S.R. Sidarth's "15 Minutes of Fame" Continue...

By: Lowell
Published On: 8/25/2006 5:57:35 AM

...with a front page profile in today's Washington Post.  All I can say is, George Allen really picked on the wrong guy 3 weeks ago.  It turns out that Sidarth, now a senior majoring in American government and computer engineering at UVA, is everything George Allen is NOT.  First of all, Sidarth was actually born and raised in Virginia, unlike Allen who hails from surfin' southern California.  And, unlike Allen, Sidarth is an academic super-achiever, with a 4.1 grade-point average at Thomas Jefferson High School and a 1550 score on his SATs.  Finally, something tells me that George Allen wasn't the star of his school's version of "It's Academic."

One thing the two men have in common is football - Sidarth was a "defensive end, tight end, punter and kicker for [T.J.'s] football team."  No, I don't think Sidarth ever threw 5 interceptions in one game, like George Allen did back when HE was at UVA, but still...ha. 

Anyway, check out the entire front-page story on Sidarth.  Hey, you never know, Sidarth may be your Senator someday.  Anybody up for a "Draft S.R. Sidarth" movement around, oh, 2024?  Just kidding.

P.S.  More seriously, talk about throwing someone off his game plan!  Check out this article by Dana Milbank, which begins "Sorry, but will Sen. George Allen please stop apologizing?" and continues, "The rattled candidate has lost his bluster; his aides trail him with looks of nausea."  As I said, Allen picked the wrong guy to mess with a few weeks ago...

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.

Comments



alexandria post (pvogel - 8/25/2006 6:04:51 AM)
august 24, editorial page, we can learn a lot from allen, allen needs to learn a lot


This is the story that just keeps on giving. (David Campbell - 8/25/2006 7:55:06 AM)


Both Stores Are Sensational (PM - 8/25/2006 8:49:16 AM)
1.  I'm a Webb partisan by now (he grows on you, kind of like Virginia creeper), but the story on Sidarth had me reading it aloud to my wife.  Like the part about the old Volvo having the faded God Bless America sticker.

2.  Milbank totally trashed Allen, making him look like he's running scared and afraid of the press.



My Favorite Part of Profile: The Ending (bb10 - 8/25/2006 9:34:36 AM)
I won't give away the conclusion of the piece on Sidarth, but it's worth reading every word, to the very end. The last two paragraphs made me burst out laughing. Yeah, Sidarth may be one hell of an environmental lawyer some day.

Last night I read the profile of Dick Wadhams in the "Washington Monthly" magazine. The difference in the type of staff and volunteers that the two campaigns attracts is really night and day.



I actually cried. (kevinceckowski - 8/25/2006 10:08:33 AM)
Don't ask me why.  I guess all the emotion over the past few days.  Say this, don't say that.  Express this, don't say it that way.

Finally I heard it from Sidarth himself, his story. 

That's all it took.

The clincher when I had to put my head down and a tear came out and down my arm, when he told us what he wrote for his required essay to get into Larry Sabato's political science class. (room for only 20 students).  He wrote down just three words.

"I am Macaca."

He was accepted into the class.  He will have a lot to share with us all.  We can learn from him already. 



WTF does this mean? (phriendlyjaime - 8/25/2006 10:42:02 AM)
Watching from the back of the room, Allen supporter Ed Hughes was disgusted. Asked his opinion of the macaca melee, the cowboy-boot-wearing Hughes replied: "You can't print it. It starts with 'S.' " In politics, Hughes added, "you'd have to be a 6-year-old virgin to ever pass the test."

And more importantly, what does Allen's sign man have to say about this situation?  I ask because every time he sees me at an event, he gives me a hug.  In fact, he asked me once why pretty girls are Dems.  He said "Y'all get younger and prettier, and ours stay the same."  I laughed and laughed and laughed.  It's funny, and actually, he is a really nice guy.



Be afraid George, be very afraid. (Bubby - 8/25/2006 10:49:02 AM)
Allen's "listening tour" to the Valley:

The event was part of Allen's "listening tour," but when a local television reporter, during question time, called out, "Senator Allen, are you worried --," Allen recoiled as the chamber president, Kathy Welsh, intervened. "I'm sorry, we're not taking questions from the media," she announced. "This is for members of the chamber of commerce." This was followed by an awkward silence; because no chamber member had a question, Welsh asked one of her own.  Minutes later, another questioner said he was from WVPT, and Allen, fearing another reporter, cried out, "No, no." 

George Allen fears reporters because they are trying to figure out who the REAL George Allen is, and he doesn't want them to find out.  Wait until they get to the part about how he gets his campaign funds. $800,000 from oil companies?



small nit to pick (snolan - 8/25/2006 11:52:39 AM)
Lowell, I have a small nit to pick with your excellent story.  When you say unlike Allen who hails from surfin' southern California (emphasis mine), I sucked in my breath and then hissed.

Allen is no surfer.
Surfers are laid back, and very mellow.
Surfers understand fluid dynamics and careful balancing.
Surfers know how to have fun.

As a (reluctantly) former surfer, I really don't like any suggestion that Allen had anything to do with surfing, ever.

OK, I am just kidding!



Good point. Apologies to surfers everywhere. (Lowell - 8/25/2006 9:27:43 PM)
I've known surfers.  Surfers have been friends of mine.  And George Allen...he's no surfer!  Ha.

P.S.  And George Allen...he's no cowboy.
P.P.S.  And George Allen...he's no rocket scientist.



To George Allen's Defense sort of.... (thegools - 8/25/2006 10:19:31 PM)
...he is not stupid.  He may have been a fool with "Macaca," he may still be.  However, I have read that he graduated with honors from both college school.

Be careful.  Guys who get elected as many times as he has are not dunces.