Interesting...
So, tonight Eurodad co-hosted a round table discussion with The German Marshall Fund of the United States. It was a discussion on what to do now that the High Level Forum in Accra is over. Since Lucy, my coworker who wrote the report that was to be discussed at the meeting was in Accra (of course) last week and busy getting ready to go to Accra before that, I helped her out with a lot of the logistics of organizing a meeting (i.e. sending out invites, calling people to remind them to RSVP, going to the hotel, booking the equipment for the meeting room, going to the printers to print reports etc.)
So, the moderator of this forum was Jim Kolbe , who is kind of a Republican rockstar (in my mind) as he was the first openly gay Congressman to address the Republican National Convention. So he's republican, and openly gay.
After the forum, the people from the German Marshall fund took me, my co-worker Lucy and Mr. Kolbe out to dinner to thank us for working on the event (free food and wine yummy!) and somehow...(I wonder how, as all of you know how NOT pushy I am) I end up sitting right across from Mr. Kolbe.
Game on.
So, as an openly homosexual man who is pro choice, how can you really support a McCain/Palin ticket?
How does Hector your life partner feel about your stance on immigration?
Foreign policy wise, aren't you afraid McCain may be a little aggressive towards nations such as Russia?
---
BEST DINNER EVER.
He calmly discussed how even if the republicans win, it WON'T be the end of the world, and if Palin becomes VP, there's no way there's not going to be a very strong Democratic congress who are a million times stronger then any VP could ever be. On top of that, the only people who LOVE Palin, are people who would have voted for a republican anyway, the middle of the road voters who could go both ways will probably be swayed against the ticket as she's so extreme (although I pointed out that there was NO evidence of this but I'm pretty sure the dear man was trying to placate me, and it sort of makes sense.) Anyway, we spent the first half of the dinner discussing politics (as he was A NATIONAL SENATOR) love it. And the second half becoming best friends.
OK, so let's rewind, as I said before, he's openly homosexal. Therefore, we are now super best friends. I may have come off a little strong, and at first I thought it was in my head, but as we were walking out of the restaurant, my coworker Lucy goes...
"Phil, seriously, I watched you charm that man from the moment you sat down, if your pay was based on charm, you would be rich...it's not, but if it were".
Yeah, so apparently that was NOT in my head. And apparently I'm WAY more conservative then I thought I was. Well not socially but neither was he.
As we were chatting I found out that his roommate at Stanford University lives in New Canaan, and his roommate's son (Chris Hughey?) was in my grade, and he happens to be is his godson, and we had physics together senior year (yes, I pointed that out)... small world much?
Yeah, so I got home from "work" at 11pm today, but that's ok because I finally found a republican to get my anxiety out on, and it was wonderful.
Monday, September 15, 2008
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5 comments:
omg phil. you live the most exciting life ever.
actually i think it would have been really cool to go to that dinner.
btw, im posting to see if this actually works.
ok... so I'm a little jealous that you had dinner with kolbe - i think his story is so interesting - but really glad you had the opportunity. GO PHIL!
i was enjoying the read till i saw that he is a [cringing]Republican! isn't that an oxymoron...to be gay and republican? never the less keep up the good work and network network network....cos i suck at it and it's nice to somebody who knows people!
xxxx
Such a crazy small world indeed. Next time I see Jim I'll have to ask him about this little event.
Love the blog.
Fatimeh, it is not an oxymoron! Gay people can be Republicans because REAL/TRUE Republicans believe in the reduction of power of the Federal government and return of the balance between state, local and Federal governments; a focus on individual rights (including everything from being gay to owning a gun); a free market; and fiscal responsibility. Thus the oath....
"I believe that the proper function of government is to do for the people those things that have to be done but cannot be done, or cannot be done as well by individuals, and that the most effective government is government closest to the people.
I believe that good government is based on the individual and that each person’s ability, dignity, freedom and responsibility must be honored and recognized.
I believe that free enterprise and encouragement of individual initiative and incentive have given this nation an economic system second to none.
I believe that sound money policy should be our goal.
I believe in equal rights and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, age, sex or national origin. I believe that persons with disabilities should be afforded equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunities as well.
I believe we must retain those principles worth retaining, yet always be receptive to new ideas with an outlook broad enough to accommodate thoughtful change and varying points of view.
I believe that Americans value and should preserve their feeling of national strength and pride, and at the same time share with people everywhere a desire for peace and freedom and the extension of human rights throughout the world.
Finally, I believe that the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government."
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