02.20.08

Image, perception and the politics of fear

Posted in Politics at 9:04 am by Administrator

In the political battle over image in the democratic presidential campaign, it appears Barack Obama is winning, as he chalks up his ninth victory in a row in Wisconsin. His confidence is growing. As has been argued by Andrew Sullivan and others, Obama himself, represents a conduit to change, his image and leadership could push policy in a positive direction.

Obama is preaching that it takes all of us together to solve our problems as opposed to preaching the politics of us versus them. In Texas, last night he trotted more policy prescriptions to go with hope. By contrast, in her comments tonight, as quoted by The New York Times, Clinton played on people’s fears, a tactic that seemed to work in George W. Bush’s favor, under the orchestrations of Karl Rove.

“This is the choice we face: One of us is ready to be commander in chief in a dangerous world,” Mrs. Clinton said in the remarks, which she also planned to expand upon in a speech in New York City on Wednesday. “One of us has faced serious Republican opposition in the past — and one of us is ready to do it again.”

She implies that Obama is ill-equipped to handle the terrorist threat and deal with Republican dirty tricks. Obama as the nominee, she fears and wants us to fear, is too naive to handle the bad guys in the Middle East and Afghanistan and the bad guys in the other party.

To motivate by fear as any parent or coach can tell you, is effective in the short term, and perhaps in a short election these tactics might work. But the longer this drags on, it gives Obama an edge I think, because hopemongering, with a request for hard work and accountability is something people can buy into long term. Obama’s way may take awhile but it may be the only way. Tough political negotiating is part of the game of course, but if your core values are sound it doesn’t have to disintegrate into cyncism and conning the American people.

A Republican ex-girlfriend of mine called Obama an “empty vessel,” implying that he can give an inspiring speech but lacks the experience and substance to lead the country. She can’t stand McCain and is almost turning to Hillary. In the news cycle, the image you project is your message, your actual message is secondary. For some people there is no there, there. They have nothing beyond the image (see Paris Hilton, Britney Spears). Image (I’m rich, I’m funny, I’m hot, I’m smart, I’m a bad ass; I’m poor, I’m grumpy, I need a makeover, I’m a dumb blonde, I’m a wimp), is just a snapshot, that is only a snippet of truth to make an impression. Obama’s image seems genuine, he is a class act. While he spoke in Seattle he stopped in mid-speech to direct people to help a woman who had fainted in the front row. Afterward he went out and pulled out a megaphone to talk to the several thousand supporters who could not get into Key Arena. There are moments where journalists have been treated shabbily by the Obama campaign, the message being that journalists are “not real people,” and don’t get special privileges. I think the point there is that the Obama campaign wants as much of its message to be filtered through the campaign as opposed to having it being dissected and filtered by the media. There is always a tension there.

Obama’s message as he gains steam, might be becoming more detailed as things roll on. But the key thing is that he trying to motivate by hope and love rather than fear and personal attacks. Is that a winning formula for a political campaign? Time will tell.

But if you consider some of the most admired people of the last century, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr. they motivated people not by fear, but by duty, hope, sacrifice and love.

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02.01.08

Swimmer has will to win: Hayden going for state titles in two events

Posted in sports at 11:04 pm by Administrator

By Tony Dondero
Enterprise reporter

For his 18th birthday, Tyler Hayden’s parents surprised him by showing him videos of him swimming as a wide-eyed 5-year old.

Today, the senior at Shorecrest is one of the top swimmers in the state and a contender for Class 3A state titles in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly.

But back then his swimming skills were much more limited.

“I wonder how I ever became a swimmer because they’re really funny,” he said of the videos.

Hayden started as a novice in the Sheridan Beach swim club and then started swimming year-round at age 10 with the Cascade Swim Club as an eighth-grader. He switched to the Bellevue Swim Club for a year but now is back at Cascade, where he trains at Helene Madison Pool in Seattle.

Hayden has the fastest times in the state in 3A this year in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

“I’m still going to have some stiff competition,” Hayden said. “It’s not going to be that easy,”

His main competition in the 200 freestyle is Mercer Island’s Murray Longbotham. Hayden swam a 51.1 in the butterfly in a club meet this year and is considered the favorite in that event, Shorecrest coach Bill Murray said.

“When I was younger I used to be better at other things,” Hayden said. “I was a breaststroker for awhile but I’ve really always really been good at free and fly. I ended up focusing on those as I got older.”

Hayden finished second to Camas’ Keenan Natyzak in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly at the state 3A meet last year. Natyzak, who now swims at Texas A&M, stands 6-feet-7 inches tall towering over the 5-foot, 9-inch Hayden.

“Those big guys just have an advantage from the start with their reach and wingspan and just ability to push more water,” Hayden said. “I think I can make up for it with my athleticism. I just don’t worry about it — there’s nothing I can do to make myself bigger. You got to use what you can and do the best you can.”

What Hayden lacks in length he compensates for in quickness.

“I’m just naturally quick when I played other sports. That’s what really helped me: quickness,” he said. “I’ve got good reflexes off the blocks. I think I’ve got one of the best kicks in the state.”

Hayden’s talents extend to other events as well. He owns five individual Shorecrest school records. They include the 200 freestyle (1:42.81), the 100 butterfly (52.10), the 100 freestyle (47.2), the 500 freestyle (4:45.5) and the 200 individual medley (1:59.9). He also swam on the record-breaking 400 freestyle relay team. He’s going to try to break the school 50-freestyle record at districts in his leg of the 200 freestyle relay.

Hayden’s dedicated his season to Murray, who stepped away from coaching full-time this season to battle colon cancer.

“Those records I just want to do for him because I knew he enjoys it,” Hayden said.

Shorewood girls coach Susie McDowell and assistant Ryan Treadway have been filling in for Murray, who finished a round of treatment this week, and expects to be around for the postseason meets.

“We’ve had a great relationship over the four years. You don’t replace a kid like Tyler — you just move on,” Murray said.

Hayden, a Lake Forest Park native, played soccer, basketball, baseball and ran distances growing up but decided to focus on swimming.

“I just loved the sport and I thought I had a bright future in it,” Hayden said. “It was really hard to quit the other sports because I loved playing a variety of things.”

Murray, who has coached at Shorewood and Shorecrest, said Hayden is the most talented and most versatile swimmer he’s had the privilege to coach. He also called Hayden one of the smartest swimmers he’s ever coached who has tremendous insight into his technique.

But to get to the stage he is today, Hayden had to endure some trials.

During his freshman and sophomore years Hayden struggled with back problems, the result of how he was being trained and his growth at the time, Murray said.

Hayden used stretch cords in his physical therapy, which strengthens the support muscles in the back. He does the workouts for 45 minutes to an hour while at swim practice.

Hayden also struggled with food allergies and asthma early in his high school career. He changed his diet, which helped clear up those problems and made it possible for him to train harder.

Cascade Swim Club coach Tom Pardee has worked with Hayden since he was 10.

“I think he’s a good athlete all the way around,” Pardee said. “He does have a lot of quickness. He’s a very hard worker and that makes a big difference. He’s one of those kids that shows up for workout no matter what. You can count on him being there.”

Pardee recalled that Hayden as a 10-year-old entered the 500 freestyle for the first time and came out aggressive, sprinting the first 25 yards. Pardee signaled him to slow down, but another coach waved him off, believing that he might do all right. Sure enough, Hayden set a 10-year-old Cascade record.

“He’s technically very good,” Pardee said. “The work ethic has a lot to do with it. He’s explosive. Tyler has a lot of, if not all, the ingredients to be an elite swimmer and go farther than he has.”

Right now, Pardee said, Hayden is a mid-level Division I swimmer but where he truly stands will be determined at state. Hayden has four schools he’s considering right now: Washington, West Virginia, Arizona State and UC Santa Barbara, but he said he expects to wait until March or April to make a decision.

For now the focus is on districts and state. Hayden believes all the work he’s put in will pay off.

“I have a great work ethic and I’m just a competitor. I hate losing,” Hayden said. “I just have that will to win and be better than everyone else.”

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