A tip of the hat to Not Larry Sabato at Virginia 2005 Elections for publicizing what may be the best line about any candidate in this election cycle, from the Fairfax Times:
"Werkheiser ... looks young enough to perform a pretty steady headstand himself on top of a beer keg."
Don't know much about Werkheiser (can't seem to find out which small town in Pennsylvania he's from, and since I'm also from one of 'em, I'd like to know), and he may be a formidable candidate. His comments in the article don't impress, particularly since his purported concern about taxes don't match either his resume or his Democrat credential. Indeed, one looks at his campaign web site, which contains the usual Democrat claptrap guaranteed to get him the votes and support of the teachers' unions, and wonders if the main reason he's a candidate isn't because he's just so darn pretty.
2 comments:
Werkheiser certainly suffers from the John Edwards Syndrome, of looking roughly half his chronological age. If he chooses to stay in politics, it will certainly be an asset instead of a detriment in a few decades.
How deeply did you read his website? He has an impressive record of public service--much of it in non-partisan capacities. He's a serious candidate and he'll make a great elected official.
Dismissing him because he look young and is attractive is the kind of ad hominem attack used more commonly against women than men. I admire your analytical skills, James, but this one seemed out of character.
Thanks for the comment, Shaula. It's always flattering when the opposition pays attention to what you have to say, and even more so when she has something nice to say. Hadn't before come across your site, but I will hereafter be a regular visitor.
How deeply did I read his website? Quite deeply. That's why I know that Werkheiser echoes the NEA line on education ("increase teachers pay," in Part II of his agenda), one which apparently one him the shift of VEA (some shift, though; my guess is that their earlier support of Albo was a concession to the previously inevitable, an attempt to curry some favor and influence). That's why I know that he advocates higher taxes (Part I of his agenda; also reflected in his work for Warner), while making pretensions at fiscal conservatism with hollow promises regarding local property taxes that no Delegate -- short of introducing a constitutional amendment -- has the ability to impact, and promises to return more money to NoVA (Part II of his agenda, and a great idea ... that every Delegate in the area on both sides of the aisle promises, and fails to deliver).
Sure, he has a long resume, but I'm less impressed by how a candidate thinks than by how many posts he can list on his resume. If you'll forgive a small bon mot, it's a situation where size doesn't matter.
Furthermore, however, I was commenting on his comments in the article, and I know as well as anyone else that they probably don't fairly reflect the candidate. Yeah, maybe it was unfair to say "he's just so darn pretty" (frankly, I'm jealous), but it's not a comment I've limited to Dems; I said the same thing about Sean Connaughton.
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