Bowling alone, Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam warned in his famous book of the same name, was a sign of a deteriorating civil society, as he deemed the demise of organized bowling leagues a cultural canary-in-a-coalmine of America’s move away from communities and towards more isolating individualism.
But a few Fridays ago, Governor Pawlenty not only wasn’t bowling alone, he was with teams of Minnesotans coming together in a charity event (“Dave Lee’s Gutter Bowl” on WCCO) for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.
Culturally, it was significant, because it indicates the center is holding, even in these particularly partisan times. Most Minnesotans still define themselves not by their political proclivities, but rather their personal passions. This includes bowling (we’re 33% more likely to bowl than the national average according to research from MRI) and charity, in which our state’s generosity is nationally known.
Politically, it’s significant as well. Those politicians who remember and reflect that voters need to see them as real people have more success in advancing issues for the real people they claim to serve.
At play, the governor played it up for the cameras, doing jumping jacks and pushups before bowling and then mixed it up with the crowd. Sure, it was political. But it was also personal, as he seemed to be genuinely having fun, not a word normally named by normal Minnesotans as part of the political process.
Campaign advisers and conventional wisdom makes most politicians so risk-averse that they risk becoming disconnected with how most Minnesotans live. This has been apparent not only on the state level but nationally as well, particularly in executive races.
Minnesota’s last four DFL gubernatorial candidates invoked many admirable adjectives — earnest and honest public servants — but Skip Humphrey, John Marty, Roger Moe and Mike Hatch wouldn’t have made many Minnesotan’s list of top invitees to a backyard barbeque. Governor Perpich, conversely, might have, as before he was “goofy” he was a real guy with real quirks from a real town on the range.
Indeed, Minnesotans have voted for more colorful candidates in the last several elections. The most glaring (and garish) example was Governor Ventura, who was seemingly elected solely because he eschewed blue suits and red ties for pink feather boas. Maroon and gold were Governor Carlson’s favorite colors, as his love of watching football, basketball and hockey at his beloved “U” was only topped by Governor Pawlenty actually playing hockey.
Nationally, the colorful character factor has also come into play, as Presidents Clinton and Bush both beat candidates who were long on resumes, but short on relatability. Prospective presidents are already trying to be the everyman (or woman) to everyone, with some coming across with JFK-like élan (Senator Barack Obama in the surf on a family vacation) or Al Gore stiffness (Mayor Guliani’s staged photo-op on the cover of the New York Post planting a kiss on his wife, which looked like Glamour Shots gone bad).
Of course, style should never replace substance. But the two aren’t mutually exclusive, and the politician who can rally the citizens by simply being one of them can have both.
But a few Fridays ago, Governor Pawlenty not only wasn’t bowling alone, he was with teams of Minnesotans coming together in a charity event (“Dave Lee’s Gutter Bowl” on WCCO) for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society.
Culturally, it was significant, because it indicates the center is holding, even in these particularly partisan times. Most Minnesotans still define themselves not by their political proclivities, but rather their personal passions. This includes bowling (we’re 33% more likely to bowl than the national average according to research from MRI) and charity, in which our state’s generosity is nationally known.
Politically, it’s significant as well. Those politicians who remember and reflect that voters need to see them as real people have more success in advancing issues for the real people they claim to serve.
At play, the governor played it up for the cameras, doing jumping jacks and pushups before bowling and then mixed it up with the crowd. Sure, it was political. But it was also personal, as he seemed to be genuinely having fun, not a word normally named by normal Minnesotans as part of the political process.
Campaign advisers and conventional wisdom makes most politicians so risk-averse that they risk becoming disconnected with how most Minnesotans live. This has been apparent not only on the state level but nationally as well, particularly in executive races.
Minnesota’s last four DFL gubernatorial candidates invoked many admirable adjectives — earnest and honest public servants — but Skip Humphrey, John Marty, Roger Moe and Mike Hatch wouldn’t have made many Minnesotan’s list of top invitees to a backyard barbeque. Governor Perpich, conversely, might have, as before he was “goofy” he was a real guy with real quirks from a real town on the range.
Indeed, Minnesotans have voted for more colorful candidates in the last several elections. The most glaring (and garish) example was Governor Ventura, who was seemingly elected solely because he eschewed blue suits and red ties for pink feather boas. Maroon and gold were Governor Carlson’s favorite colors, as his love of watching football, basketball and hockey at his beloved “U” was only topped by Governor Pawlenty actually playing hockey.
Nationally, the colorful character factor has also come into play, as Presidents Clinton and Bush both beat candidates who were long on resumes, but short on relatability. Prospective presidents are already trying to be the everyman (or woman) to everyone, with some coming across with JFK-like élan (Senator Barack Obama in the surf on a family vacation) or Al Gore stiffness (Mayor Guliani’s staged photo-op on the cover of the New York Post planting a kiss on his wife, which looked like Glamour Shots gone bad).
Of course, style should never replace substance. But the two aren’t mutually exclusive, and the politician who can rally the citizens by simply being one of them can have both.