Bush & the Governor from the West
Published Aug 15, 2000
It was the spring of 1998 and the scene was the swank Beverly Hills Hotel -- across the street from where pop star George Michael had recently been arrested for allegedly soliciting sex from an undercover officer. Our group of entertainment executives gathered there regularly to hear from political leaders. That day, 300 of us assembled to hear from an up and coming governor named George W. Bush.
The number of attendees alone was the first clue that this was not just any politician. A recent speech by North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan had been held around a hotel conference table when it became apparent that the Senator lacked drawing power.
By contrast, in the audience this day were notable Hollywood big shots like Oliver Stone, David Lynch and Erik Estrada -- (OK, maybe they weren't ALL big shots.) There were conservatives, liberals and moderates there that day, or, by the standards of the rest of the country, (this is Hollywood after all) they were actually moderates, liberals and far-left liberals. This was not the type of crowd eager to hear moralizing on the part of the Governor of Texas.
But that's exactly the message that Bush delivered that day to the shock of some in the assembled crowd. After mildly chastising Hollywood for some of the work it produces, Bush dropped this bomb on the crowd. "The best social policy we can have is for every person to have one lifetime sexual partner."
I remember looking around the room and seeing a look of shock on many faces and hearing a few murmurs in the back. Had he just said what I thought he said? Had he really ventured into a town twenty miles away from the San Fernando valley where most of the world's porn is produced and advocated lifelong monogamy as the solution to America's social pathologies? That was when I realized that this was not your parents' George Bush.
Ronald Reagan's son may have squandered a political legacy by escaping to Seattle and choosing detached cynicism over his father's brand of passionate advocacy. But hearing George W. Bush speak that day, one could be forgiven for thinking it was Ronald Reagan's offspring speaking and not the son of his Vice President.
In addition to the moralizing which brought to mind any number of Reagan sermons, Bush responded to specific questions from the audience by saying that he didn't know the details because he was a big picture guy who came up with broad outlines to be implemented by others.
Where had I heard that line before? It was from 1980 of course when Reagan found himself running against an incumbent president who was famous for knowing who was playing when on the White House tennis court.
In short, Bush's capturing of the Republican nomination and recent surge in the polls has happened in spite of his famous name and association with his father and not because of it. The moment he loses sight of that fact, his campaign is in serious trouble.
Clearly George W. Bush is running a strong race for president and the odds are greater than 50/50 that he will be raising his right hand to take the oath of office next January. He seems to enjoy a close friendship with his father and this is commendable. But just as victorious Roman generals were once paraded down city streets with an aide whose job was to whisper in their ears "remember you are human," so also an aide should be dispatched to the nominee. Bush should be reminded that he is earning the votes of millions of Americans because he reminds them of another governor from the west with an unwavering belief in the rightness of his cause, deeply held principles articulated consistently, and the courage and willingness to fight for them.
For additional political commentary and election coverage, visit our Politics & Issues pages.
The number of attendees alone was the first clue that this was not just any politician. A recent speech by North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan had been held around a hotel conference table when it became apparent that the Senator lacked drawing power.
By contrast, in the audience this day were notable Hollywood big shots like Oliver Stone, David Lynch and Erik Estrada -- (OK, maybe they weren't ALL big shots.) There were conservatives, liberals and moderates there that day, or, by the standards of the rest of the country, (this is Hollywood after all) they were actually moderates, liberals and far-left liberals. This was not the type of crowd eager to hear moralizing on the part of the Governor of Texas.
But that's exactly the message that Bush delivered that day to the shock of some in the assembled crowd. After mildly chastising Hollywood for some of the work it produces, Bush dropped this bomb on the crowd. "The best social policy we can have is for every person to have one lifetime sexual partner."
I remember looking around the room and seeing a look of shock on many faces and hearing a few murmurs in the back. Had he just said what I thought he said? Had he really ventured into a town twenty miles away from the San Fernando valley where most of the world's porn is produced and advocated lifelong monogamy as the solution to America's social pathologies? That was when I realized that this was not your parents' George Bush.
Ronald Reagan's son may have squandered a political legacy by escaping to Seattle and choosing detached cynicism over his father's brand of passionate advocacy. But hearing George W. Bush speak that day, one could be forgiven for thinking it was Ronald Reagan's offspring speaking and not the son of his Vice President.
In addition to the moralizing which brought to mind any number of Reagan sermons, Bush responded to specific questions from the audience by saying that he didn't know the details because he was a big picture guy who came up with broad outlines to be implemented by others.
Where had I heard that line before? It was from 1980 of course when Reagan found himself running against an incumbent president who was famous for knowing who was playing when on the White House tennis court.
In short, Bush's capturing of the Republican nomination and recent surge in the polls has happened in spite of his famous name and association with his father and not because of it. The moment he loses sight of that fact, his campaign is in serious trouble.
Clearly George W. Bush is running a strong race for president and the odds are greater than 50/50 that he will be raising his right hand to take the oath of office next January. He seems to enjoy a close friendship with his father and this is commendable. But just as victorious Roman generals were once paraded down city streets with an aide whose job was to whisper in their ears "remember you are human," so also an aide should be dispatched to the nominee. Bush should be reminded that he is earning the votes of millions of Americans because he reminds them of another governor from the west with an unwavering belief in the rightness of his cause, deeply held principles articulated consistently, and the courage and willingness to fight for them.
For additional political commentary and election coverage, visit our Politics & Issues pages.
Originally published August 15, 2000.
