Campaign on Poetry, Govern in Prose

I am happy to be back after some enforced absence to conduct a conversation with thee, my ER.
Don't stand on ceremony, help yourself to a tehtarik. Help thyself to roast lamb even, if you can catch the sheep before I do the chick.

The oft asked question -- Why does the chicken cross the road?
Desi's samrt ass answer: Bceause Colonel Sanders and KFC are on this side of the road. The chicken wants to live to welcome Amore sunrise and sunset. Desi joins IT to say "ditto" too.

By now I've bored my ER (EstemedReaders) many times stating Desi is an ass-piring Poet. I had somethin' to show last May -- putting my first anthology of poems for public scrutiny. Hearing feedback from friends is not a good yardstick of how it goes down with readers; it is my interaction with very "fresh" readers which gives me an insight of where I am at and where I will be heading. I think I am making some headway, though some heads may turn. Did you know that some people shake their heads sideways, and mean "Yes"; some also nod their heads (downwards) and also mean "Yes". Your pick, it's democracy I campaign on, also I try to practise at, at Desi's Place.

By a strange twist of fate, I have been made home-bound for the past three weAks. And a nephew of consideration sends me a package of THE WEST WING episodes to tide Desi o'er the recuperation period, which strictly on doctors' orders, not doctored, amounts to minimum of one month with minimised public exposure lest I get an infection to jeopardise my Appendicitis and Perforated Intestine wounds. Long story short, I was immersed in the heart of American political centre -- The White House, and more specifically, THE WEST WING.

Does AARON SORKIN ring a belle, anyone who had viewd Seasons 6 and 7 before this?
Or Martin Sheen as Prsident Bartlet? Or Jim Smits as Presidential candidate and John Spencer as Leo McGarry... Chief of Staff, later as Vice President-elect who was not to be sworn into office because he ... ( a spoiler for those who come after Desi, so I leave the script unrevealed.)

What I did was to view Season SE7EN first (it being my fave number, remember?), In a way, It's like turning to the last chapter of an Agatha Christie mystery to have a peep at the culprit and the peep became a lingering peek. Does sex work that way too? (THis Q is posed rhetorically in view of my presumption that the majority of my ER are adult and won't blackball Desi because somethimes i visit dangerous but sensitive territories. But I think 17-year-old johnleemk won't mind because I've met his Dad whose vision is quite westernised, hence liberal, hence not-prudish as prudes need lots of vetting and self-censorship. You don't know any example, think Minister of Propaganda-ganda Wang Anda...)

Sorry I digress much. Let's get back to what I'm reflecting on for Sundae non-CON BF.
After Season 6, I went on to be educated by a docu that goes behind the scenes to what research, interviews with past Presidents and White House staffers, (long ones with past aides to The President -- in Malaysia we call him Office Boy, but the wan at the Oval Office has shorter life span in view of pressure-cooker environs!) and props and realistic scenes to make the stories as reality based as posiible. Yes, it's like behind the scenes, including the "deleted" gaffes and goofs and impromptu dialogue variations that go into the preparations leading to the making of TWW serials. I truly envied all the cast members.

Ex-President Clinton in an interview remarked that (it's a fine American tradition he's truly proud of, my reading-lah!) for Presidents to "CAMPAIN ON POETRY and GOVERN IN PROSE".A memorable quotable quote to the effect: "I left office more idealistic than when I took the oath assuming office as President of the United States of America."

(To be continued...)

(After hot Milo and Julie's biscuits BF, around 11.00am, Augst 6 post reading my most ardent fan AweOfHelen who brings Desi past&PRESENTries I no, TQ, it sure helps in recuperation because Men shalt not live on bread alone..., No, It's not my own quote, I adapted IT from somew'ear, lest I be later accused of playgiarthym, quite an offence of catastrophy proportions for any asspiring, not expyred, writHer!:)

I believe Clinto meant that in any presidential race, the candidates encompass all the noble values in their Mission statements, whether Republican or Democrat, appealing to the common values that bind the Americans as on people under one nation. That holds during the campaign period so that one wins as wide a field of support as is possible, so the candidate speaks poetically of noble values -- putting Nation Above Party and Self.

But along the reapolitik course in order to reach the final choice as party nominee, and to then win the Presidency. And there's lots of strategies, and Thinking Out of the Box decision-making, and some wheeling-and-dealing to get to that destination. And that makes the Campaign Manager the next most important man, later to become (normally) the Chief Of Staff at the White House as his/her reward.

So here I come to Leo McGarry character -- embodiment of a man of iron grip, putting Nation Above Self, who lives and breathes more Presidential air that the First Lady, often sacrificing lots of his opwn private life. Yes, Leo admits in one exchange with his life partner (Jenny ...) he loves his job as presiential chief aide more than his wife. Sad but true... (Aside: but please don't compare with any local political versions okay!)

Here, I pause and try to spin some threads with what's happening on the political front in NegaraKu, can? That "can" is thetorical, OK, as Desi's not asking permission or permit from BN or Opposition chiefs, especially those monkeys in that supposedly august Hose at Jalan Parlimen, Kuala Lumpur (Lumpuh?)

I believe the majority of these House residents (many of my Blogger mates -- the hoRst @howsy.blogspot.com, agree? -- refer to them as Monkeys, but Desi thinks that would be demeaning my four-legged friends I sometimes spy stealing rambutans off my Uncle's backyard in the village...)

I postulate less than 10% have read George Orwells "Animla Farm"; maybe less have included in their book collection any anthology of Robert Frost, William Shakespeare or Emily Dickinson; or Rabidranath Tagore, and (surprise Desi!) least of all encompassing Max Ehrmann for that would lift them into Desi's rarified league, wouldn't it?:( The blardy arrogance of Desi -- othersiw how do you think the Minister of Propaganda-ganda Wang Anda would think that Malaysian bloggers are "goblok"? And Muhammad son of Muhammad and bodeker-kaki would lodge a police report alleging "Incitement against The Agong and Islam" against Raja Petra Kamaruddin quoting a Jluy 11, 2007 entry that did not even exist; then resorted to desperation measures asking a Chinese press aide to enter malaysia-today.net to gather-Post Laporan Polis evidence, even from among Comments (previously they must have surfed to malaysia-today.com instead and thought that coward RPK has deleted his 'hole blog!:(

I think I will rest my case hear, energy limitation, now I long for A&W rut Bir but the nearest stop is about 2 km away, so I make do with Vitgen at nearest pit-stop at SEVEN11. Meanwhile, Desi (Yes, it's the creative in me writin' todie -- not the newshound, for that would mean more mean bytes which I am not up to, nyet! -- seeks thy indulgence in selling thee my premise why I like the Leo McGarry character best among TWWcast -- he's so human after all/awe despite being a central player in The Corridors of Power.

Some supporting evidence from Google/Wikipedia:

Characters Leo Thomas McGarry

John Spencer as Leo McGarry © NBC
Position: White House Chief of Staff
Age: 58ish
Played By: John Spencer
Relationships/Threads:
Leo and the President
Leo and the Vice President
See His Life's Time-Line
Query: Is Leo Sexist?

Family:
Spouse: Jenny, who asked for a divorce after decades of marriage because, as he says, he widowed her when he took over the campaign.

Mother: ?

Father: Committed suicide due to alcoholism (his father, Leo's grandfather was also an alcoholic [#309]).

Education:
Undergraduate - There is a discussion in "The Portland Trip" [#29] that might indicate that he went to Michigan (traditional rival of Notre Dame where Bartlet went).
Law School (?Chicago?)

Religion:
Catholic - but he doesn't appear to be religious. When his wife asks for a divorce, he gives no indication he has a problem going against the Church in that. And, although, he mentions the President's religious beliefs, he never talks about his own except about the 12 Steps notion that "a higher power can restore us to sanity."

Background:
Military Service: Served in Vietnam as a pilot (flew an Air Force F-105, one mission he was part of was called "Rolling Thunder" in 1966 as part of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing [#49])

Work History:
At some point he may have practiced law, but he has probably spent most of his career in party politics.
Secretary of Labor in 1993 (and probably before and after). [#9] Around 1997, Josh addresses him as "Mr. Secretary" as if Leo had only recently resigned from the cabinet.

"You're a player. You're bigger in the party than I am." Bartlet says to him while Leo is running Bartlet's dark horse campaign for the Presidency. [#23-24]


Personality Traits: Alcoholic & addict (addicted to Valium). "In June of 1993, I voluntarily admitted myself to the Sierra-Tucson Rehabilitation Facility to treat an addiction to alcohol and Valium." [#12] Speculation: to become addicted one must first try a drug and Valium is not a recreational drug that many people would try just try out of the blue. It is a tranquilizer often used to treat Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, which is something many Vietnam Vets (and others who have been in war-like conditions) experience. It seems unlikely that he ever saw a psychiatrist, but his regular doctor could have prescribed it.
When he relapsed into drinking before the last debate of the first Bartlet campaign for President, Leo smoked. Also, as Nikolas Cassadinne reminded us, Leo smoked in "Angel Maintenance" when the President's life was in danger on Air Force One.

Additional Information:

Leo calls just about everyone other than the President (and the Vice President in public) by their first names. Very soon after the 21 year old Charlie joins the staff, Leo says, "Charlie, call me Leo, would you." [#14]


To reassure the President that he can go to sleep, the first lady tells him: "Leo's in the West Wing." Even though there's a crisis going on, this does show the President that he can rest. [#12]

PS: Call me if you wanna borrow TWW -- Seasons 1 to SE7EN; we can negotiate the rates. many of mGf keep reminding Desi: "There is no such thing as a freelunch in a parliamentary democracy -- which Pak Lah reminds us recently. No, the PM reminds about the parliamentary demo part, not the FL!
Then I hear mGf friend zorro whisper: "There's some consolation -- dare's still SpecialBrunch!"

Chow, which means "See you" or mGf ipohlang helen yells: "Let's now go eat!"