Posted on 11/19/2017 2:24:12 AM PST by mairdie
...The island nation is a paradisiacal land of jade hills dotted with grazing sheep, golden-sand beaches surrounded by Jurassic Park-like jungles, snow-capped peaks that rise steeply from azure fjords, and pastoral villages serving gourmet meals and world-class wine.
Brown spends his days as if he is campaigning across this terrain. He gladhands mayors and their constituents, bearing patriotic gifts: US-New Zealand flag pins, and military challenge coins imprinted with Browns signature. He introduces himself to chambers of commerce, noting that he, too, was once a business owner. And he connects with Kiwis over rock music and rugby, trying to parry their considerable concerns about President Trump. Advertisement
In the evening, Brown and his wife, Gail Huff, might dine at another diplomats house. Or they might stay at the ambassadorial residence, Camperdown, a palatial estate with a sweeping front lawn and a chef who prepares meals for the couple and their guests. The official soirées sometimes stretch past midnight. It stays warm late. Summer in New Zealand is just a few weeks away.
The pay is $155,000 per year. The benefits are priceless.
While other Trump appointees are lawyering up in fear of special counsel Robert Mueller or fretting about being undermined by an early-morning presidential tweet, Brown is happy, fit, and free 8,800 miles from Washington, D.C. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
My cousin’s husband was an ambassador to the UK. Their home was a full block on the main drag of Newport. That, I think, is the common situation for people in that position. Unlike many ambassadors, Scott’s not rich. His home in Wrentham was a normal sort of home, though on a lake. So it’s great he has an opportunity for a few years to have fun. He’s a good family man with a good family. Richard Ross was his protege, taking over his political positions as Scott moved from job to job. Richard is one of the most decent men you’d want to meet, so it says a lot for Scott that he has good people as friends.
Not a fan of the Boston Globe, but love that Scott’s doing well and that the rag has to live with it.
Great insightful point Josh. Scott is living a nice life as ambassador. How disgraceful when you compare the monastic sacrifices of all the people appointed by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Their self discipline and denial of all luxury still brings tears to my eyes.
The roots of Donald Trump's 2016 victory can be traced back to this magical campaign. Nobody gave Scott Brown a snowball's chance in hell and his Democrat opponent, a very Hillary-like Martha Coakley, was practically coronated and considered an automatic shoo-in.
But Scott Brown took to the streets of Boston (and pretty much all the other 350 cities and towns) in his pick-up truck and simply outworked Martha in every facet. Like I said, the campaign was magical. I attended a rally in Worcester, MA that would greatly resemble the Trump rallies to come years later. The venue was overflowing and people who couldn't get in were outside in the frigid cold waving signs and chanting USA.
This was the Tea Party at its very best and believe it or not, Scott Brown represented the Tea Party at that point in time.
His victory on Jan 16 rocked the entire country. A grass-roots Republican elected to the senate from Massachusetts! The Democrats went into absolute panic and we know the rest of the story. The MSM launched an all-out war on the Tea Party and ran most of us into the shadows. Once in office, Scott Brown decided to play ball and become an establishment RINO. Obamacare became the law of the land and RINO Brown was easily defeated by a real Democrat two years later.
Like you, I think Scott Brown is a nice man but he chose poorly by leaguing himself with the establishment GOP instead of sticking to his Tea Party roots. Hell, he could have been Trump's running mate had he done so. I know Trump thinks very highly of him.
Maybe we haven't heard the last of him - he's still a relatively young man (58 I believe).
But check out the link I have above. This was a typical Brown campaign ad during that magical time. It still sends shivers up my spine because I was one of those guys standing out in the streets with a Scott Brown sign. I got of a lot of honks!
Agree with everything you say. He probably thought going establishment would keep him in office. I never saw him as a deep thinker, but as a good man who truly liked people and wanted the best for them. Let Donald Trump keep him close and be his mentor. Good for both of them.
Watched the ad. It was GREAT! Very exciting that you were in it. And you’re again right. It was a magical time.
Thanks for the response and for the record, I wasn’t actually in the commercial. But I did volunteer for the campaign out of the Westford (MA) office working phone banks and spent at least three chilly Saturday mornings standing in Chelmsford Center with a group of others waving Scott Brown for Senate signs (just like in the ad). Based on the honks I we were getting, I just knew Scott was going to win despite what the polls were saying. Pretty much the same experience with the Trump campaign - I knew all along Trump would win because he had the grass-roots support behind him.
Record corrected. But I’ll still think of you when I watch the ad again. You are the heart that makes a campaign succeed. Without you, it’s just empty air. Obama said I and was a failure. Trump says We and he means it. You’re the roots the grass grows in and without you we wouldn’t have him. Thank you.
The guy’s having fun, making the most of his stay in New Zealand. Good for him!
Brown is a good looking personable guy. Perfect for the job.
Watched the clip, read the posts....and, maybe, as you indicate “He’ll BE BACK”...and back to his tea party ties!
Government employee pensions are way out of control.
But it does seem like he’s a nice guy. (I used to live in MA.)
There are pockets of conservatism, even here. Wrentham usually goes Republican, I understand.
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