Tiassa
10-13-06, 07:14 PM
It's ... hmph.
So, how's the political scene in your corner of the country?
Because I can't say I saw this one coming. Apparently a young man running for the state legislature on the GOP ticket has a scandal of his own:
Perhaps that's not surprising, given that some believe the shocking (and apparently drunken) Facebook.com pictures of Foskett, uncovered this week by The Stranger, might actually help the University of Washington sophomore in his race for the state house ....
.... One of the scandalous images shows Foskett—who says on his Facebook page that he's "Interested In: Women" and "Looking For: Whatever I can get"—apparently drunk and groping a male companion's genital area. Another image shows Foskett dressed as a sailor and saluting handsomely. In another, he's sitting barely clothed in a mountain hot spring with two other men, one of whom is proudly showing off his pecs.
Democrat Bill Sherman ... said he was awed by Foskett's shrewdness at pandering to the homo constituency. He said Foskett's methods far exceeded his own karaoke campaign event in a lesbian bar. "This guy's way past me," Sherman said. "I'm impressed" ....
.... State Representative Ed Murray, whose decision to vacate the 43rd District house seat set up this race, tried valiantly to make sure the scandal becomes a liability for Foskett and the Republicans.
"This is someone whom the Republicans actively recruited in the 43rd?" .... (Sanders (http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882))
At least people are taking this one with a grain of salt. Any politician who asks, "Should I have put on the sailor suit?" seems to be grinning in the right direction. And while departing Rep. Ed Murray's denunciation of GOP hypocrisy might flair toward the melodramatic, it does raise an interesting issue. How can our local Republicans continue to attach themselves to a "middle American" morality platform with a straight face?
* * *
In other recent events, I saw Roger Waters & co. perform Dark Side of the Moon last night. The first set consisted of assorted famous songs from his Floyd and solo days, as well as a new song in protest against the current U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Perhaps it's a question for another topic, but a few people in the audience were visibly put off by Waters' overt protests of American policy and criticisms of our president. To the one, there is always the complaint that a British rock star ought not tell the American electorate its place. To the other, though, it seems nearly impossible that anyone should have bought a ticket to the show without wondering what protest Waters would bring to the stage. As this was the last night of the North American tour, I have no "spoiler" reservations about applauding the graffiti-laden flying pig that endorsed the vote in general, the downfall of President Bush, and the literature of Franz Kafka. I suppose it's soon to be Eddie Vedder's turn; I wonder if we get an election-season show this year, and how broadly he will scorch the poltical situation. Unlike the Dixie Chicks, though, Eddie can expect applause, and if the response to Roger's bombastic protest is any indication, that applause would be very loud, indeed. (I believe it was Ms. Carol Kenyon who earned the loudest applause of the night, however, for her perfect performance of "The Great Gig in the Sky". After all, politics ain't everything; it is, in this case, just part of the art.)
* * *
That's the news for now from Seattle. Do be sure to check out The Stranger's article on the Josh Foskett candidacy (http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882). Where else in the honored annals of American journalism do you get to see a picture of a guy in a sombrero puking after too much beer? (And we were supposed to think the Kerry-Fonda photo was embarrassing?)
____________________
Notes:
Sanders, Eli. "GOP Party-Boy Scandal!" The Stranger, October 12-18, 2006; page 20. See http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882
So, how's the political scene in your corner of the country?
Because I can't say I saw this one coming. Apparently a young man running for the state legislature on the GOP ticket has a scandal of his own:
Perhaps that's not surprising, given that some believe the shocking (and apparently drunken) Facebook.com pictures of Foskett, uncovered this week by The Stranger, might actually help the University of Washington sophomore in his race for the state house ....
.... One of the scandalous images shows Foskett—who says on his Facebook page that he's "Interested In: Women" and "Looking For: Whatever I can get"—apparently drunk and groping a male companion's genital area. Another image shows Foskett dressed as a sailor and saluting handsomely. In another, he's sitting barely clothed in a mountain hot spring with two other men, one of whom is proudly showing off his pecs.
Democrat Bill Sherman ... said he was awed by Foskett's shrewdness at pandering to the homo constituency. He said Foskett's methods far exceeded his own karaoke campaign event in a lesbian bar. "This guy's way past me," Sherman said. "I'm impressed" ....
.... State Representative Ed Murray, whose decision to vacate the 43rd District house seat set up this race, tried valiantly to make sure the scandal becomes a liability for Foskett and the Republicans.
"This is someone whom the Republicans actively recruited in the 43rd?" .... (Sanders (http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882))
At least people are taking this one with a grain of salt. Any politician who asks, "Should I have put on the sailor suit?" seems to be grinning in the right direction. And while departing Rep. Ed Murray's denunciation of GOP hypocrisy might flair toward the melodramatic, it does raise an interesting issue. How can our local Republicans continue to attach themselves to a "middle American" morality platform with a straight face?
* * *
In other recent events, I saw Roger Waters & co. perform Dark Side of the Moon last night. The first set consisted of assorted famous songs from his Floyd and solo days, as well as a new song in protest against the current U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Perhaps it's a question for another topic, but a few people in the audience were visibly put off by Waters' overt protests of American policy and criticisms of our president. To the one, there is always the complaint that a British rock star ought not tell the American electorate its place. To the other, though, it seems nearly impossible that anyone should have bought a ticket to the show without wondering what protest Waters would bring to the stage. As this was the last night of the North American tour, I have no "spoiler" reservations about applauding the graffiti-laden flying pig that endorsed the vote in general, the downfall of President Bush, and the literature of Franz Kafka. I suppose it's soon to be Eddie Vedder's turn; I wonder if we get an election-season show this year, and how broadly he will scorch the poltical situation. Unlike the Dixie Chicks, though, Eddie can expect applause, and if the response to Roger's bombastic protest is any indication, that applause would be very loud, indeed. (I believe it was Ms. Carol Kenyon who earned the loudest applause of the night, however, for her perfect performance of "The Great Gig in the Sky". After all, politics ain't everything; it is, in this case, just part of the art.)
* * *
That's the news for now from Seattle. Do be sure to check out The Stranger's article on the Josh Foskett candidacy (http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882). Where else in the honored annals of American journalism do you get to see a picture of a guy in a sombrero puking after too much beer? (And we were supposed to think the Kerry-Fonda photo was embarrassing?)
____________________
Notes:
Sanders, Eli. "GOP Party-Boy Scandal!" The Stranger, October 12-18, 2006; page 20. See http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=87882