As we ease into 2024, I can't help but think back to my mid-20s half a century ago. That's when, with the help of two USC fraternity brothers and a dear friend here in Laguna, we created the California Voter Group -- a statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging high school students to want to vote when they turned 18.
As the voter group’s executive director, my responsibilities included marketing, public relations and fundraising. Clearly, I parlayed those three skills into a lifetime of experiences representing museums, two publicly traded companies, two universities and, yes, numerous politicians.
By the time you read this post, the first 2024 caucus and primary votes will soon begin to be counted. I know many of you have high hopes for your favorite presidential candidate, just like several of my friends did 40 years ago. That's when Colorado's Gary Hart hoped to capture the Democratic Party's nomination for president. Truth be told, I never warmed up to Hart like my friends did, so when he dropped out of the race I wasn't devastated or unhappy like they were.
Another example of a rising political star was Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. Before Donald Trump entered the 2016 race for the GOP nomination, Walker was being hailed as a fresh face with bold new ideas. Not surprisingly, Republicans from both wings of the party began avoiding Walker early in the nominating process. One reason why: he gave four different answers in a single week whether he would end birthright citizenship.
Eight years after Walker, there is another governor running for president. He's Ron DeSantis of Florida. Once considered the right candidate at the right time, his flame has steadily been dimming since the fall. So much so, I wonder if DeSantis will, like Florida State did in Saturday's Orange Bowl game against Georgia, take a lopsided beating in Iowa? If this happens, he can kiss his presidential ambitions good bye.
Politics is a very rough "sport." It's not for the faint of heart. That said, I can't think of any game I'd rather watch. It's the complete package of flawed characters and high drama. For me, every presidential election season is like the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, a World Series and the Super Bowl all rolled into one.
So buckle up people. I'm certain the 2024 presidential election will be one for the history books.
-DF
I hope your team wins!
Happy New Year Denny! I can’t wait to see TFG go down in flames🔥