Tuesday afternoon I staffed Jerry Brady (I work for him) as he attended the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Luncheon.
The previous night was spent at the debate in Twin Falls where Jerry just shined. It was great.
At the luncheon, Otter spoke first. He’s an excellent speaker. I guess that’s what comes with 30 years of political experience. However, I was surprised because he didn’t say anything of substance. He mostly recited the generic Republican platform and stabbed at Jerry.
My real problem with this is the folks in the room just ate it up. It made me realize what a truly charismatic person Otter is. He’s got a great smile, he’s got a raucous laugh, but he’s got no substance. He lacks innovation and creativity.
I wonder if anyone noticed that he did not even say anything specific to E. Idaho. I wonder if he even knows anything about E. Idaho. Yet, sadly, the audience lapped it all up.
Now, when Jerry spoke, he was not as glamorous as Otter. Jerry is a normal person, he is not a politician. But at least when he spoke, he spoke of something specific to Idaho Falls: INL. He used INL as an allegory for business in this region. It really showed that Jerry was in touch.
However, I was just shocked at how rude Congressman Otter was. He just kept bringing the attention back to himself by interrupting Jerry’s speech and he kept making obnoxious facial expressions and head movements.
It’s one thing to disagree with someone and then to express this during your allotted time, it’s another to interrupt and to draw attention away. It was childish.
Yet, what did audience members do when Otter was being childish? They laughed to the effect that Jerry became distracted. Heck, I was embarrassed!
Otter was rude. But, you know what, I mentioned it to Jerry and his exact words to me were, “Really? I didn’t notice.” He really didn’t. He really didn’t care. Which tells me either I’m making this entire thing up, or Jerry Brady is a bigger man, and a true statesman.
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I remember, upon leaving high school, that I thought I’d be leaving all the rude and childish people behind as I became an adult. Boy was I foolish. The only difference between Clem (and anyone else who can’t listen to an opponent or an opposing opinion without being jerks) and 99 percent of the jerks we knew in high school is age. Obviously Clem’s political experience hasn’t bought him any maturity. Of course, given the political atmosphere in the US for the past 30 years, maturity isn’t necessarily a qualification.
I chalk this up as another reason I won’t vote for Clem. (The primary reason being I don’t want anyone as governor who said he “wasted his time” as a member of the US House of Representatives.)
LOL, I think you’re right. I wonder how many people know that Otter can be a real jerk.
I mean he was really extremely rude.
The comment about wasting his time in Washington (which of course means wasting our tax dollars which Clem didn’t add), was too much for me.
I wonder if Clem decided to marry and educator in hopes he could “re-learn” manners and some fundamentals he seemed to miss the first time through elemntary and high school?
I think his comments about wasting time were made in frustration over not getting his way – childish yes, but not too much for me to consider voting for him.
He lost my vote with his policies, plain and simple. He obviously has an agenda of turning Idaho (well, Boise) into another Silicon Valley, which I don’t think we need.
Vote for change this election. Consider voting the Libertarian ticket and Ted Dunlap for Governor. Please read and consider:
http://www.teddunlap.net/Welcome.html
http://www.lpidaho.com/home.aspx
Thank you for sharing that, Peter Nguyen. I’m glad I already decided to vote for Brady. Making faces at your opponent is just plain childish. The fact that certain people laughed at Otters insolent behavior makes me embarrased to be a business owner in Idaho Falls.
Did anyone see Clem and the Little Woman standing behind Dick “Dead Eye” Cheney in Coeur D Alene last night? Bill “Brain Injured” Sali was thewre babbling to himself. I didn’t like what Kerry said about Bush but Dick Cheney is the last one to say anything about serving in the military, Clem Otter for that matter. I’m getting a good laugh from Clem and Risch’s claim to expand economic development in Idaho, bot apparently forgot about the huge tax breaks Micron and Albertson’s got. Micron used those tax breaks to put over $500 million into new operations in Asia and Alberson’s just sold out, packed up and leftthe lights on going out the door. Somebody nudge Clem and lock Risch in a closet.
Ah_non,
I’m glad that was helpful to you. Behavior like that is really not something you want to see in the governor’s seat. I’m afraid he would embarrass Idaho.
Mr. Nguyen, you were not just imagining Clem’s behavior. Carrie Crom wrote a very good letter about it, which was published in the Sunday, November 5 Post Register. Unfortunately, the paper painted the meeting between Otter and Brady as ‘civil’ as did local television media. I did not know of Clem’s rude behavior until Ms. Crom’s letter and now this blog.
I am glad I made the right choice with my absentee ballot and feel even more confident in that choice than I did four years ago.