I could just cry. Ginger is no longer an active member of SuicideGirls.com? This is a travesty! An injustice! A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY! Well, at least we have those two photosets by which to remember her incredible beauty.
___
Well, this weekend I learned something about myself that, well, kind of bothered me. Apparently, I'm not as honest and principled a guy as I'd like to pretend I am.
It all happened on Saturday. As I alluded to earlier (I think), I went to a Republican Party meeting. Anyone who really knows me will realize what a shocking move THAT was, but I, of course, had my own ulterior motives at heart for doing so. See, the current front-runner for Fritz Hollings's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat just happens to be a Republican, former Governor David Beasley. And, while I don't agree with him on EVERYTHING (how could I, right?) I do have a lot of respect for the man...
...quite possibly because I actually know him. He and I have crossed paths numerous times since his first gubernatorial run in 1994 and we've always been pretty impressed with each other. So, I was thinking, his election could be a very good thing for me. I'm going to be graduating from USC soon with a political science degree, and having a friend in the United States Senate...well, do I have to spell it out for you?
So I went to see him Saturday and hit him up for a job. He, in typical "Uncle Dave" fashion, reminded me that he's actually got to get ELECTED first, but that I should give him a call as soon as I get that degree nonetheless.
But there's a problem...and his name is Mark McBride.
Mark McBride, for those of y'all who don't know, is the mayor of Myrtle Beach, SC. Yes, he's a Republican too, but he's one who REALLY impressed me. He's one of those few Republicans who'll openly say, at a Republican meeting no less, that he actually disagrees with the President on certain issues...issues that I really care about myself, like tort reform, education reform, and, most compellingly, our trade policy. He roundly denounced the current campaign finance system and vowed never to 'prostitute' himself out to the special interests to fund his campaign. This is a man with real plan, real convictions, and a positive vision of the future that, while not perfect, is still vastly superior to the ones offered up by most of the losers that our state has been sending to Washington the last few decades.
So now you understand my conundrum. In a perfect world, I could be an enthusiastic, unapologetic Mark McBride supporter. And I still may sign on with him, really. If I were to accept a position in the McBride campaign, and he managed to pull off the upset, I'd certainly be a shoo-in for a position on his Senate staff.
But realistically....
His campaign still has problems. Even he will admit he's an awful fund-raiser. No funds means no advertisements. No advertisements means no recognition, no recognition means no votes. He's got the message, but how will he ever be able to get it out to the general public? Certainly there are plenty of people out there like me, who are equally as impressed with the man and the message, who would be willing to help get the word out...but this kind of grassroots campaigning can only take a candidate so far. (Just ask Howard Dean.)
So, though he may be my second choice, the smart money is still on "Uncle Dave." He's got the message, the name recognition, the MONEY, and he's a dyed-in-the-wool member of the Party that has a stranglehold on politics in this state.
So, with the rules of the political game being what they are, I've come to terms with the fact that I'll probably have to eventually sell out everything I actually believe in to advance my own career.
So be it. See you in 2006, Uncle Dave!
___
Well, this weekend I learned something about myself that, well, kind of bothered me. Apparently, I'm not as honest and principled a guy as I'd like to pretend I am.
It all happened on Saturday. As I alluded to earlier (I think), I went to a Republican Party meeting. Anyone who really knows me will realize what a shocking move THAT was, but I, of course, had my own ulterior motives at heart for doing so. See, the current front-runner for Fritz Hollings's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat just happens to be a Republican, former Governor David Beasley. And, while I don't agree with him on EVERYTHING (how could I, right?) I do have a lot of respect for the man...
...quite possibly because I actually know him. He and I have crossed paths numerous times since his first gubernatorial run in 1994 and we've always been pretty impressed with each other. So, I was thinking, his election could be a very good thing for me. I'm going to be graduating from USC soon with a political science degree, and having a friend in the United States Senate...well, do I have to spell it out for you?
So I went to see him Saturday and hit him up for a job. He, in typical "Uncle Dave" fashion, reminded me that he's actually got to get ELECTED first, but that I should give him a call as soon as I get that degree nonetheless.
But there's a problem...and his name is Mark McBride.
Mark McBride, for those of y'all who don't know, is the mayor of Myrtle Beach, SC. Yes, he's a Republican too, but he's one who REALLY impressed me. He's one of those few Republicans who'll openly say, at a Republican meeting no less, that he actually disagrees with the President on certain issues...issues that I really care about myself, like tort reform, education reform, and, most compellingly, our trade policy. He roundly denounced the current campaign finance system and vowed never to 'prostitute' himself out to the special interests to fund his campaign. This is a man with real plan, real convictions, and a positive vision of the future that, while not perfect, is still vastly superior to the ones offered up by most of the losers that our state has been sending to Washington the last few decades.
So now you understand my conundrum. In a perfect world, I could be an enthusiastic, unapologetic Mark McBride supporter. And I still may sign on with him, really. If I were to accept a position in the McBride campaign, and he managed to pull off the upset, I'd certainly be a shoo-in for a position on his Senate staff.
But realistically....
His campaign still has problems. Even he will admit he's an awful fund-raiser. No funds means no advertisements. No advertisements means no recognition, no recognition means no votes. He's got the message, but how will he ever be able to get it out to the general public? Certainly there are plenty of people out there like me, who are equally as impressed with the man and the message, who would be willing to help get the word out...but this kind of grassroots campaigning can only take a candidate so far. (Just ask Howard Dean.)
So, though he may be my second choice, the smart money is still on "Uncle Dave." He's got the message, the name recognition, the MONEY, and he's a dyed-in-the-wool member of the Party that has a stranglehold on politics in this state.
So, with the rules of the political game being what they are, I've come to terms with the fact that I'll probably have to eventually sell out everything I actually believe in to advance my own career.
So be it. See you in 2006, Uncle Dave!
I think I'm gonna be waiting until I can get together with my photo guy and take some more pics.....they would be better quality than the ones I already have and they would have more of a theme to them.....I think that would be better to send (ie I'd have more personality and attitude in them)