Infinite MonkeysListening to all of the hubbub over Kerry's Vietnam service, his biopic, and his awkward silence over his long Senate career has reminded me of something I saw on tv a few months ago. My wife and I don't go in for the Fear-Factor style reality tv, but we do like the TLC genre non-extreme makeover type shows like Trading Spaces and What Not To Wear. One show that never quit got its hooks in us was Date Patrol. Three advisors, and a host help an average schmo bone up on communication skills, appearance, and self-confidence. At the beginning of the show, they send their subject out on a "test date" to assess his or her weaknesses and needs. Sometimes family members are interviewed too, to see confirm whether or not certain blunders observed are chronic or one-time gaffs.
On the episode that I'm thinking of, the subject was a 27-year-old guy (let's call him Kip) with a self-proclaimed "relatively nonexistent love life," who still lived with his folks. He had some non-descript job, and seemed like the sort who you'd expect to have trouble with dating. In his post-test-date debriefing, the show's personal communication advisor wanted to talk about Kip's approach to answering the standard tell me something about yourself first-date question. She recommended that Kip might not want to lead with, "Well, I was an Eagle Scout." It seemed a little unseemly for a guy in his thirties, ya' know. Kip denied using it as a standard opening, but in the interview with Kip's brother it was confirmed that, yes, it was practically Kip's exclusive point of pride. Kip's brother was funny in relating the story, but all in all, it was just sad.
Don't get me wrong, it's an honorable thing to have reached the elite status of Eagle Scout. But by the time one approaches the age of thirty, it's more like something you want to treat inconspicuously; something that's better left to be pointed out by your mom when she finishes showing your girlfriend your baby book (or something like a card you play after proving wrong someone who predicted you couldn't start a campfire or use a compass). That Kip had nothing from the last 15 or so years that he considered worthy of mention in an attempt to sell himself just seems a bit pitiful.
Yep. And then there's Kerry. Leave aside the fact that the out of the swift boat officers who served concurrently with Kerry, many more appear oppose him than support him. Leave aside the questions over his reenacting his exploits for his movie camera. Leave aside his injuries and citations. Leave aside his questionable testimony in 1971. Leave aside the fact that there certainly must have been honorable aspects to his service. Leave all that junk aside. It's just sad that four months and twelve days' of service 35 years ago are the campaign centerpiece of a man who has spent the most recent 19 years in the U.S. Senate.
I wish you could see the image of over-grown Eagle Scout Kip I have in my head whenever Kerry brags about Vietnam. Sure, it may be honorable, but every time he leads with it, it insinuates a self-proclaimed "relatively nonexistent Senate life." No, it's not about absences. There's another aspect of his voting record that he just can't shake.
Posted by Brad at July 29, 2004 03:47 PM | TrackBack