Posted on 07/19/2006 10:58:18 AM PDT by Froufrou
With dreams of establishing his own Bush-like Presidential dynasty, Rhode Island Congressman Kenneth Gurwitch tried everything to get his 10-yearold son interested in politics.
"I took Matt to Congress with me," he said. "I watched the national news with him every night, pointing out the people with whom I worked. I even got Matt a personal tour of the White House."
But nothing Gurwitch did succeeded in interesting his son in his father's line of work. "Quite honestly, the only thing that excites Matt is watching his favorite TV show, SpongeBob SquarePants.
In desperation, Gurwitch decided to try something more radical to win his son over. First, he made certain that Matt would turn on the TV at a specified date and time. Gurwitch had left the TV on C-Span, which shows live sessions of all U.S. House of Representatives meetings.
What Matt saw amazed him. It was one of those dull Congress meetings his dad was always trying to get him to watch, but sitting among the other Congressman was none other than his father -- dressed as SpongeBob SquarePants!
"It was the coolest thing ever! I never thought my dad would do something that goofy for me!" Matt enthused. "It was just what Congress needed! I love politics now!"
Unfortunately, Gurwitch's stunt did not enjoy equal success among Congressional leaders. He was censured for making a mockery out of the political process and relieved of his position on the Congressional Ethics Committee.
No flies on you! That's the point - this is one of those grocery store rags.
False but accurate?
Yes, and yes.
The story is false.
No duh.
IMO, more things make a mockery of the political process then wearing a Spongebob costume.
Kennedy going through withdrawal while quizzing his intellectual superiors (Roberts & Alito) comes to mind.
Senile old men being allowed to wander aimlessly for a thought (byrd) comes to mind.
A Congresswoman hitting a cop (McKinney) comes to mind.
Crying on the Senate floor because a nominee might be mean to the U.N. (Voinovich) comes to mind.
Spongebob Costume? Relatively minor as far as I'm concerned.
I don't really understand the desperation to interest such a young child in politics, that has time to develop, but I wouldn't say it's harmful for a parent to rear their child to be attentive to the world they live in either. Even if it takes a costume to do it.
Oh, no, I know a lot of parents who won't let their young children watch SpongeBob. My 5yo watches it only because I let his 10yo brother watch it. I know adults who love that show (hubby and I among them)... lol.
For the slower folks among us, the representatives from Rhode Island are Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin. The Senators are Jack Reed and Lincoln Chafee.
Sigh. The fact checking at the Weekly World News is subpar these days. Bat Boy must be so ashamed.
Sure, it's humor.
But I gotta state, I wouldn't see harm in it.
A Congressman who did such a thing would be far more normal then the majority of politicians on the Hill. I'm kinda wondering why no one has done this before?
Oh, puh-leeze. These jokers waste time on pander-bear nonsense like the "flag burning amendment", and they have the gall to accuse somebody else of "making a mockery out of the political process"?
That's like Michael Moore calling somebody fat and stupid.
Barnacles!
This guy needs some lessons in Parenting!
But then, maybe he absorbed the Al Gore
biography on how Gore Senior convoluted
HIS son's life re eventually taking over
the White House Seat!
Gotta feel sorry for the kid! Doesn't
he have any friends to stimulate his
imagination better than TV characters?
My 12 year-old GreatKid abandons the
TV in a heartbeat when one of his
friends calls on the phone or is
ringing the doorbell! Skate Park,
Bike Trail, Swimming pool, Tree House,
Golf Park, or Lego building on rainy days.
He'd rather do any one of those things than
sit and stare at Looney Tunes or even
head for Great America where they
strap you in and spin you ad nauseum!
PHYSICAL ACTION is the key to a healthy boy.
Well spoken, thank you.
I think BB must have sued them. I don't see anything about him there anymore...
I always confuse that with World Net Daily
False but accurate?Maybe we've found the perfect job for Dan Rather. >:)
-Eric
...Hmmm, reading the replies, yer got me. A joke? Only those that govern...
Our daughter loved listening to Rush Limbaugh ~ at age 9.
She devised her own definition of a conservative.
It went something like, "A conservative is somebody for who they believe you should EARN your own money."
Not exactly Oliver Wendell Holmes (our relative), but she understood even then that she's free to earn her happy life.
Very good! Seems to be a natural learner, and conservatism is essentially common sense anyway.
Everyone should instill values in their children, (and conservatism is values-based) but this guy was trying to get his kid interested in "politics" for the sake of being interested in politics.
Pretty twisted, imho, and as a Freeper mentioned earlier, it DOES bring to mind images of Al Gore, Sr.
Or, Joe Kennedy.
Why not teach them about God and let an interest in politics develop naturally?
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