When I was a ten year old Girl Scout, our troop had the yearly duty to sell Girl Scout cookies for fifty cents a box. We took orders in February with delivery in March. By taking on this responsibility we were supposed to learn how to work, and a little something about integrity.
At that time I lived in Scranton, PA, and typically in the months of taking orders and making deliveries we would have a lot of snow on the ground and freezing cold temperatures.
Nonetheless, I trudged out in the snow and cold to take orders in the hopes that I would sell the most boxes and win the award! But, I never did because Prissy, daughter of our troop leader, always won, every year. Why? Because her dad took her order sheet to work and took orders for her, thus knocking out any competition.
You are probably wondering why I am yammering on about selling Girl Scout cookies, right? Follow me below the fold and I'll tell you.
I mentioned learning integrity through doing a job well, doing it for yourself and being rewarded for your efforts. Even as a ten year old kid I knew that Prissy didn't really win the award, her dad won it for her.
These memories came roaring back to me twice yesterday when I read an article on CNN and an email from an acquaintence.
First the CNN article:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The impact of a prominent presidential endorsement often fails to resonate at the polls, but popular talk show host Oprah Winfrey's backing of Sen. Barack Obama could prove to have a more significant effect.
Oprah Winfrey may have a larger role in Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign.
Winfrey, who first told CNN's Larry King last year she is backing Obama, may assume a visible role in the Democrat's presidential bid, a source close to the Illinois senator tells CNN. She is already slated to hold a star-studded fundraiser at her California estate this weekend.
Winfrey has repeatedly shown her name can sell nearly anything, but the media magnate has never endorsed a presidential candidate before.
It remains to be seen if the popular talk show host's role may go beyond raising money from her Hollywood friends, but the prospect of seeing Winfrey in campaign commercials or on the stump is already causing widespread speculation on the effect she may have.
You can read more here but the crux of what bothers me is this:
"People buy books when she tells them to. They will watch her shows, and buy her magazines when she asks them to," Kaplan added. "So the question is, are enough of them willing to follow her lead not with a consumer good, but with a ballot cast?"
It's a fine line but one I don't want to see crossed. I don't want Oprah "selling" anyone our next President.
The second reason for my blast from the past was an email forwarded to me by an acquaintence. Check it out:
Dear Friend,
I hear you might be having lunch with Hillary -- do you mind if I drop in?
I've met some of the greatest people of our time from every walk of life. But of all the people I have ever shared a table with, I still learn the most when I sit down to a meal with Hillary.
There's no one smarter, no one better informed, and no one whose conversation I enjoy more. So if you have the chance to sit down and talk with Hillary -- like you do right now -- you don't want to miss it. That's why I'm going to join the two of you.
I know Hillary would be the best president, and you know she's ready to change America. So why not help her win today? The campaign will choose one supporter to have lunch with Hillary and me -- along with a guest -- and if you make a contribution by midnight Friday, September 7, it might just be you.
Click here to make a contribution.
I can't think of two better reasons to give to Hillary's campaign than these two.
First, America needs her leadership. Talk with just about anybody -- Democrat, Republican, or Independent -- and you can sense it: people are ready for change. They're sick of the "my way or the highway" arrogance of the last seven years.
Hillary's ready to change all that. She will restore America's standing in the world and our faith in our own government. You'll know that your leaders are fighting for you again -- because she has fought for ordinary people all her life. It's who she is.
Second, if you give between now and Friday, you and your guest could have a meal and a conversation with Hillary. And I'll be joining you.
So will you help Hillary change America with a contribution today?
Click here to make a contribution.
Last weekend, Hillary and I were on the campaign trail together in Iowa and New Hampshire. We met Ron Wood, who traveled to Iowa from Atlanta to campaign with us after signing up on the website as Hillary's one millionth supporter.
We had a great time meeting Ron -- I even surprised his mother and sister by calling them from Iowa. We also met Michelle Smith, a sixth-grade teacher from Michigan, who told Hillary how proud she was that she can now tell her students that they can be anything they want to be.
It has always been my favorite part of campaigning -- meeting people and talking with them about their lives.
Thirty-six years ago, Hillary and I started a conversation, and it hasn't stopped since. I hope you'll join our conversation for a day. If you make a contribution by Friday and help Hillary's campaign make history, you might just be sitting down to lunch with the two of us soon. Trust me, you don't want to miss it.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton
Again, I suppose it's a fine line but, hey, who is running for president, Hillary or Bill? Is this to be his third term?
Endorsements are great, all candidates receive them. Celebrities speaking out on behalf of a candidate is a common practice (although I've always thought they are probably no more informed than anyone else, they just happen to have a public platform). However, having a celebrity help "sell" a candidacy goes too far. Needing a former president to "sell" your candidacy goes too far.
We the people deserve to see the candidates for themselves, not through the "marketing" efforts of Oprah and Bill Clinton.
Hey, Barack and Hillary, try it the John Edwards way. Sell your own Girl Scout cookies!
UPDATE
I expected to take heat in this diary, and I have no problem with that. Call me silly, outrageous, creepy, whatever name you want with one exception: do not ever call me racist. For those posting on this diary who have done so, not only are you wrong, you owe me an apology. If we can't disagree on political issues without resorting to calling someone racist because a candidate is black and a famous supporter is black and I disagree with her being able to use her TV show to sell him to her audience, then this site should shut down right now.