Cleveland and Philadelphia don’t make the list of America’s top 25 vacation destinations, but this month more than 7,000 people are excited to be going there – delighted by the idea of spending hours in a convention center talking politics.
Bob Beard spent more than thirty years covering the news. As a TV anchorman in Charlottesville, he spoke to plenty of politicians, and now that he’s retired, you might expect him to avoid political conventions. Instead, Beard campaigned for one of six places set aside for Democrats from the 5th Congressional district.
“I used to be in the news business. Now I’m in the citizenship business," he says. "It’s so easy as a media person to become cynical, and this is maybe my own personal war against cynicism."
He also regrets the role reporters played in providing hours of free coverage to one candidate.
“Somebody who is a conspiracy theorist, a misogynist, all these things, who has no business being president of the United States, and whatever I can do as a an American citizen to make sure that he doesn’t get the nuclear codes I will do.”
Now at the Republican convention, former Congressman Virgil Goode voices a whole different view.
“I was for Trump early. I think most Trump supporters backed me, and my positions on issues in Congress and the state legislature were conservative. I probably was the first to introduce legislation in Congress calling for a wall along the southern border.”
He’s excited to be back in the political fold after losing his seat in Congress and will spend his days in Cleveland delving into the details of elections.
“I look forward to seeing persons from Virginia and to finding out how they feel the campaign will go in their particular localities, because I think Virginia will be a close state in terms of who wins,” Goode explains.
Loudon County Supervisor Koran Saines will spend his time networking with – in his words – other political nerds. He predicts it will be fun, even though his man, Bernie Sanders, won’t be nominated.
“He’s in favor of the $15 minimum wage. I’m definitely in favor of that. Bernie is also fighting for college affordability for all in our country. I definitely agree with that initiative. You know I graduated from college in ’03, and here it is 2016, and I’m still paying my student loans.”
He hopes all of Sanders’ supporters will stay involved in politics – voting in national state and local elections while promoting the cause of their choice.
“Full day kindergarten, minimum wage, if it’s better healthcare, reforming how we do voter rules – you know, get involved!”
Now that Sanders has endorsed Hillary Clinton, Saines says he’s with her.
“We’re fired up and ready to go and make sure we defeat Donald Trump.”
He plans a run up Philadelphia’s famed museum steps – hoping, like Rocky, to get the adrenaline flowing toward a victory in the fall. Saines is already in public office. Bob Beard says he might consider it, and even Virgil Goode – now 69 – won’t rule out a run.
“The only way I would ever run for anything again is if I win the lottery and I wouldn’t have to raise money," he says. "I’d like to see all PAC donations done away with. Individual donations only, no corporate, no union. I liked it like it was in the19th century. You’d go around to each courthouse, and both sides would be there. They’d make a speech, and then you would listen to what they had to say and make up your mind.”
Should they stand for election, all three say the friends they make at this summer’s convention could be helpful, but win or lose they’re looking forward to four days of speeches and chants, cheering and rants.