No doubt about it! Those days were very molding for me. I was in Austin then. The ultra libs probably polished up the radical right winger lurking within me better than anything else could have done.
The bad news that he is not really a Republican is, to me, overshadowed by the bigger fact that I think he is a real stand up guy. He is a good kind of Democrat, not the bad kind. A nice guy and a patriot. A guy with no connections at all at that point, who attended the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon. He may even turn 'our way' in time, he's young! And he is getting some good exposure to good Republicans in this project and his morale appearances for the military.Meaghan transcribed this interview with Sean Astin in People Magazine:
The Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin, 32, visited the White House recently to join the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, a 25-member group that will encourage volunteerism in all 50 states and, perhaps, Middle Earth. Scoop inquired about the gig.
"How were you picked ?"
"I was at a memorial service for 9/11 at the Pentagon (last year), sitting next to a lady who worked in the White House Personnel Office. She said the President was about to announce a panel on service and asked if I'd be interested. I said "I'm a Democrat !" She said, "It's bipartisan." No problem; I'm proud to serve."
"What happend next ?"
"In January I had a meeting in the White House. It was pretty cool sitting opposite former Sens. Bob Dole and John Glenn and (former Washington Redskin) Darrell Green."
"Did you get any souvenirs from the White House ?"
"The service pin they gave us to wear. I got some White House M&Ms, but I can't find them. I menu from the White House mess."
"So how are you going to get people to volunteer ?"
"President Kennedy said, "Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Just remind people of that."
"What will you do ?"
"My daughter, wife, and I are trying to figure out something we can do together, maybe work at a soup kitchen."
"Do you recall the first time that you volunteered ?"
"My mom and dad (Patty Duke and John Astin)would host a New York portion of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. I was about 7. My brothers and I would answer phones and take pledges, do pitches for people to send money."
"Would you consider Lord of the Rings's Samwise Gamgee as being a volunteer for Middle-Earth ?"
"Sure."
Naww...you wouldn't have liked me...I was attempting to self-destruct.
Thank God He saw the future and spared me.