Biggest mistakes I ever made v. 1

Working for Jerry Tingle's Alabama State Senate Campaign in 2002.

I admit it, I was sucked into the pre-war hype.

I admit it, I was sucked into the post-9/11 frenzy.

I admit it, I couldn't find the Tuscaloosa Democratic Party Headquarters, so I went to the Republican Headquarters instead.

I admit it, I worked on the campaign of a total douche, in the interest of gaining political experience.

I learned from this experience.

I learned:

(1) Don't put college students on your staff unless you know damn well what they believe in. Jerry put Robyn and I on his staff with no real inquiry into our politics, and he was oblivious to the fact that we were just along for the ride and wanted to get some campaign experience.

(2) Don't put college students in charge of the campus if you don't know what they believe. I'll put it like this, Jerry Tingle and his wife gave us a LOT of materials. Bumper Stickers, Flyers, Yard Signs, MAJOR signs (like you hold on the corner), flags, stickers, etc. They all found the ZBT dumpster instead of the hands of conservative students on the UA campus.

(3) Don't be a total dick. Jerry Tingle sucked, from day one. He was rude when we met him. He was nothing but a two-bit business man with a smalltime x-ray machine manufacturing business. Yet he had the audacity to walk around like he owned the town, and was running for the Governorship. This certainly didn't help encourage me to get him elected. Politics aside, if the man had inspired me I would probably have put some effort in.

Here's an interesting side note, the "Democratic Underground" recently named Jerry Tingle to its list of the "Top 10 Conservative Idiots". Thats right, #10 is my boy Jerry. He is in big company. Ashcroft, Cheney, Bush, Katharine Harris. That would probably make Jerry's day, regardless of the context.

Moral of the story?

Don't sell out your politics for a political opportunity, you'll never live it down.

To this day my friends, who know how liberal I am, throw it in my face that I worked for a "save our sundays" conservative.

Fuck Jerry Tingle.

I am pretty sure I still have some ponchos in my car from election day. I was raining and they gave me two cases of ponchos "for my volunteers." HA!

Stay Tuned...