse for themselves by talking to people. Sometimes being the key word.

Mer and I were at the amazingly super-tastic SuperCrawl and happened to walk by the window where James Novak(sp?) has his campaign material. I asked who this guy was and she mentioned that despite a lot of words on a piece of bristol board (or something of higher quality...) that it said nothing about what his positions/opinions were on certain things.

Luckily he was standing just out of peripheral to swoop in and .not. answer any questions we had. I find it difficult not to openly speak my mind in such circumstances. We asked about his material and his choice of how and why he put together the material present. His answer was simply that he wanted to establish that he had been around a while and was respected and respectable and all the good traits people wish they had.

He then spent the next 5 minutes down-talking Matt Jelly and his campaign manager, at which point Larry DiIanni came and shook our hands (it was unavoidable...awkward, and cowardly on my part to be honest...to not tell him where I thought his campaign material belonged)

It's amazing how much attention people will pay to make their written image seem as something, and perhaps enhance their physical image as well. But when you get down to it and talk to people, it's pretty easy to see who's talking with tuna salad in their mouth, and who genuinely believes what they're gunning for and how they think they'll get it, and the career politicians who have more control over their facial expressions and reactions than pro poker players.

One of the reasons I like mayor Fred to be honest. You can see very clearly the frustration he has at some Council Meetings. And it's not a manufactured irritation to make it appear as though you're invested in a topic or situation when really you could care less...it's genuine. (either that, or he is SO good I haven't yet seen through him) But I doubt that to be the case.