I hung out with Randy Graf at the UA Votes concert last night

[Wetzelbill]

:) Talk about polar opposites!

I was working the event with the rest of the ASUA cabinet, and I was talking to this guy from PIRG who is my co-director on our voter registration project, when I see Randy Graf about 20 feet away hanging out at the College Republicans tent. So he stands around for a bit, then walks over to talk to some policemen, then after that he walks by myself and a few other people working the event. (We had UA Votes 2006 shirts on)

So he and I get to talking, and I just had to ask him some questions. Stuff about enduring bases in Iraq etc (which he is against) as well as more academic type stuff like parallels between the Cold War and The War On Terror.

He's a pretty friendly guy and all, no way I would ever vote for him. Wayyy too far to the Right. It's funny because afterward a bunch of my colleagues were like "What the hell were you talking to Randy Graf about?!" They seemed perplexed that two people on such far sides of the political spectrum could talk for like 20 minutes or so, but hell, I get along with people and I am total policy nerd, I was interested in hearing what the guy thought about some issues that the media never brings up. It's not like I am going to clothesline the guy because I don't agree with him or anything. :)

I did meet Raul Grijalva too. Only talked to him for a moment though, he was pretty busy at the time. Grijalva is a great man, I was a bit humbled meeting him. Wish we had more people like that in Congress. I think I might try to work for him pretty soon. Maybe next semester. I wish I lived in his district, it would be an honor to vote for that guy.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. I'd rather talk to a Randy Graf-type than McCain any day

At least with far righties like him there's a sense that he stands on his principles, whacked out as they are. McCain would tell you what he thinks you want to hear and then turn around and push harmful and regressive legislation in the Senate.

I like Grijalva too. He's very easy to talk to and you can tell he really cares about his constituents. He's also got my hands-down favorite name for a reelection campaign: A Whole Lotta People For Raul Grijalva.