Thursday, May 24, 2007

Open Query

Suppose you had a chance to volunteer for the campaign of a Presidential candidate, because you knew someone involved in the campaign. You weren't wild about the candidate, but maybe of the top names in the running, you liked this guy the best.

Would you do it? What if the guy you really liked was such a dark horse he wouldn't realistically have a chance?
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Warning: The following post is completely off-subject, but important nonetheless.

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 26, is the 100th birthday of the greatest movie star that ever lived. The man who for 25 straight years was on the list of the top 10 box office attractions (a feat no one else has even come close to). TiVo's weekly list of the 10 most requested movie stars almost always includes him.

Hoist a glass of cold buttermilk to John Wayne, folks.

11:17 AM
Anonymous said...

Consider it hoisted, Here's to Marion Morrison.

12:57 PM
Anonymous said...

Mr. Hamilton,
As regards your query, Is there a chance that you will be afforded personal contact with the candidate that you could use to educate him as to your true positions and why you hold them?

That might be worth the compromise in principle.

Otherwise, one might think that if you are worthy enough to be asked to work for one campaign, might you not be the tipping point for the dark horse candidate to which you refer, if you elected to work for them instead?

Also, as you have reservations about the candidate to whom you refer, how will you feel later, if your reservations prove to be well founded and you had a part in putting him into office?

And of course the bottom line is can you live with yourself if you do?

1:05 PM
Michael Tams said...

Happy Birthday, Pilgrim.

Mom: possibly.

Also, this could be an opportunity that might lead to personal opportunities for myself.

I don't think that one volunteer could take a second-tier candidate to the first tier, unless that volunteer was a big hitter in the party. As of now, I'm nothing of the sort.

I suppose the nature of compromise is just that - in order to make things happen, how willing are you to hold the line on your principles? And what if by compromising on something relatively minor, you were put in a position to get your principles put into practice?

Here's a hypothetical (not the facts, but you'll get the idea): suppose my State Rep was going to be the McCain for President State Chairman and I could work for him on the campaign. I'd get valuable experience in working on a campaign; and I might turn possible success into personal gain in the form of state-wide experience and recognition.

Now, it's not my rep, and it's not McCain, but you get the idea.

-AH

4:34 PM
Anonymous said...

"Also, as you have reservations about the candidate to whom you refer, how will you feel later, if your reservations prove to be well founded and you had a part in putting him into office?

And of course the bottom line is can you live with yourself if you do? "

6:20 PM
Anonymous said...

Would you be able to give your best efforts for a candidate about whom you had reservations?

I think if I had an opportunity to work for Alan Keyes, I'd do it regardless of the fact that I don't think he'll ever be president. I have no reservations about that man at all.

9:50 AM
Michael Tams said...

Yeah, I know. Y'all are right. Might not even be a real opportunity, so I'll deal with any dilemma once and if it's an actual dilemma.

-AH

4:36 PM
Terry Morris said...

"I have no reservations about that man at all."

Amen!

8:30 PM
Terry Morris said...

There is the possibility that you'd end up having to clean up after yourself later on down the road if indeed you did work for a candidate you're not completely sold on.

I ain't saying that you're gonna agree with every position of any candidate, of course, or that the electorate is necessarily going to hold you accountable for backing a candidate that takes a position contrary to yours (or their's) on federalism for instance. Nonetheless one has to be careful about whom and what they pledge, or effectively pledge their full support to.

And here again, personally I'd have absolutely no reservations about supporting Alan Keyes with my very best efforts...despite, as Hargis says, the fact that he'll never be elected President in all likelihood.

BTW, Hargis, there's an exception to your rule, or the closest thing to an exception we're ever gonna get -that people don't seek the presidency for purely selfless reasons.

6:17 AM

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