MORT’s Meanderings.

Words to live by.

Congressman Allen West who represents Florida’s District 22, has become the ‘go-to’ guy for political news writers seeking quotes to liven up their columns.

Show me the political writer who doesn’t have an agenda and I’ll show you a writer who doesn’t work for a Tribune newspaper. Show me the radio or TV anchor opinion-ist who doesn’t lean slightly to the left or slightly to the right and I’ll show you a fairly dull person – and, networks don’t usually, knowingly - hire dullards.

Many politicians have latched onto the popular saying, “I say what I mean and I mean what I say.” That saying used to be meaningful. In these times of blabber-blabber- jabber-jabber, it has almost become a ‘throw-away’ line. It has become almost, a trite bromide.

Every hack politician has adopted it, including President Barack Hussein Obama. So, you know what it’s worth. Something less than, ‘not much’.

There is an exception, however. When U. S. Rep West speaks for publication, he knows precisely what he is saying and he stands four-square behind everything he says. This man is used to doing combat with our nation’s enemies both within and without our borders, in every conceivable venue - from the hostile sun baked deserts of the Middle East to the hostile environments of air-conditioned posh hotel meeting halls, the hot-lighted TV studios and the oftimes chilly Editorial conference rooms of local newspapers. He is quite capable of functioning comfortably in any climate, under any conditions. Plus, he is able to discuss matters with friend and foe alike, while he maintains an expressionless demeanor. He is a man who knows how to play a poker hand without revealing his thought processes..

When speaking to audiences as he does twice-a-month at the ‘live’ Town Hall meetings he conducts in his home district whenever Congress is not in session – he speaks without notes, without teleprompter and without que cards*. He usually makes a brisk, rather informal power-point slide presentation that reprises his recent schedule of activities in the House of Representatives.

Then, he responds to questions written on cards by members of the audience, prior to their entering the meeting hall. The questions are pre-screened and read aloud by a non-partisan person who has no public affiliation with politics. This saves a lot of time. Time that otherwise, would be wasted by individuals who dearly love to hear the sound of their own voice, before they are politely urged to pose their question – like, now.

It is during his responses during this Q&A session that the Congressman is likely to express himself using military terminology. After all, he did spend 22 years as an officer in Uncle Sam’s Army and some of that experience rubbed off. Or, he might express himself in colloquialisms commonly heard during his formative years in his hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. Or, he might use a bit of collegiate terminology picked up during his matriculation at the University of Tennessee. Or, he might illustrate his response with a biblical quotation or a quote from one of his vast library of books on the history of the world’s religions and mankind’s civilizations down through the ages.

Whichever he chooses to use to spice up his answer, you can rest assured that it is not a frivolous, off-the-cuff remark; it is rather - a studied response. He knows what he is saying. If he says it, he meant to say it.

When he comes off with a lightly-disguised bit of sarcasm or sardonic humor, he will invariably crack his boyish grin – that’s the key. He relaxes the serious demeanor at such times.

And so, for the benefit of anyone, especially members of the established media who should be sufficiently experienced and observant to catch the ‘visual’ along with the ‘audio’ – they cannot (or shouldn’t) miss his true meaning.

It is my personal opinion, for what that’s worth – that many (most?) reporters and / or journalists take themselves so seriously, that they are physiologically incapable of recognizing humor, be it bombastic or subtle. Or is it, that they don’t appreciate the humor because it conflicts with their pre-conceived political positions?

In any case, Congressman West’s ‘Words to live by’ make lively ‘copy’’. My gratuitous advice to reporters: Attend the Congressman’s words closely and watch his facial expressions. If you don’t clear your mind and you don’t watch and listen carefully, you’ll miss the opportunity to learn a lot. And in turn, to enlighten your readership to the what, when, where and why of true civic representation, as practiced by a man whose wisdom is way beyond his years.

*Congressman West keeps several ‘data’ cards in his inside jacket pocket, as back-up reference to his presentations that are chock-full of facts, figures, dates and data. He uses them mostly, as props.

Conservative Commentary by MORT KUFF © 2011