Meeting Presidential Candidates
January 7, 2008 5:34 PM Subscribe
There are some brief mentions here on the Green of MeFi members meeting Barack Obama - are there any members who have met him at any length, maybe former students or campaign workers or the like?
Similarly, have any members met other candidates on either the Democrat or Republican sides? What were they like, as people as well as politicians?
I have no real reason for asking, just curiosity and an attempt to try and get an idea of what they're like beyond the media stories and articles.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Chatfilter. -- cortex
Seconding chatfilter.
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:47 PM on January 7, 2008
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:47 PM on January 7, 2008
Response by poster: Mods, delete if you see fit!
It's not chatfilter, imho, just an attempt by a non-American to find out something on a more personal level about the candidates in the primaries.
posted by tomcosgrave at 5:52 PM on January 7, 2008
It's not chatfilter, imho, just an attempt by a non-American to find out something on a more personal level about the candidates in the primaries.
posted by tomcosgrave at 5:52 PM on January 7, 2008
... are there any members who have met him at any length, maybe former students or campaign workers or the like?
Seems OK to me.
Anyway: My cousin met Hillary Clinton at a big green construction project he managed in Golden Gate Park. It was a big PR thing with Mayor Newsom, &c., and he totally wasn't that interested because they are wrapping up his phase and the whole deal with the Secret Service and wasting time shutting down the site was annoying. He got dragged into a photo op situation, and then Senator Clinton started discussing the project one on one with him. He was surprised at how warm and genuine she was, and her knowledge of the project and green building .
He's not convinced he's going to vote for her now or anything like that, but he was definitely struck by how much more real, intelligent, and interesting she seemed compared to the impression he had from her political persona.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:59 PM on January 7, 2008
Seems OK to me.
Anyway: My cousin met Hillary Clinton at a big green construction project he managed in Golden Gate Park. It was a big PR thing with Mayor Newsom, &c., and he totally wasn't that interested because they are wrapping up his phase and the whole deal with the Secret Service and wasting time shutting down the site was annoying. He got dragged into a photo op situation, and then Senator Clinton started discussing the project one on one with him. He was surprised at how warm and genuine she was, and her knowledge of the project and green building .
He's not convinced he's going to vote for her now or anything like that, but he was definitely struck by how much more real, intelligent, and interesting she seemed compared to the impression he had from her political persona.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:59 PM on January 7, 2008
I was a Senate page for Strom Thurmond in 1996 and he was like an animatronic mummy that was propped up and given things to say by staffers. He went on to serve in the Senate for another seven years.
posted by ND¢ at 6:00 PM on January 7, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by ND¢ at 6:00 PM on January 7, 2008 [2 favorites]
It's a closer link than it sounds, but my cousin's boyfriend interviewed him. He said that, while he was entirely cordial, he's not as "fired up" as he is when talking to a crowd.
As far as "get an idea of what they're like beyond the media stories and articles," he's written two books, which give a lot of insight--more than I'd be comfortable providing if I were a politican--into his life, especially his childhood.
FWIW, I haven't met him in person, but, living in NH, I've seen him speak several times in the past few weeks. It was great, but then again, I'm completely enamored with him, so I may be biased.
posted by fogster at 6:04 PM on January 7, 2008
As far as "get an idea of what they're like beyond the media stories and articles," he's written two books, which give a lot of insight--more than I'd be comfortable providing if I were a politican--into his life, especially his childhood.
FWIW, I haven't met him in person, but, living in NH, I've seen him speak several times in the past few weeks. It was great, but then again, I'm completely enamored with him, so I may be biased.
posted by fogster at 6:04 PM on January 7, 2008
I worked for Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. on his security detail in the mid-90s. I have never met a man more committed and unwavering when dealing with the public or in crisis situations. Despite his amazing travel itinerary and the amount of work he did/does, I never ONCE saw him off his game. The guy is amazing. I remember thinking at the time that he would have kicked ass as a President.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:07 PM on January 7, 2008
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:07 PM on January 7, 2008
Jerry Brown (former Governor and current AG of California) called me once after dialing a wrong number while he was running in his most recent campaign. He literally spent 5 minutes talking to me about what I was doing and small talk that that. Then he put me on the phone with his wife, who was equally pleasant. You're goddamned right I voted for him after that.
Much nicer than Al Franken, who seemed kind of like a dick, actually, when he called.
posted by dhammond at 6:12 PM on January 7, 2008
Much nicer than Al Franken, who seemed kind of like a dick, actually, when he called.
posted by dhammond at 6:12 PM on January 7, 2008
[Jesse Jackson] is amazing. I remember thinking at the time that he would have kicked ass as a President.
This confirms my observation that, a lot of times, very controversial and easily-caricatured public figures are often much more impressive and deep in person than their public caricature would lead you to believe. I think that, to function comfortably in the public eye for so long, requires these people to have (or at least develop) very effective personal communications skills that are given short shrift in the media portrayals of them.
posted by jayder at 6:17 PM on January 7, 2008
This confirms my observation that, a lot of times, very controversial and easily-caricatured public figures are often much more impressive and deep in person than their public caricature would lead you to believe. I think that, to function comfortably in the public eye for so long, requires these people to have (or at least develop) very effective personal communications skills that are given short shrift in the media portrayals of them.
posted by jayder at 6:17 PM on January 7, 2008
A third-hand Obama anecdote that has greatly impressed me, a Classics grad student:
A friend of a friend met Obama at a fund-raising party in Chicago back when he was running for the Senate. "What do you do?" asked Obama.
"I'm a student," replied the friend.
"And what do you study?"
"Classics."
"No, what do you study?" repeated Obama, slightly insistently.
"Oh, Vergil," said the friend (in the way that I think a lot of academics do when they find out someone's actually interested in their studies).
"So: Georgics? Eclogues? The Aeneid?"
I know the guy's well-educated, but the fact that he knows the major works of Vergil and actually flaunts that knowledge??? Wow.
posted by Bromius at 6:17 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
A friend of a friend met Obama at a fund-raising party in Chicago back when he was running for the Senate. "What do you do?" asked Obama.
"I'm a student," replied the friend.
"And what do you study?"
"Classics."
"No, what do you study?" repeated Obama, slightly insistently.
"Oh, Vergil," said the friend (in the way that I think a lot of academics do when they find out someone's actually interested in their studies).
"So: Georgics? Eclogues? The Aeneid?"
I know the guy's well-educated, but the fact that he knows the major works of Vergil and actually flaunts that knowledge??? Wow.
posted by Bromius at 6:17 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm sorry. I forgot my manners, and my earlier comment did not reflect my Southern upbringing. Do y'all mind if I amend my earlier comment to now state:
I was a Senate page for Strom Thurmond in 1996 and, bless his heart, he was like an animatronic mummy that was propped up and given things to say by staffers. He went on to serve in the Senate for another seven years.
Thanks.
posted by ND¢ at 6:34 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I was a Senate page for Strom Thurmond in 1996 and, bless his heart, he was like an animatronic mummy that was propped up and given things to say by staffers. He went on to serve in the Senate for another seven years.
Thanks.
posted by ND¢ at 6:34 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:43 PM on January 7, 2008