We have one in the Congressman's office that just kind of hangs there as a running joke that the worst intern of the week would have to wear. Except we all WANT to put it on, so now it just kind've sits at our system administrator's desk. Whats the prize for the BEST intern of the week? Think of it as a trophy:
People in our group were feeding each other updates on the progress of the fires, but none of the chaos and confusion we were experience came close to matching what must have been going through my classmates minds out in California. My roommate from last year said he was rushed to the caf in nothing but his boxers and bathrobe and that it was difficult to get a cell phone signal because everyone on campus was calling loved ones. I'm so glad everyone on campus was OK, but its such a tragedy nonetheless. Its not just stars, celebrities, and elites in Malibu. Thankfully, the school kept the students on campus because Pepperdine is probably the safest place in Malibu during fires. They received some flak for not moving kids out, but far and away it was the best decision. Not only did they know where everyone was and were able to manage them, but it ensured students didn't move themselves into greater risk.CT Post Spotlights a Chris Shays Republican Intern
by: CaptCT
Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 14:02:51 PM EDT
At a time when young men from Connecticut are losing their lives in the Iraq War, the Connecticut Post brings us some happy news from the land of the Young Republicans. In a story about one of Republican Congressman Chris Shays's interns, we are reminded that the Iraq War doesn't touch a great many Americans:
WASHINGTON - As a self-professed political junkie, Thomas Lambert is in heaven these days.Since the end of August, the native of Fairfield, Conn., has worked as a college intern for Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, where he has witnessed democracy played out on a daily basis.
"Having an opportunity to work in D.C. for Chris Shays is a dream come true," says Lambert, 20, a sophomore at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Lambert ... has always viewed Shays as a model politician. "He is seen as a maverick, independent guy but if anything he is not marching to his own drum but the drum of the people he represents," Lambert says.
Of course, the story fails to mention that many of Shays' 20-something constituents are marching not to their own drums, but to war drums.
The glaring omissions from this story are these questions: How does Mr. Lambert feel about the Iraq War, which Congressman Shays has consistently supported? And if this intern does support the war -- and, like Chris Shays, feels threatened by "Islamofascists" -- why doesn't he enlist? Has he ever visited Walter Reed hospital, and what were his impressions? (Do interns for Democratic Congressmen, who were not interviewed for this story, feel the same way?) Based on those answers, we can better discern the type of future leaders the Republican Party and Chris Shays are grooming in Washington.
Instead, we find that the intern is escorting Sputnick and meeting the actor Chevy Chase.
"Going to school at Pepperdine, you're supposed to play off meeting actors, but Chevy Chase - the guy was in 'Caddyshack.' He's a hero," says Lambert, who worked as a caddy at The Country Club of Fairfield.This month, Lambert served as an escort for Sputnik, which the Russians launched into space 50 years ago.
Chevy Chase is a hero because he was in the movie Caddyshack? Perhaps Mr. Lambert never heard of Killington's Jason Lantieri, or other CT residents who failed to make it safely back from the war. Perhaps it was just a poor choice of words from a kid wowed by celebrity. Perhaps, if he were asked, Mr. Lambert would have told us how torn he is about this conflict. Maybe he did express such thoughts, but the Post failed to print them. We don't know.
The Post and other CT newspapers would better serve its readers, especially the young ones, by reminding them that there's a war on, and the war comes with a price.
Instead, the Post tells us how great it is to be an intern in Washington and to meet a "hero" like Chevy Chase.
CT Post Spotlights a Chris Shays Republican Intern | 11 commentsI'm sure young Lambert is also well versed (0.00 / 0)on the going-ons of Lilo and Britney.just like his boss.
they focus on WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
*rolls eyes in disgust*
... and therefore I believe the President and Vice President of the United States must be impeached.
He worships Chevy Chase?!? (4.00 / 2)Chase played AT BEST "fourth fiddle" in Caddyshack behind Bill Murray, Ted Knight, and of course, Rodney.Jesus, even his movie heroes are losers!
Connecticut Bob
Indeed (0.00 / 0)While I think you're all reading way too much into a puff piece article that practically writes itself: area student interns for local Congressman. I wholeheartedly agree with your take on Caddyshack - Bill Murray's interactions with the gofer define that movie!
[ Parent ]puff piece (0.00 / 0)I agree that it's a puff piece. But that's the problem with it. It drives home the point that so many Americans think they aren't affected by the war at all. If life is like "heaven" for you, why would you care if the war ends or not?If the role of journalism is to write happy stories about a friend's child, which is what this is, then it's fine. If the role of journalism is to help readers make sense of current events, then the article is a joke.
And if the writer is presenting the story as a "day in the life" of a Congressional intern and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, then my conclusion is that this 20-year-old kid should think about the sacrifices other kids his age are making.
[ Parent ]Neither Urban nor the intern comes off very well (0.00 / 0)Of course, far be it from Peter Urban to talk about substantive issues (after all, this is the Peter Urban who once wrote that Joe Lieberman "was independently elected as a Democrat." No joke. He really did. If you can write drivel like that, then you can also write about Pepperdine University without revealing what a far-right university it is. Pepperdine is the place that offered Bill Clinton's inquisitor the presidency of its law school- right in the middle of the investigations.And of course, far be it from Peter Urban to ask the young man about his views of the war, about his feelings about Shays' being a major chickenhawk on Iraq when he dodged the draft during Vietnam. No, it seems that except for the rare commentaries from Hugh Bailey (the only resident of Bridgeport, but who couldn't be bothered to vote in the last election), we get mostly puff pieces about our federal representatives. I mean, really! Is this what passes for "news" at Connecticut Post?
Perhaps that's why this state's reporters and pundits read this site so religiously- to get real news and intelligent commentary.
On a more positive note - (0.00 / 0)a beautiful picture of BigDavefromQueens (who also posts, and usually rec'd, at Kos) in the CT Post today. He's wearing his famous Bush mask, holding a sign saying "Ann Coulter Perfected Joe Lieberman and Richetelli" - with his hand on Joe's shoulder, who is cringing.My hero! (Dave, not Joe).
Sue, Connecticut for Lieberman Party Secretary
get a life (2.33 / 3)alright none of you people are going anywhere in life, to criticize someone who is actually doing work in washington to get to the top is absurd, since none of you will ever have his chance. People know the war is going on, its pretty hard to miss if you ever put on cnn or fox news. IF you want to criticize a topic talk about Darfur where the lives of hundreds of thousands are being tortured. This criticism is pointless, and I really hope that this writer becomes enthused enough by my comment to do something worthwhile with his life.Ryan J. Steadly
Some day (0.00 / 0)..if you're lucky, you'll look back at your internship for Shays with the requisite shame it deserves.
Join the Nedheads at YouTube.
[ Parent ]don't you have a CTTEEN column to write (0.00 / 0)and why doenst the connecticut post look a little further than former employees for a story anyway?? ?are they just lazy?
... and therefore I believe the President and Vice President of the United States must be impeached.
WASHINGTON — As a self-professed political junkie, Thomas Lambert is in heaven these days.
Since the end of August, the native of Fairfield, Conn., has worked as a college intern for Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, where he has witnessed democracy played out on a daily basis.
"Having an opportunity to work in D.C. for Chris Shays is a dream come true," says Lambert, 20, a sophomore at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Lambert founded the Young Republicans Club at Hopkins School in New Haven, worked with state Sen. John McKinney for his senior project there, and has always viewed Shays as a model politician.
"He is seen as a maverick, independent guy but if anything he is not marching to his own drum but the drum of the people he represents," Lambert says.
Lambert is one of about two-dozen students from Pepperdine who are serving as interns in Congress this semester. The school leases housing in Arlington, Va., for the students who work for members of Congress during the day and take classes in the evenings.
On weekday mornings, Lambert sardines his way onto the Metro's Orange Line at Virginia Square for a 20-minute ride to Capitol South and then a brief walk to the Longworth House Office Building that sits in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol building.
There on the first floor, Lambert spends most of his day answering phones, sorting letters or leading tours of the U.S. Capitol for 4th District visitors.
"One of my favorite parts [of this job] is interacting with everyone from Greenwich to Shelton," he says.
Although it can be mundane at times, Lambert says there have been plenty of highlights.
"Some of the cooler things we get to do is go to briefings or go on the floor of the House," he says.
In September, Lambert attended a briefing where actor Chevy Chase spoke in favor of removing junk food from public schools.
"Going to school at Pepperdine, you're supposed to play off meeting actors, but Chevy Chase - the guy was in 'Caddyshack.' He's a hero," says Lambert, who worked as a caddy at The Country Club of Fairfield.
This month, Lambert served as an escort for Sputnik, which the Russians launched into space 50 years ago.
"I was literally walking around with something that revolutionized history," he says.
To mark the anniversary, Shays borrowed a Sputnik satellite from Jay Walker, founder of Priceline.com, to display at the U.S. Capitol.
Walker, a Ridgefield, Conn., resident, says he purchased the spacecraft on eBay and claims it is one of the original Sputniks the Russians built in 1957 and not a model or replica.
Shays had hoped to bring the satellite onto the floor but that was not permitted under House rules. Instead, he posted Lambert outside the chamber with Sputnik and invited his colleagues to have their photographs taken with the silvery orb.
"We took tons of photos," Lambert says. "Members were coming up saying they remembered where they were when it was launched." Nearly two months into his internship, Lambert says the experience has exploded his preconceived image of Washington politics.
"Watching CNN, my idea was that Washington was a bunch of white-haired men yelling at each other," he says. "But, the people who run Washington are 20-somethings. They are the most influential demographic." Congressional staffs are largely made up of young people with energy and ambition, who work long hours to help constituents and keep the wheels of government rolling, he says.
"This is their career," he says.
Lambert says he may want to join them after college rather than head straight to law school as he previously dreamed.
"It's something I am considering," he says.
Although he is kept busy during the week, Lambert has been able to explore the city on the weekends.
"I got to kayak on the Potomac. It was incredible right by the Jefferson Memorial. In terms of the Civil War, that river was infamous," he says.
Lambert has also had a chance to head home to Fairfield, where his parents — Paul Lambert and Cindy Simoneau — are now empty nesters.
His father works as an employee benefits consultant and his mom, a former assistant managing editor of the Connecticut Post, now teaches journalism at Southern Connecticut State University. Thomas' twin brother, Marc, is a sophomore at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"I was home last weekend for a field hearing on Long Island Sound," he says. "I noticed the leaves were starting to change colors. There are only two seasons in California — a warm summer and a cool summer."
Next thing I know, I'm pulling a handcart out to the front of the Longworth House Office Building as men in white gloves unload a gigantic wooden box onto it. Then they open it up, and I see what the fuss is about. Sitting in the box is Sputnik. Well, one of them.
Coco is apparently all better after his viral infection.
As we saw before, Papelbon was pretty smashed. Should it be no surprise he karaoked?
