FADE TO GRAY: The ugly world of politics

I need to begin this week by telling you a secret.

Several years in the past, my cellphone rang and a quantity appeared that I didn’t know. I don’t choose up calls like that, so it went to voice mail. It was then I spotted it was a excessive positioned individual in politics within the Capital Region.

When politicians name somebody within the media it’s often as a result of they want protection on one thing or need to leak one thing that advantages them. Strangely, this name was about me. The individual began by asking if I used to be a member of any political celebration as a result of “they” couldn’t discover any data on me they usually assumed I is perhaps a republican.

I laughed and stated, “First up I’m a journalist, so I’m not a part of any party, I need to stay neutral.” I went on to elucidate that so far as me being a republican, I shared all my liberal views on social points, some of them objects that will in all probability get me kicked out of the membership. That stated, as a result of I’m Irish Catholic, there are conservative issues about me too.

I, like most of you studying this, am a wealthy stew of complexity and contradictions. But getting again to the decision.

I requested why this individual cared which manner I leaned, they usually informed me they have been searching for a candidate to run for state legislature. They had a number of concepts and somebody at a gathering dropped my identify. Everyone assumes since you are on TV and have robust identify recognition individuals would possibly vote for you. Not true. If I had 5 bucks for each TV anchor who ran for congress and misplaced, I may make a journey to Disney.

Without naming names, I’ve labored alongside two of them through the years. In reality, Kari Lake who used to anchor the information at Channel 13 with Ed Dague, twenty-some years in the past, is at the moment working for governor of Arizona.

I informed this voice on the telephone that I’m a journalist and author as a result of I really like being a journalist and author. I defined that once I bought into this enterprise in 1985, I took any job, any shift, for any meager pay, simply to get my foot within the door. After 37 yeas of climbing a really lengthy and at instances crooked ladder, it made zero sense to vary careers now and cease doing one thing I liked.

I additionally informed this voice that I’d make a horrible candidate for his or her celebration as a result of I couldn’t be counted on to vote for something the celebration would possibly need. I informed them I’d have a look at every situation or invoice by itself deserves after which decide. Politics doesn’t work that manner. The celebration that backs you and helps get you elected must know you’ll vote the way in which they let you know to vote down the street. Put merely, I’m an excessive amount of of a troublemaker and a flake to rely on that manner.

The individual smiled and agreed and my shiny future in politics began and ended sooner than you may say “hanging chad.”

The seat that this individual floated out to me for a potential run is the present seat held by state senator Daphne Jordan. The similar seat she is now going to lose as a result of a fellow republican and individual she thought was her pal is taking it from her. I do know politics is a hardball enterprise, however it’s essential to really feel unhealthy for Daphne Jordan. I don’t know the lady personally; I can actually say we’ve by no means spoken or met even as soon as.

That stated, I’ve to imagine she bought a telephone name just like the one I obtained a number of years again and was satisfied to upend her life and run for this seat. I’m certain she was bought on “loyalty to the party” and “stamping out one-party rule” and all these different catchphrases that make your coronary heart swell as a possible candidate.

So, she ran and received, at I’m guessing, nice expense, each financially and that of her time together with her household. And what’s the thanks for her sacrifice? The district strains get redrawn, republican Jim Tedisco doesn’t savor the problem of going up in opposition to a very talked-about democrat Neil Breslin within the new forty sixth (the place Tedisco lives), so Jim jumps districts and pushes Daphne out. Is that even honest?

Apparently so.

What this implies, when you’re retaining rating, is Tedisco abandons ship and sure offers the democrats one other seat within the senate. It additionally means he’ll should ultimately transfer to a brand new deal with within the forty fourth. I don’t’ actually perceive it.

If you may belief Wikipedia, Jim turns 72 in a number of weeks. I can’t think about uprooting my dwelling and life at that age over a political seat in a state the place one celebration guidelines and you’ve got little or no energy anyway.

I do know Jim Tedisco and like him very a lot and he could need to whack me one over the pinnacle for this column, however I simply don’t get it. Were it me, I’d have let Daphne preserve her spot. The phrase “fair is fair” is the one factor that involves thoughts. Then once more, I’m not a politician.

John Gray is a information anchor on WXXA-Fox TV 23 and ABC’S WTEN News Channel 10. His column is printed each Sunday. Email him at johngray@fox23news.com.