So soon you have forgotten the Wingnut Outrage when Obama asked for that fancy brown French mustard on a hamburger? Why can’t that uppity Kenyan eat Plochman’s, like a real American?
Geniuses both.
I saw that story on Politico a few days ago. It’s as if the authors have never been around anyone in a position of more power or responsibility than their high school principal. This is all completely reasonable.
If Joe Smith forgets his cell phone and wallet and has to go back home and get it, he’s late for work and wastes 15 minutes of his time. If the congressman forgets his cell phone and wallet, he’s wasted 15 minutes of his time, plus 15 minutes of time from each of the 35 people waiting for him at the 9 AM appointment his driver is taking him to. It’s not that the congressman needs someone to remind him to bring his wallet with him every morning, it’s that the impact on the rare occasions he does forget is much larger.
EDIT: It’s also clear from the document that the congressman doesn’t employ a full-time aide or driver, and that these are instructions for whatever staffer is available to drive him around on the days when he is in his district and has a busy schedule of events. Which is even more reasonable, and even more ridiculous to criticize him for. If he had a full-time personal assistant or driver (which I wouldn’t begrudge a congressman either), there would be no need for a document like this telling the poor intern who draws the short straw each morning that he needs to remember to put gas in the car before picking the boss up.
The items on the list all look pretty reasonable. No ‘do not make eye contact or attempt to engage in conversation’ or 'each day at 9:43 AM, a dwarf clothed in Egyptian cotton shall ring a gong exactly seven (7) times."
Back when I was working at a job that required me to travel to a new location each day, working with different people each day, having to always carry a specific set of equipment with me, while keeping on a very tight schedule and requiring that I always maintain a specific level of public decorum and formality, my personal checklist looked pretty similar. If I’d been high up enough to warrant a personal assistant, my checklist for them would have been pretty much this.
I’ve been around similar campaigns. If you go to one particular function and don’t drink (or at least don’t hold a drink in your hand) you are a prude and out of touch with the regular people.
However, if you get your picture taken with a drink, a rumor will be started that you are a wild-eyed alcoholic and/or the little old church ladies (who vote in large numbers) will decide not to vote for you because you consume the demon rum.
Solution: drink at the events you are supposed to, but don’t get photographed with a drink in your hand.