SteveRogers.info

Month: September 2005

  • Future Biography…

    I enjoy reading the memoirs or biographies of political personalities, specifically those of Americans.

    There are often little segments in which the biographer mentions during one event, another event that is related to something down the road.

    For example, in a Teddy Roosevelt biography I just read, TR met the main political hand for McKinley at a convention years before in passing. Then that man ended up being huge later on with TR eventually becoming his VP and then President after McKinley was killed.

    Or more recently with John Kerry. Richard Nixon hated Kerry and was mildly obsessed with him. He was terrified of what this veteran could do. Therefore, Nixon had John O’Neill (another vet) challenge Kerry and his claims about Vietnam. This was done on television in 1971 on The Dick Cavett Show. Kerry handled O’Neill quite well, and politically moved on. (However Nixon did get the better of Kerry when Kerry lost his Congressional race the following year, which Nixon followed closely.) The interesting ‘tid bit comes in when you think of an organization Mr. O’Niell founded in 2004: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth…

    These little things make a reader of a biographer sort of half-smile and think “the irony”.

    These stories are momentous for one reason, but prove more interesting for another. Well, today I worked for the US Government for the first time in an official fashion. I started interning for Russ Carnahan of the 3rd District of Missouri. Today also, across the street, John Roberts’ confirmation hearings started today. As pretentious and snotty as this sounds, it almost made me think: Will this day, if I ever do really get into politics, be marked in my biography as a significant day, which was more significant for another reason? I really don’t know, but it was an interesting thought to me today.

    Chapter 5
    “On September 12th, Chief Justice Roberts’ was undergoing his first day of Senate Judiciary hearings. On that same day, Rogers entered his first federal office building to report for work….”

    :eh: probably not, but who knows..

  • Gore in 2008

    I have told this story a number of times, and I just now actually wrote it well for a Billikens.com post. So I will post it here too….

    Everyone thinks that Gore is an out-there choice for 2008, and it may be…But, I think we should look at the following before we necessarily rule him out.

    Candidate A and Candidate B are running for President in #. Candidate B is the current VP. Candidate B struggles with being in the shadow and the impact of his popular predecessor (the current President who he is VP to). Candidate A wins with the help of a very contested election in State Z. Administration A (Candidate A) is immensely unpopular early in his term. There is a national crisis which Administration A handles well. Administration A is popular. Administration A starts getting significantly involved in a war abroad. Administration A suffers national tragedy. Administration A rides that sympathy/sentiment to re-election defeating a “poor choice” in Candidate B’s party in election #+4.

    Meanwhile, Candidate B suffers in the public eye. However, he starts reshaping his image over the years.

    Administration A suffers politcally because of the war they got involved in. The American people don’t see an end to the war. Candidate B decides to run for president again. Candidate B makes a comeback citing the good times of old when he was VP. Candidate B wins this time in November #+8.
    —–
    Now…Who’s story is this? It isn’t a prediction of the future…It happened. Here is the story again, with names.
    —–
    John Kennedy (Candidate A) and Richard Nixon (Candidate B) are running for President in 1960 (#). Nixon is the current VP. Nixon struggles with being in the shadow and the impact of his popular predecessor, Eisenhower (the current President who he is VP to). Kennedy wins with the help of a very contested election in Illinois (State Z). Kennedy (Administration A (Candidate A)) is immensely unpopular early in his term (Bay of Pigs). There is The Cuban Missile Crisis (national crisis which Kennedy Administration (Administration A) handles well. Kennedy Administration (Administration A) is popular. Kennedy Administration (Administration A) starts getting significantly involved in Vietnam, a war, abroad. Kennedy Administration (Administration A) suffers national tragedy (JFK’s Assasination). Johnson Adminstration (Administration A) rides that sympathy/sentiment to re-election defeating a “poor choice” in Republican (Candidate B’s) party in 1964 (#+4).

    Meanwhile, Richard Nixon (Candidate B) suffers in the public eye (Losing Gubernatorial Race in California). However, he starts reshaping his image over the years.

    Johnson Administration (Administration A) suffers politcally because of Vietnam (the war they got involved in). The American people don’t see an end to the war. Richard Nixon (Candidate B) decides to run for president again. Richard Nixon (Candidate B) makes a comeback citing the good times of old (gotta love the ’50s) when he was VP. Richard Nixon (Candidate B) wins this time in 1968.

    Now, let’s apply this to some more modern settings.
    George W. Bush (Candidate A) and Al Gore (Candidate B) are running for President in 2000. Al Gore (Candidate B) is the current VP. Al Gore (Candidate B) struggles with being in the shadow and the impact of his popular predecessor, Bill Clinton (the current President who he is VP to). Bush (Candidate A) wins with the help of a very contested election in Florida (State Z). The Bush Adminstration (Administration A (Candidate A)) is immensely unpopular early in his term. There is 9/11 (a national crisis) which the Bush Adminstration (Administration A) handles well. Bush Administration (Administration A) is popular. The Bush Administration (Administration A) starts getting significantly involved in Iraq (a war abroad). Bush Adminstration (Administration A) suffers national tragedy (Still Riding 9/11, War on Terror, and Iraq (i.e. Getting Saddam). Administration A rides that sympathy/sentiment to re-election defeating a “poor choice” in Gore’s (Candidate B’s) party in election 2004 (#+4).

    Meanwhile, Al Gore (Candidate B) suffers in the public eye (The Beard Phase, the Liberalness, Endorsing Dean). However, he starts reshaping his image over the years. (Anyone see that nice article about Katrina & Gore?)

    Bush Administration (Administration A) suffers politcally because of the war they got involved in. The American people don’t see an end to the war. Al Gore (Candidate B) decides to run for president again. Al Gore (Candidate B) makes a comeback citing the good times of old (gotta love the ’90s) when he was VP. Al Gore (Candidate B) wins this time in November 2008 (#+8).
    —–

  • Little worried.

    Probably for the first time in a while, I am actually concerned about whether I can handle the challenge that is in front of me. The parallels of my 3rd year of college to my 3rd year of High School are becoming scary.

    Junior year of High School, I had a part time job throughout the whole year; I was organizing myself to run for Youth Governor along with being involved with like 5 other clubs; I was taking 3 APs including AP Chem (the hardest class at KHS); and for those who know me, December 2001 was probably the most ridiculous month of my life.

    Now, entering my Junior year of College. I have an internship; I need to get my stuff together for the Truman Fellowship; I am taking a Graduate level PSC with a nice, but not easy Professor; I am also taking a history (which I want to take (US Hist, 1890-1945)) that is a boat load an half of reading, and I am taking another 2 respectable courses (Hist. of Modern China & PSC International Organizations). And I would be surprised if another December 2001 sort of popped on me at some time this year.

    Basically, I am not confident in my abilities for once. Not to be arrogant, but usually there is a challenge in front of me, it rarely daunts me. I am actually scared of what is in front of me.

    So far this weekend, I have read over 300 pages for a my US Hist. class, and I have read about 80 pages of PSC Journal Articles. I have about another 60 Journal Pages to read (I think, likely more) and a 130 page book to read (I have read it once, but I have to present questions for discussion on it, and I need to be on top of it).

    That reading is just for 2 classes, I have some more for 2 other classes, but nothing huge. However, those 2 and my other history are the “blow off” classes of the semester. Basically I have always had a class or two that just required some work/cramming before midterm and final, and I would get an A. However, those “cram” classes this semester are of the level of what I focused on in the past 2 years. Makes me scared when those 2 classes are taking a backseat… Plus, at least in HS I was fine getting a B, and now an A- hurts my Cumulative GPA, which I want to protect.

    But, thanks to my friends who have listened to me bitch this week. Since I have been a bit of a whiner, and they have listened when I just needed someone to listen (wow that is sappy). And sorry to those friends who I haven’t visited as much as I should. When I would be doing so usually, I know have my nose in a book as my roommates can attest to.

    We will see how this goes. I didn’t pull off the academics that well all throughout high school, but in college I have been significantly better. The other stuff went pretty well in HS…Will it in college as well? I rarely fail to meet my expectations…However, now there I have doubt.