Name One Pol You Expected To Be Useless...

[JSojourner]

...and you discovered just the opposite....

I am not asking you to necessarily cross party or idealogical lines unless you want.   Just think of someone you thought would be dumb as a box of bolts or simply an empty suit.  And then you found yourself impressed with his or her work ethic or erudition or whatever.

Could be a President or a city councilman, for that matter.  But tell us some of the story behind your experience (ie: WHY you thought X would suck and how he/she surprised you). 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Eliot Spitzer

[Mint]

Bernie Sanders, oddly enough. Mostly because of his actions against the bank bail outs and demands for serious reform of the financial system at a time when so many so called conservative (and 'liberals' or 'leftists') are doing nothing of substance. There's more but he's a major FF for that even if I find a lot of his worldview to be anathema.

[Mechaman]

Although I liked him, when Brad Henry was first elected governor of Oklahoma I thought he would go the same route as most Okie Dems do and become "Republican Lite". I thought he would sell out to the moralfags in this state and become another Brad Carson. Well I was very wrong, Brad Henry stood by his guns and has governed from the best possible platform any sane moderate could govern from in Oklahoma. He has refused time and time again to bow down to the militant pro-life factions in this state on restricting abortion, and for that I have enormous respect for him. State Lottery to fund education anyone? I think you liberals would like his views on healthcare: "Patients before profits." IMO he comes pretty damn close to fitting that word: Moderate.
And it's not just me who approves of him, look at this map of his re-election bid in 2006:



You see that? 66.5% of people who voted in the Oklahoma Gubernatorial Election 2006 voted for moderate Brad Henry (who a lot of loons I know consider to be a "liburul") over the generic Republican far right conservative! If you're wondering why I refuse to lose faith in Oklahoma, this is why: because every once in awhile Okies have a moment of sanity so powerful that it demands awe and reverence. Remember that while this state may have given the US Jim Inhofe (who is one of my least favorite politicians), it also gave the US Fred Harris (who is one of my favorite politicians). There will be a time once again when Oklahomans wake up, smell the coffee, and come to their senses. And I plan on being at the forefront of it.

[pogo stick]

Mike Huckabee

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Mayor Luke.

The kid was thrust into the job when Bob O'Connor died, and he's not changed the world, but the kid really tries to do what he thinks is best for Da Burgh.

*******************

I also had low expectations of Tom Ridge, but he did a fine job as Governor and despite his color coded warning system, starting a new branch of the Cabinet from zero is pretty impressive.

[JSojourner]

Mayor Luke.

The kid was thrust into the job when Bob O'Connor died, and he's not changed the world, but the kid really tries to do what he thinks is best for Da Burgh.

*******************

I also had low expectations of Tom Ridge, but he did a fine job as Governor and despite his color coded warning system, starting a new branch of the Cabinet from zero is pretty impressive.

Your Mayor really has surprised me.  I don't live there but from what I have seen and heard, he is quite good.  One wonders what the future holds.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Mayor Luke.

The kid was thrust into the job when Bob O'Connor died, and he's not changed the world, but the kid really tries to do what he thinks is best for Da Burgh.

*******************

I also had low expectations of Tom Ridge, but he did a fine job as Governor and despite his color coded warning system, starting a new branch of the Cabinet from zero is pretty impressive.

Your Mayor really has surprised me.  I don't live there but from what I have seen and heard, he is quite good.  One wonders what the future holds.

In Typical Allegheny County fashion, he's mayor for as long as he wants it, or unless he ends up in jail.

[minionofmidas]

Pot, of course.

[JSojourner]

Pot, of course.

LOL

[King]

BRTD's had a few polls that I expected to be useless but found entertaining.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Joe Biden as, VP, uh, oh oh, wait, uh, nevermind. 


(Actually I like ole Joe)

[JSojourner]

BRTD's had a few polls that I expected to be useless but found entertaining.

I have absolutely loved some of his polls and posts.  BRTD is a bright guy.  Occasionally, he can even be a nice guy.  ;-)

I can't say I always share his taste in movies, but he sure hit it out of the park in praising No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood.  I thought those were two of the best to come along in quite awhile.

[Lunar]

Ted Kaufman has surprised me.

[Person Man]

BRTD's had a few polls that I expected to be useless but found entertaining.

I have absolutely loved some of his polls and posts.  BRTD is a bright guy.  Occasionally, he can even be a nice guy.  ;-)

I can't say I always share his taste in movies, but he sure hit it out of the park in praising No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood.  I thought those were two of the best to come along in quite awhile.

Those types of movies give me ideas. I think Shugar's Silenced Shotgun would be perfect against zombies. But I digress.

I was kind of Impressed with a few things that W said before leaving office. It was as if he apologized about Iraq. Then again, anyone who realises that they are in hell (the truth realised too late), will do that. It was primarily his thoughts about how evolution and religion could live in harmony that brought a smile on my face for about 30 or 40 seconds.