Free Press – January 10, 2008

Potpourri - Bob Shive’s Pizza, Barack Obama in Iowa, Sandra Miller, Bowl Games

Dear Friends,

Good morning. Wow, what a week! The first 10 days of the New Year proved to be breath taking. Barack Obama’s upset victory over Hillary Clinton got everyone’s attention. Football enthusiasts were finally satisfied after 32 bowl games produced zillions of bucks for 64 “semi pro” football colleges.

More on these events in a moment.

But first, while I was strapped into Charlie Brader’s barber chair in Quakertown last week, Bob Shive was waiting his turn. Bob’s 84 and still going strong. He paid me a fine compliment when he observed that I was about his age (I’m 72).

Bob told a funny personal story from decades ago. One evening, he stopped at the Main Street Restaurant for some take out pizza. To keep the two pizza boxes warm, he placed them on the hood of his car and drove to his home, several blocks away. Alas, the pizza boxes blew off …no surprise. So Bob returned to the Main Street Restaurant and ordered two more.

“You sure ate those pizzas fast,” the proprietor remarked. I wonder what Bob’s response was?

And now to business.

There were important lessons, which the Democratic and Republican parties can learn from the Barack Obama victory in Iowa last week. By a whopping 51 to 20 percent, Iowa Democrats ranked the need for change above experience. Only 14 percent of Iowa Republicans chose experience. These numbers appeared in the New York Times (Jan. 4).

My guess is that Hillary Clinton derailed her candidacy because she touted her personal experience. Could it be that Iowans didn’t approve of her experience during the Clinton presidency?

I’ve been saying for months that there was a very successful president who had less experience than Barack Obama [has]. If you do a Google search of Abraham Lincoln, you’ll find that his experience was limited to several terms in the Illinois state legislature and only one term as a congressman before ascending to the presidency.

Obama created first time political excitement in Iowa. “Before tonight, had you ever attended an Iowa Democratic presidential caucus,” the NYT asked? A resounding 56 percent said “no” which suggests that new and possibly younger voters turned out. If that’s correct, Obama’s presence sends an important message to the political parties.

The next generation to lead America may be waiting in the wings.

Finally, the Obama victory in Iowa may throw cold water on Michael Bloomberg’s candidacy. A few days ago, he joined a group of political luminaries at a conference at the University of Oklahoma to strategize about how to pressure the major candidates to reduce partisan gridlock.

Cynics believe that Bloomberg is seriously considering making a third party stab at the presidency. If Obama continues to do well, Bloomberg may choose to sit this election out. After all, Obama’s campaign thus far emphasizes that Americans want change…and he’s the man to make that happen, so he says.

Item.

Sandy Miller finished her sixteenth and final year as a Bucks County Commissioner. She put governing above politics, which cost her the primary election. Bucks County Democratic leaders were critical of her, claiming that she wasn’t an obstructionist to the Republican majority. What the Democratic Party wants is a commissioner who’ll stand in the way of the GOP.

That’s OK when the Republican majority attempts to hire a political hack or set up registration points in parts of the county, which are heavily Republican. I remember the political heat that Commissioner Walter Farley took from the Democratic Party when he served, 40 years ago. His party accused him of being in the hip pocket of his fellow Republican commissioners (me for one).

That was bunk then and it still is. The overwhelming number of votes on the board of commissioners has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with conducting the county’s business.

Sandra Miller knew the difference and that’s why she was an excellent commissioner.

Diane Marseglia will take Sandy’s place as the minority commissioner. I wish her well and hope that like Sandy, Diane Marseglia will learn that she’ll earn the respect of voters if she puts governing first…and politics, second.

“You make a choice when you come here,” Sandy Miller told a Morning Call reporter (Dec. 28). “You have to find your own way of how you are going to do your job. You do the very best for the county, the politics comes second.”

Bravo, Sandy Miller.

Item.

Between December 20 and January 7, 64 college teams appeared in 32 bowl games. Each college received between $300,000 and $17 million for their efforts. Ten colleges reaped $17 million!

Author James Michener thought that “amateur” college football has become a national tragedy. In his “Sports in America” which he wrote over 30 years ago, Michener argued that college football players should be paid to entertain student bodies, alumni, and TV audiences. Michener believed that we should recognize that big time college football players aren’t interested in an education. They want a career in the National Football League.

Unfortunately, very few of these hopefuls will see their dreams of millionaire status come to fruition. Less than 50 percent of them graduate from college. It’s one of the great disgraces in American culture.

Final item.

I learned that Richland Meeting in Quakertown is hosting a “drum circle” on Saturday, January 12 at six PM. No prior experience is necessary and you don’t even have to own a drum to participate. A website explains all: www.lvdrumcircle.com. Maureen “Moe” Jerant will give instruction and bring drums for those whose families prohibit excessive noise.

But you have to register on her website so “Moe” knows how many drums to bring. I think that I’ll rent a bass drum and bring earplugs.

Sincerely,

Charles Meredith