In the political world, it was the viral video of the day: The impassioned, way-over-the-top, Raging-Bull-style stump speech delivered Wednesday evening by Minerva, Ohio, Councilman Phil Davison. As it turns out, Davison failed to convince the Stark County Republican Executive Committee to endorse him for county treasurer after his memorable—and jaw-dropping—plea for the party nomination.
Still, thanks to YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, Davison won more notoriety than most local pols get in a lifetime of service. (See: Arnold Schwarzenegger needles Sarah Palin) Davison told POLITICO Thursday afternoon he was surprised by the blaze of attention his fiery speech generated and said he was bombarded with calls from across the country after the video ricocheted across the Internet. “It’s shocking. I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless,” said Davison. “I was emotional last night. I’m truly passionate about what I believe in.” That’s an understatement. A village councilman for the past 13 years, Davison delivered a six-minute stemwinder for the ages, one that may never be matched in the annals of county treasurer races. (See: Glenn Beck to donate 9/11 rally fee) He began by ticking off details of his resume—“I have a master’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in communication”—before launching into a revivalist’s tirade, pledging to rid the treasurer’s office of the ‘infestation” that had plagued it, a reference to the Democratic incumbent who was removed from office for alleged embezzlement. “I will not apologize for my tone tonight,” Davison roared before a crowd of about 100. “I have been a Republican in times good and I have been a Republican in times bad.” (See: Jon Stewart passes McCain a love note) Davison got so worked up, he even stumbled over his favorite quote from Albert Einstein—“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity,” forcing him to repeat the line several times. If he was granted the party’s nod, he promised the committee, there would be an even more aggressive campaign in the general election. “Politics is not touch football—politics is winner take all,” Davison bellowed. “Government may be about service. Politics is about winning.” He isn’t sure if the speech hurt his bid or helped. He said he got no feedback or strong reactions from the other party members present. (See: GOP outpaces Dems on Twitter) “It was strange,” he said. “Feedback would have been nice. I really don’t know how it was received.” Either way, Davison said he has no regrets about the tenor of his remarks and was simply trying to channel the passion politicians had before the television age. “I guess I consider myself an old-school politician, and that’s all I’ve got at this point,” he said. “I like what I do and I want to get involved.” “Last night I spoke my mind,” he added. “If I had to give it again, I would give it again. I didn’t mean to offend anyone—that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I want to be inclusive.” If anything, Davison said his fervor for public service is even stronger now, driven by frustration with the economy and rising unemployment—including his own. He worked as a bailiff from 2001 until 2009, but now only gets $260 a month from his part-time council job. “It’s tough finding a minimum wage job,” he said. “I want to stand up for the people out there I think that inclusiveness is what our country needs.” (See: Rendell: GOP 'flat-out crazy') Despite the loss, Davison hopes to stay involved in politics. “I’d like to try to form a faction of a new, radical Republican Party that brings in diverse groups. More people need a voice,” he said. “Some people call it fanaticism, I call it being a believer. I want to make a difference.” http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41950.html#ixzz2H83YOFYJ
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Jessica TaylorNon-partisan political analyst Archives
January 2013
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