The DC Bubble
Last weekend David and I went home for our friends' wedding. David, having grown up a die-hard Badger fan, secured tickets for us and 12 of our closest friends to the UW vs. Northwestern football game. On the walk from David's childhood home to Camp Randall stadium, with 85,000 fans in red, I noticed that there were people out campaigning for the upcoming November elections. As I walked past one group of supporters for current Governor Jim Doyle (D), I grabbed a sticker to show my support.
(As a side note, Governor Doyle's two sons attended my high school, and, I admit it, I had a crush on one of them.)
As we kept walking to the stadium, I noticed another group of Doyle supporters. I showed my sticker and waved to them. Except that one of the them looked familiar. Several thoughts rushed through my head at once: was that one of my parents' friends? Was that one of David's parents' friends? Was that one of my childhood friends' parents? Then it hit me--that was GOVERNOR JIM DOYLE! Shaking hands with the Badger fans! I made my way through the crowd (my DC friends trailing, not sure what the heck I was doing--after all, my vote no longer counts in this battleground state), and shook the Governor's hand and wished him luck in November.
In DC, the masses can't get within 50 feet of elected officials due to all the security measures and the secret service. It was nice to see that outside of DC, the security paranoia exists at a minimum level, and that elected officials are just that--regular people who have been elected to lead their constituents forward.
(As a side note, Governor Doyle's two sons attended my high school, and, I admit it, I had a crush on one of them.)
As we kept walking to the stadium, I noticed another group of Doyle supporters. I showed my sticker and waved to them. Except that one of the them looked familiar. Several thoughts rushed through my head at once: was that one of my parents' friends? Was that one of David's parents' friends? Was that one of my childhood friends' parents? Then it hit me--that was GOVERNOR JIM DOYLE! Shaking hands with the Badger fans! I made my way through the crowd (my DC friends trailing, not sure what the heck I was doing--after all, my vote no longer counts in this battleground state), and shook the Governor's hand and wished him luck in November.
In DC, the masses can't get within 50 feet of elected officials due to all the security measures and the secret service. It was nice to see that outside of DC, the security paranoia exists at a minimum level, and that elected officials are just that--regular people who have been elected to lead their constituents forward.
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(who *didn't* have a crush on Gus, btw?)