Big Daddy’s Rules for the 2010 Campaign Trail
June 11, 2010By: Burns Strider
The edges of the American political and social landscape are loud right now. Too many Americans have retreated to their corners willing only to hurl names and labels and insults across the great divide to those with opposing opinions.
This is not healthy for our nation. Not the opposing opinions; those are good — but rather the unwillingness to respect and engage people who think differently.
Sarah Palin’s brand of politics, for example, defining some Americans as being from “real America” and others as wherever it is she thinks they are from (a city, perhaps?) is bad for America. Such political warmongering implodes our core values.
Our first calling, in politics, is to protect, honor and leave better our American system. If we tear down the American political process by doing and saying anything to win then we have failed that calling before we ever begin.
I’m all about winning. And I live for hardball politics. I get it naturally. But, dividing and angering voters; displacing the common ground of being American from under their feet in order to win has catastrophic consequences.
The campaign cycle of 2010 has had a tumultuous start. Tea Party libertarians screaming from street corners, unhappy workers taking on incumbents, disgruntled faithful praying that the administration will keep its promises, Birthers repelling from black helicopters into the American mainstream and town hall meetings resembling Three Stooges re-runs have been forever social networked into our national psyche.
Something is askew!
National media, noted bloggers and talking heads have salivated over the trends they have attempted to stamp onto this period of our political history. Somehow Pennsylvania, Arkansas, California and Nevada primary election results are rolled together like a fatboy and passed around the room without regard to individual, regional or state politics. It all means the same thing?
I even read some writers who were angered that Blanche Lincoln had defined herself as an Arkansan and opposed to many of the current Beltway antics. They thought this was wrong — dirty politics.
WTF!?
Folks, we can do better. I’m pretty sure we must.
My father was an old Mississippi cotton farmer and politician, God rest his soul. He was known as Big Daddy by nearly everyone in Mississippi. He stood at 6’7″, weighed in at over 330 pounds and wore a suit, cowboy hat and cowboy boots 7 days a week. Jesse A. “Big Daddy” Strider was Sheriff of Grenada County for 24 years. My uncle has since been sheriff and my oldest brother is currently sheriff.
I realize sometimes, at strange moments, how universal Big Daddy’s lessons and brand of politics were. He lived out and taught a progressive brand of politics that was about doing and not talking. It was about simply taking the right reality and putting it into action.
When I worked for Nancy Pelosi, I saw my father’s politics in her politics all the time. I certainly saw it in Jim Clyburn’s. And when my former boss, Hillary Clinton, says that the best rule of politics is following the Golden Rule then I hear Big Daddy all over again.
I have shared many Big Daddy’s sayings and teachings in the past. They’re worth re-sharing as we enter the 2010 campaign season for the sake of winning and bringing us together:
“A pick up truck beats a Cadillac any day of the week.”
Translation: Don’t get fancy. Don’t get fancy with your words, with your plan or with your attitude. Folks are looking for one of them to lead.
“Every tub has got to sit on its own bottom.”
Translation: In the final analysis the candidate has to carry the day. The candidate is who the voters want to hear from, not outside organizations or talking heads. Only the candidate can ultimately speak for the candidate.
“If you’re driving down the highway and see a car coming toward you in your lane then you’re going to change lanes.”
Translation: Don’t get in the way of your friends. Find a way to settle, before you enter the courtroom of public opinion and elections.
“If you come up on an old, yella, mangy dog and that dog is barking the word “God” then let him bark.
Translation: Don’t challenge, denigrate or dismiss the faith of anyone. A person’s faith represents the core, the essence of who they are. It’s one of their most personal choices. You tear that person down if you tear down their faith. Hell, join them. It can probably do you some good.
“Be careful what you say about someone, you’re probably talking to their cousin.”
Translation: You’re probably talking to their cousin.
“In politics if you take a swing at someone you better be prepared to take one right back.”
Translation: I actually learned this one from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. I share it with candidates and young political operatives all the time as I travel the country. It helps you think down the road to where your decisions are taking you.
“Preach it three times: before you do it, when you’re doing it and after you do it.”
Translation: It’s not just enough to believe it or even do it. People must know where you stand on an issue. They must know your actions. Just doing something without getting the news out is a waste of good time. I run across people running for office all the time who had done good things but no one knows. They’re even indignant that others don’t know of their good work. Well, they lose no matter how much time they waste being indignant. Tell your story and tell it often.
“No one ever had to apologize for something they did not say!”
Translation: Don’t talk if you don’t have too. If it doesn’t help you, remain quite. If you’re unsure if it helps you keep your mouth shut. You must know for certain what you’re saying and why. Don’t take chances saying something you likely can’t fix.
“The person with the khaki pants, sweaty shirt and straw hat driving the old truck is probably on the local Bank Board. The slick guy with the pin stripped suit, silk tie, tasseled shoes and new car probably owes the bank.”
Translation: Big Daddy was never impressed with those who put on airs. He had a lot of things to say about it. Being flashy was artificial to him. He wasn’t against spending money and living good but he was against anyone who seemed to take pleasure in using material items to show off or feel superior to others. We all know that flashiness is a waste of time in politics.
“Take the blame. Be responsible.”
Translation: Don’t pass the buck. Never, NEVER pass the buck. Stand up and take it when things go bad.
“Spread the credit.”
Translation: And when things go good, let people know who all was involved. Share the wealth and it will be returned to you over and over again.
“The Golden Rule is the best rule to follow in politics.”
Translation: Secretary Clinton says this. Treat others as you would like to be treated — that’s the rule, isn’t it? Just imagine if that rule was applied prior to every action, statement and decision in a political campaign.
“The world would rather see a sermon than hear one.”
Translation: This is from Congressman Jim Clyburn who relates a beautiful story about being in college and deciding, against his father’s dreams, he was not going into the ministry. When he took the long drive home and told his preacher father there was a long pause then his father said, “Well, son, the world would rather see a sermon than hear one.” That’s powerful. St. Francis of Assisi said preach often, sometimes use words. Our political system would be much stronger with more action and less talking.
“Don’t kick a person when they’re down.”
Translation: When people are at their lowest, no matter what they did, no matter how bad, it is not the time to pile on. Show them attention, love and support. Let them know they matter. This was Big Daddy’s philosophy not just in politics but for how the inmates were to be treated at his jail. Not your normal take on how a Mississippi Sheriff may run things. And he kept running his jail and Sheriff’s department because his county would give him 70 – 75% of the vote nearly every time he was on the ballot.
“Remember your raising.”
Translation: Cissy Ross Pierce was getting ready to move to Korea with her soldier husband who was being stationed there. There was a big going away party on our farm with all the families of Pea Ridge in attendance. At the end of the party, Big Daddy hugged Cissy and simply said “You remember your raising while you’re over there.” I was a little boy at the time and wasn’t there. But I’ve heard this story a hundred times by Cissy who did indeed live in Korea before she and her family returned home to Mississippi and rejoined our community.
I think it would bode well for all of us if we took time every now and then to remember our raising.
There you have it — Big Daddy’s for the 2010 campaign trail along with a peppering of Clinton, Pelosi and Clyburn. I doubt Big Daddy considered himself a post-modern philosopher, but what he taught and lived is relevant today — relevant to winning and to bringing us together, as one. Both are possible.
Cross posted from HuffingtoPost.com
It’s not about doing it’s about what your doing and it is a proven fact that progressive’s hate America the change you and Obama want will kill us just like he wants.