By Julie Rath, on Fri Nov 23, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET 
Are you ever stuck with what to wear on your feet when the weather turns foul?
Today the sun’s shining in NYC, but recent events prove the need for protective footwear. Below are my top 6 picks in a range of styles.
1) Grenson Spike ($485) — For the sharp-dressed man, these Grensons are an update on the traditional LL Bean duck boot (another solid option if you’re a more of a traditionalist). Don’t be afraid to rock them with a suit.
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2) Blundstone 500 ($150) — These boots were originally made for ranchers in the Australian outback, so they should be able to handle a trek through midtown Manhattan. The water-resistant leather keeps you dry without sacrificing style, and the front and back pulls and elastic side panels make them easy to pull on and off.
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Julie Rath: Give ‘Em The Boot
By Julie Rath, on Fri Nov 2, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET  We are very excited at The Recovering Politician to introduce our newest weekly reinvention contributor: Julie Rath, one of today’s leading style arbiters in the men’s fashion industry. (Read her bio here.)
Julie will be sharing fashion tips and advice with our readers, many of whom (mostly the guys — I can see you out there!) are shall we say, sartorially challenged. With Julie’s guidance, perhaps some of our readers can reinvent themselves as fashion icons. Or at least be more presentable in the workplace and out on the town.
Of course this being only a few days before a major election, Julie’s first piece discuss a critical issue in Campaign 2012: the style choices of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. While not as disparate a contrast as Kennedy versus Nixon, Julie’s keen eye offers a unique perspective on the candidates’ differences. Enjoy and learn:
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In this Fall’s battle of reds versus blues, my stylist’s eye is trained on the important issues. That’s right: the Obama-Romney sartorial showdown. Whatever your political inclination or level of fashion interest, the candidates’ style statements have an undeniable effect on how they are perceived by the voters.
One misstep-in-mandals can read as silly and out of touch with what’s current.
Read on for how the two candidates stack up:
Debate Style
 While both candidates keep it ultra-safe and conservative with dark navy suits, white shirts and blue or red ties (which, interestingly they exchanged in the final debate), Obama gets the leg up for his double-vented and shorter suit jacket, well-executed tie dimples, better pant length and overall trimmer fit on his suit. See all that excess fabric around Romney’s shoulders and sleeves? He needs to go down a jacket size.
 Both candidates have a nice build, and a suit that fits like armor will show that off. While Romney looks good in the shorter point collar, I’d like to see Obama mix it up with a more stylish semispread. Also, Obama is smart to wear a slightly high collar to disguise his thin neck.
Everyday Style
 How do the candidates fare when they hit the streets shaking hands, kissing babies, and shooting b-ball? The verdict is pretty much the same: Obama for the win with his flat front pants and better-fitting clothes across the board. On the topic of sleeve-rolling (a common practice among politicians who want to show they’re ready to “tackle the issues”), Romney could take a lesson or two from Obama on how to do this correctly and authentically.
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Julie Rath: Obama vs. Romney– The Sartorial Showdown
By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Sep 20, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET While his father, contributing RP Jeff Smith, has run his final electoral battle, Charlie Smith is a leading candidate for the Gerber Generation Photo Search 2012.
And Charlie deserves the honor — he has his mom’s good looks, and is already taller than his dad.
So please click here to vote for Charlie. And vote often! (Seriously, you can vote once a day).
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Aug 27, 2012 at 9:15 AM ET For the past year and a half, I have used my platform at The Recovering Politician to share my opinions on a wide variety of issues, from politics to sports to pop culture. One consistent theme is that I have always respected — indeed invited — dissent and disagreement, in a civil dialogue, of course.
But now, I have come to the conclusion that on one matter, there is no room for even the smallest disagreement. You must not only concur with my opinion, but I urge you — in fact, I beg you — to join me in this essential pledge:
BREAKING BAD IS THE BEST TELEVISION PROGRAM IN HISTORY. YOU MUST WATCH IT!
For those of you who are fellow Walt-heads (OK, maybe that’s not the best expression), you already know what I am talking about.
But I know there are thousands of you who’ve never watched the program, or may have seen an early episode and dismissed it as an uber-violent slice of Americana you’d rather hide in the proverbial cellar. That’s what I thought for five years — I always preferred shows that I could relate to — the ad men of Mad Men, the Jewish geeks of Seinfeld, the poker-playing mobsters of The Sopranos, etc., etc.
But once I subscribed to Netflix, and paced myself through the first half season, I was as hooked as many of the protagonist Walter White’s clientele. By the time the third season rolled around, I recognized it was a masterpiece. But this weekend, when I finished the 4th season finale, I couldn’t sleep — it was the most extraordinary writing, plotting, narrative, and most of all, acting, that I have ever witnessed. I haven’t even begun watching this year’s 5th season, and I’m met with brutally conflicting emotions — I want to savor the series’ final 16 episodes, knowing that thee will never be another show like it, but I live in a constant fear that some malevolent reporter or tweeter will spoil the plot developments before I get a chance to enjoy them.
I realize that you, like me, might not identify with a struggling chemistry teacher, struck with lung cancer, who turns to cooking meth to pay the hospital bills. But if you care about politics, or philosophy, or religion, or psychology; there is no book, novel, film or opera that better illustrates the human condition — particularly the moral decisions that each of us struggle with every day — than Breaking Bad. And there’s no better primer on why seeking revenge is the most self-destructive act a person can take. (Sure, I like Revenge, but c’mon…)
So, I insist, RP Nation. Sign up for Netflix today. Or if you don’t want to make Reed Hastings any richer, click here to buy the box sets of the first 4 seasons.
STOP READING, STOP PLAYING OUTSIDE, TURN ON THE TV AND WATCH IT NOW.
We will now return to our regular programming…
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 20, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET So says Fishbowl DC:
Now that congressional candidate-turned political pundit Krystal Ball has a regular spot co-anchoring MSNBC’s “The Cycle,” we’ve been able to take a closer look at her. And while we may be overshooting here, we’re ready to say Ball looks very much like the beautiful Dutchess of Cambridge herself, Kate Middleton.
“Ha! Very flattering,” Middleton Ball told us. “I’ll take being compared to her any day!”
She told us we’re not the first to compare her to Middleton but that she is “more commonly” compared to a young Demi Moore. “Both are extremely flattering and a bit of a stretch,” she said.
If you’re wondering where she got the curious name, a 2011 WaPoprofile on Ball notes that her father, a physicist, wrote his doctoral dissertation on crystals.
OK, You decide. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Jun 25, 2012 at 3:00 PM ET
Click here to purchase this book. NOW!
It’s rare that I have the opportunity to recommend a book — much less have the time to read one — but I’ve just run across the best work of fiction that I’ve started to consume in some time.
It’s called The Art of Fielding; it’s written by a first time novelist, Chad Harbach; and even after I was able to pry myself from the book to get a little writing done myself, I had a very difficult time trying to stop thinking about it.
Indeed, that’s what the book is about. Although I have only completed half of it, I have never read anything that so brilliantly dissects and examines and illuminates that little voice in your head that won’t stop talking and that leads you do stupid things like insult a friend, run a red light, or throw an errant baseball.
While the subtext of the book revolves around the baseball diamond — befitting today’s debate about Roger Clemens — it is a deeply introspective piece that tells many truths about human behavior and relationships that you don’t first expect. And it has done the impossible, by convincing me to pick up Moby Dick for the first time since I was my youngest daughter’s age.
But first, I will finish The Art of Fielding, and I will have a more complete review when I’m actually done.
But wanted to take this opportunity to encourage the RP Nation to read it and share your thoghts. Maybe we will even have an online book club. Join me.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Jun 20, 2012 at 12:30 PM ET I can’t tell you how many people have complemented me for the design of this site. And I have to humbly admit, it is pretty cool.
I say “humbly” because I had very little to do with it. My Webmaster Justin Burnette is responsible for the orderly and sharp manner in which all of our posts are presented.
But my greatest contribution was asking my sister, Jennifer, for a recommendation of an artist to deisgn the heading. And her suggestion, John Lackey, was outstanding. The design at the top of the page was John’s inspiration and his execution. And I can’t imagine The Recovering Politician without it.
John Lackey happens to be a rising star artist. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, but his work is getting international notice.
If you agree, I urge you to join me in voting for him to win a gallery show in New York City and a $10,000 grant. And it is SO easy to do so.
Simply click here and then once at the click on “Collect Me”
If you want to learn more about John’s incredible work, click here.
By RP Staff, on Tue Apr 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM ET  Alas, the Big Blue Nation never rests.
The RP was spotted in this picture scouting a new, young 17 foot center named David [NO LAST NAME] in Florence, Italy. Apparently by the RP’s hand gesture, David is proficient from behind the 3-point line — amazing for a young man of his size.
Shortly after this picture was taken, the RP was arrested for climbing on top of David and hanging a UK hat on his head.
Anyone familiar with a good Italian lawyer?
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Apr 2, 2012 at 9:46 AM ET  Greetings from my third favorite city in the world (behind Lexington & Jerusalem — sorry Vegas!): Florence, Italy.
The weather is perfect, the food extraordinary, the art sublime. Only trouble is that the RPettes and I are going to try to watch THE GAME at 3 AM while Mrs. RP sleeps.
At least everyone over here is part of the Big Blue Nation. I spotted the T-shirt to the left at Florence’s famous leather marketplace. Didn’t know Audrey Hepburn was a Cats fan, but apparently she anticipated Marquis Teague’s three-point form decades before he was born.
We are sincerely hoping that tonight Sylvester finally catches Tweety bird — What’s a Jayhawk anyway? — as Thomas Robinson discovers that Anthony Davis owns the paint on both sides of the court. He’s not in Kansas anymore!!
(I assume that joke’s being overused back home, but it’s getting big laughs here in Italy! Or maybe they are laughing because they have no idea what I’m saying.)
 Anyhoo, our trip got diverted a bit thanks to Delta and a little rain, and we got to spend the afternoon yesterday in Amsterdam. Being a huge proponent of municipal infrastructure improvement, I decided to take a tour of the so-called “Red Light District.”
Well, it seems there was a little misunderstanding. Let me put it this way — I didn’t take any pictures. The T-shirt at right is the best PG-rated presentation of the scenery in the Red Light District.
To recover from the shock and awe, I decided to take a detour into a “coffee shop.” Turns out they didn’t serve coffee, and the place was hazy and smelled like a Jimmy Buffett concert. The good news is that after spending a few minutes in the place, all of my cares disappeared, and I became relaxed and happy; although for some strange reason I was (Terrence) Jones-ing for a bag of Cheetos.
Apparently, I’m very popular in Amsterdam as well. Whenever I introduced myself, people asked if I was the same Jonathan Miller who wrote an article in The Huffington Post advocating for the legalization of marijuana.
OK, back to my vacation…I promise to send another post(card) soon.
By RP Staff, on Wed Mar 7, 2012 at 4:30 PM ET The new iPad has been announced, and will be available for crazy tech nuts like the RP on March 16. Here’s the story [Engadget]
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