When Jonathan Miller called me and asked whether I would be interested in contributing a piece to a new website he was starting called “The Recovering Politician,” I was admittedly a little reluctant. First, I’m wary of the characterization of “politician” – not because of any negative connotation, but rather because I’m not sure I qualify since I never had sought elective office And irrespective of that first concern, I’m fully aware that it would be quite a stretch to claim that I’ve “recovered” from the extraordinary experience of serving in the United States Senate.
Last July, 2010, Governor Joe Manchin of West Virginia appointed me to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd – one of the true lions of the Senate and West Virginia’s most beloved public servant. Senator Byrd cast quite a long shadow, and it was daunting to contemplate being appointed to fill the seat previously occupied by the longest serving legislative member in the history of the United States. I could not begin to replace Senator Byrd or ever hope to fill his enormous shoes, but what I could do was emulate his work ethic and commitment to West Virginia – which is precisely what I strove to do during my four months in Washington, a town ruled by Congress, blackberries and Members-only elevators, and a place where fame (and infamy) can come and go in a matter of hours.
Stacey King, Michael Jordan and teammates celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first NBA title
(Side note: Years ago, former Oklahoma standout and Chicago Bull forward Stacey King saw limited action in an NBA game, hitting a single free throw. That same night, his teammate Michael Jordan poured in sixty-nine points. Afterwards, King joked that he would always remember that game as the night that he and Jordan “combined for 70 points.” Similarly, rather that describing my term as “four months,” I usually characterize it by saying that Senator Byrd and I combined to serve over 52 years in the United States Senate. )
Within days of my arrival, men and women I had studied in law school were introducing themselves to me, welcoming me as one of their own, then asking for my vote in the same sentence. And I wasn’t alone; I was immediately put at the helm of a full Senate staff – many of whom had served for decades under Senator Byrd. I was given a personal secretary and press secretary – no longer would I be the one answering the phone in my own office. However, I declined the offer of a personal driver and did the unthinkable – walked myself to work.
In no particular order, here are some random recollections and highlights from that heady time:
Press coverage & John Daly’s Pants?
John Daly's pants
I had to adjust quickly to the media attention. I’d considered myself prepared for the press, after having spent four years as a senior staffer in the Governor’s office, doing the occasional TV or radio interview. Yet, the appointment shot the level of attention into the stratosphere, with newspapers, television, blogs and everything in between weighing in with their thoughts on the relative merits of my appointment. Nothing was off-limits. To the delight of my buddies, one website offered an online poll debating where my looks stacked up against my fellow Senators, while a local West Virginia paper registered their enthusiasm for the appointment by describing it succinctly as “a letdown.”
Indeed, the temporary burst of attention became so intense that on the day that my appointment was announced, I briefly topped Google’s Hot Searches, besting former NBA star Penny Hardaway, the iphone 4, and golfer “John Daly’s pants.” I haven’t had the inclination to go back and find out why Daly’s pants made the top 10 that day.
Read the rest of… Carte Goodwin: My Brief but Fascinating Experience as a U.S. Senator
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue May 3, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Who knew President Obama was such a funny guy? Obama jokes about Donald Trump and more at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday. [Huffington Post]
The role of Facebook and Twitter in spreading news about bin Laden’s death: [Wall Street Journal]
Check out Storify, the newest tool in social media reporting that aggregates stories from peoples’ Tweets and Facebook posts. [Storify]
In case you missed the media event of the year: official portraits from the Royal Wedding. [Time]
Obama or Osama? Fox News’ embarrassing primetime fail. [Youtube]
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Apr 26, 2011 at 2:30 PM ET
Time Magazine remembers Tim Hetherington, a brave photojournalist killed in Libya. [Time]
Is the New York Times missing diversity in its choice of expert commentators? [Good Magazine]
Oh, the wonders of modern technology. See panoramic views of London and trace the processional route William and Kate will take on their wedding day with CNN’s interactive site. [CNN]
America’s favorite news anchor, Katie Couric, opens up to Newsweek on the highs and lows of her long career and her plans for the future. [Newsweek]
How are Mac and PC users different? According to the folks at Mashable, your computer says a lot more about you than you might think. [Mashable]
By Jonathan Miller, on Tue Apr 26, 2011 at 8:30 AM ET
Today’s guest for RPTV’s Fifteen Minutes of Fame is the noted author, television commentator and GOP policy guru, Jim Pinkerton. Going back to the George H.W. Bush Administration, Pinkerton has been one of the leading Republican policy minds in Washington. Unlike most of cable TV’s talking heads, Pinkerton does not stick to the party script, and has consistently pushed his party to the center on social issues, while remaining a fierce advocate for fiscal conservatism and the free markets.
During his Fifteen Minutes of Fame, Pinkerton discusses the debt, his prescription to battle income inequality, and despite needling from the RP, does NOT endorse Donald Trump in 2012. Watch here:
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 11:30 AM ET
Greg Mortenson, author of inspirational memoir Three Cups of Tea, defends his book against accusations of fabrication. [New York Times]
Sidney Harman, the entrepreneur and philanthropist who saved Newsweek, died last week after a battle with cancer. [The Daily Beast]
Sometimes the media gives us gems like Jersey Shore and Dancing with the Stars that we will love, regardless of how crazy they are. Time magazine documents the 2011 Reality Rocks Expo: [Time]
Not on the Twitter bandwagon yet? With 200 million users and counting, it’s time to get on board! [CNN]
Tired of all the serious media coverage of the Royal Wedding? Check out this humorous take on the wedding of the century. Let’s hope Prince William really does leapfrog over his brother down the aisle. [CNN Video]
By Jonathan Miller, on Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 9:15 AM ET
Pardon the interruption for some HUGE RP NEWS:
Contributing RP Jeff Smith, his stunning inaugural piece on his journey from politics to prison, and The Recovering Politician Web site, were highlighted this week by New York magazine’s The Approval Matrix, a leading national arbiter of the pop culture zeitgeist. (And now a TV show on Bravo.)
Best yet — Smith’s piece received the top rating: The Approval Matrix deemed it “Highbrow” (vs. “Lowbrow”) and “Brilliant” (vs. “Despicable”).
A pretty incredible development for a contributing recovering politician just beginning his second act and a Web site in only its third week.
Here is the screenshot of the top right corner of the matrix — click on it to read the entire page at the New York web site:
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Apr 12, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
Politics of the Media
Legendary CNN sportscaster Nick Charles is fighting terminal bladder cancer with strength and courage. In this story, Charles reflects on his successful career and prepares goodbye videos for his young daughter. [CNN]
In its 20 years, Comedy Central has transformed from a late-night last resort channel to a legitimate news source and a staple of all cable TV packages. The New York Times celebrates Comedy Central’s life and its future. [New York Times]
A studio in Taiwan creates animations of the day’s top news stories. What’s next, talking animals as TV anchors? [Time]
Get ready, little monsters. On May 17, Lady Gaga will be guest-editor-in-chief of Metro, one of the world’s largest newspapers. [Poynter Institute]
What would happen to the world without Google? [Soshable]
By Jonathan Miller, on Fri Apr 8, 2011 at 12:30 PM ET
Four days before the 1988 presidential general election, featuring a matchup between then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and Massachusetts Governor Mike Dukakis, I was asked to appear on the cable television program that helped usher in the age of political broadcast incivility: CNN’s Crossfire. At the ripe age of 21, I was serving as Executive Director of College Democrats of America, and I was poised to debate my counterpart at College Republicans, as well as the ultra-formidable Pat Buchanan.
I really didn’t know the Duke’s policy positions that intimately — I had worked for Al Gore in the primaries — so I pulled an all-nighter reading white papers. In addition to being exhausted, I was sick to my stomach: extremely nervous because I WAS GOING ON FRICKIN’ NATIONAL TV TO DEBATE PAT BUCHANAN!!!
So, green in more ways that one, equipped with an all-purpose Watergate one-liner to parry Pat, and sporting my regrettable 80’s era hairdo (Does Justin Bieber owe me a commission?), I had my 10 minutes in the bright lights. Enjoy:
By Stephanie Doctrow, RP Staff, on Tue Apr 5, 2011 at 12:00 PM ET
The Politics of the Media
Time Magazine lists the 140 best Twitter feeds, including a special section on politicians. #awesome [Time Magazine]
According to this year’s Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index Map, the happiest American is “a tall, Asian-American, observant Jew who is at least 65 and married, has children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business and has a household income of more than $120,000 a year.” And the New York Times actually found him. [New York Times]
The Poynter Center evaluates stereotyping and bias in media coverage of the devastation in Japan. [The Poynter Institute]
How do newspapers make money when all their content is free online? Arthur Brisbane, public editor for the New York Times, explains the paper’s decision to charge for online content. [New York Times]
Media humor: Reporters shouldn’t try everything they cover. [Youtube]
When Jonathan Miller called me and asked whether I would be interested in contributing a piece to a new website he was starting called “The Recovering Politician,” I was admittedly a little reluctant. First, I’m wary of the characterization of “politician” – not because of any negative connotation, but rather because I’m not sure I qualify since I never had sought elective office And irrespective of that first concern, I’m fully aware that it would be quite a stretch to claim that I’ve “recovered” from the extraordinary experience of serving in the United States Senate.
