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The GOP's House Hottie
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TMZ.com
Meghan McCain sizes up the youngest congressman, Aaron Schock, and his appeal to minorities, wise use of paparazzi, and what the best abs in D.C. can do for the future of the Republican Party.
The first time I ever heard of Congressman Aaron Schock, I was hanging out with some friends during a girls' night in, and one of my friends yelled to me from the other room: “Meghan, there’s a congressman on TMZ.” To which I answered: “Twenty bucks he’s a Democrat.” Well, I was wrong. Schock is not only a Republican, but currently fills the congressional district in Illinois that Abraham Lincoln once held. (This winter, Huffington Post readers elected him “Hottest Freshman,” garnering him an appearance on the Today show. A couple of weeks later, TMZ started stalking Schock.) In the era of President Obama pop-culture mania, how is one conservative young congressman becoming the Republican Party’s very own pop-culture politician—and someone even my most liberal friends in West Hollywood are asking me about?
At the end of the day, Congressman Schock is only three years older than me. Which means he can relay a message in ways my father never could.
It’s no coincidence the congressman-turned-TMZ hottie is the first congressman born in the 1980s; he’s a member of my own Generation Y. Schock is 27 years old and has been in politics since he was elected to the Peoria school board at age 19—making him the youngest person to ever serve on a school board in Illinois. “Ultimately, [running for school board] led me into the public service, feeling like I could make a difference and help improve my community,” Schock told me by phone last week. Four years later, he was elected to the state house; four years after that, he was elected to Congress.
Schock’s rapid rise to the national level is, if nothing else, interesting, especially given the serious soul-searching the Republican Party is experiencing. My father, had he won, would have been the oldest president in history elected to a first term. He was often criticized because of the generational gap between him and young voters. Schock should play his youth to his advantage, and so should the GOP. In a party stereotyped as one for old, white men, Schock has made a marked impression on my generation’s zeitgeist—even if it was unintentional.
But the most promising thing about the young congressman is his dual understanding of old-school conservative ideals and the GOP’s branding problem, if you will. When I asked him if he thought people like me (meaning more moderate Republicans) had a place in the party, Schock actually gave me an answer an average person could understand. “In order for us to be a majority party,” he said, “we need to be everywhere, with every demographic and every region of the country. We have to recognize Republican candidates in the Northeast are going to be different than candidates in the Midwest, who are going to look different than candidates on the West Coast. We have to first recognize the fundamental role of any representative, to represent his constituents, not a particular party. That doesn’t mean you take the party platform necessarily and throw it out the window, but also that you don’t become so exclusive to say ‘Well if this person doesn’t agree with me 100 percent, then they aren’t a true Republican.’” Unlike the response so many older Republicans have given me before—I’m young, I spent time at college in Manhattan, etc.—Schock approached the question honestly and realistically. Just the fact that he recognizes the problem the GOP has reaching out to my generation is in itself impressive.
Schock also insisted the party need not dismiss any one demographic simply because, historically, it has not voted Republican. “The sad part is that some people say ‘Why are you talking to young people? They don’t vote for us.’ Or ‘Why are you talking to African-Americans? They don’t vote for us’ or ‘Why are you talking to Latinos?’” he said. “Part of the problem is we’re not communicating with them. And part of our job is to take our message to everyone, and that doesn’t mean you go in and necessarily talk about everything. The Democrats are very smart in that they narrowed paths that appeal to voters. If you don’t communicate in a relevant way, people just zone you out.” I, for one, could not agree more with Schock. The Republican Party cannot move forward unless it stops focusing on the past. Almost every conservative recognizes the challenges we face reaching out to minorities and younger generations, but it is especially encouraging to hear someone my own age, who is sitting in Congress, address the problem head-on.
In fact, precisely because of his age, Schock has been able to better communicate with young people (a cause that is very close to my heart): whether it’s his decision not to run negative campaign ads, his ability to present issues in a way that applies specifically to my generation, or his use of the Internet. As someone who has been personally attacked when I invited political discourse, I firmly believe that talking about our differences—instead of mudslinging—can only bring people closer to the Republican Party and force them to take a second look at their candidates. “It’s up to you to give the case for why you’re the best candidate and why, from time to time, you and your opponent differ on policy issues or agenda items,” Schock explained. “But that does not mean you vilify them or trash their personality.” (Of course, he readily admits it may not be realistic to get away without mudslinging for the rest of his career. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but I trust his approach will continue to be effective, and urge the GOP to follow his example.)
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
Long time reader, first time complainer. Schock's swipe at the democrats (top of page 2) IS cynical and unfair is therefore a total misinterpretation on your part.
I am inspired by your efforts to, at least in a small way, remove the tonedeffness of the RNC but you need to be careful in weeding out the 'lets say it a million times untill people believe it' misleading stuff you are, I am assuming, speaking out against. The Democratic party is definitely not planning on making everyone drive the same car or removing competition from the free market. You should have caught that. Repeating this kind of thing is also something turning off young people like me.
His representation of the current added debt is also misleading, but less blatantly. It is not simply a question of debt or no debt. It is a trade off, if I have to pay back a lot of money in the future but have a job I'm better off than if I have no job at all. What I think we need from the RNC is a real alternative plan for creating a stable future, and if it costs less and is just as good than I'm voting republican, but right now there is a lot of shouting and name calling and no plan.
This second point is not a personal attack, I know economic stuff is not your strong point and thats OK, you write a million times better than me. Its more directed towards Schock.
These just get worse and worse.
I know this is not the best the right has to offer so why in the world is it here? I would hope that TDB could find a better voice than this. To fail to do so is a disservice to all.
Please....make this "girl" go away.
Meghan McCain has NOTHING to say, and very little talent as a writer. Why do you keep posting this drivel? If the Republican Party actually believes that she is a new voice to reach new, young voters, it seems that the Democrats will be in power for a long, long time.
Then why do you continue to read her work? And what do you have to say in the way of how the Republican Party can once again be a Party of many instead of what it is today, the Party of the increasingly few? Or of the demographic problems the Republican Party has?
In the outreach efforts I ran, the average age of Republican volunteers was 40 to post-retirement while that of the Dems was high-school to 30's. If you weren't on the campaign trail, you didn't see the huge, ginormous difference in energy and numbers between the Dems (the many) and us (the very few). Being even more closed-minded, i.e. Conservative, will not change that trend for the better.
Meghan might not be writing what you want to read, but she is writing about reality, about what many of us on the campaign who weren't wearing blinders saw. The truth is sometimes painful, but that doesn't change the fact that it is the truth.
In defense of Meghan she truly is one of the only republicans calling out the ludicrous fringe of her party. She does have the potential of positively reshaping the party (even if most of her influence is by chance, or better put by birth). I do think that we need a two, three ... party system. Look at Evan Bayh receiving huge amounts of money from the finincial sector etc. and now doing their bidding. Not all dems are on the right track and if the republicans would get their act together and be a real opposition (having real counter ideas rather than calling names) it would help.
So in my mind if Meghan really means what she has been bloging about, i.e. calling out the people driving the party in the wrong direction, then more power to her. I'm not yet willing to write her off just yet. I think she does have positive potential.
Oh, ye-ah! And, like, he has, like, this red HOT CONVERTIBLE!!!!!
Why do politicians always believe that the solution to their problems is to do a better job 'communicating' their message to us...like the problem is that we don't already know what each side is all about. Translation: we're all out of touch and voted for the wrong person because we didn't fully understand each side's position. I, for one, am a very well informed voter. I made my choice because I agree with him far more than I agree with the other side. If the Republicans want to get back in power...perhaps they should examine their positions and stop scheming up ways to trick us into siding with them.
Exactly! Our message is out there. Between Boehner and McConnell, Limbaugh and Coulter, I think the American people know all too well who is the mouthpiece of the Republican Party. Change the message and our Party's electoral fortunes will change too.
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If this woman's father wasn't a failed presidential candidate, would she have this writing spot? I didn't think so.
I agree
This is getting
Way
Past the cotton candy phase.
SO
I'm calling a boycott
If you NEVER
Want to read
Another insipid blog
Like this one.
Bite your knuckles
WALK AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER
Don't do it.
IF YOU POST
SHE WINS.
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Wall Street and organized religion choose the president of the United States, just ask Obama.
I read this blog because I am open minded.
After hearing this congressmen, I want to pull my hair out!
I went to medical school, not because I thought I deserved material items that others couldn't afford, but because I watched people suffer due to lack of access. No capitalism involved. I wish Republicans could get that into their heads. The longer this recession lingers, the more I am thankful for what I have.
Sometimes you just have to help people because they need help, and worry about money later. If the good congressmen has time to lie in the sun, he has time to go to a school and read a book to a child. It doesn't require a tax cut, just people working together.
I like that you are offering an alternative to the toxic Republican voice, please keep up the good work. I challenge you to use your connections and talk to our leaders about the people living in tent cities all over the country. Who will fight for them?
Oh please - no capitalism involved in med school? That is a laugh. Obviously you have some net to fall back on, or you would not have finished med school.
As for your catty snipe at CongressmAn Schock's sun time - how do YOU know how much time he spends volunteering time? Spoken like a true BLUE elite
Insinuating that Democrats believe everyone should be "paid the same wage" is hardly a new and fresh idea from the Republican party. If this new "hottie" really is the new future of the party, he might want to find a less tired line. There is a HUGE difference between believing a select group of individuals should not make an obscene amount of money at the expense of everyone else and socialism. It's possibly to "aggressively pursue higher education" in order to "provide a better way of life" for your family without the rampant greed and disregard for consequences that have been exhibited by Wall Street. THAT is what most Democrats, and anyone else with any sense of what is fair, are opposed to.
Meghan, keep doing what you're doing. I'm a 27 year old republican and I too think change is needed in our party. Thanks for keeping the conversation going.
@Sarastro3 do some reading on every other financial crisis in an industrialized country which was started by deregulation of the market and a real estate bubble, and yes there are quite a few that fit the criteria (yea right no one saw this coming lol).
Also please show me the exact words of Nancy Pelosi praising criminals as patriots. I would like to see a source on that.
This is simply confirmation that
a) Miss McCain is an unserious person, if not necessarily a nitwit (I suggest that she is also that) and
b) that this page is about as relevant to politics as US Magazine.
You should be running ads for tampons and acne medicine.
ElLamer- don't sell yourself short, you think and write very clearly and the two are mutually intertwined. As for all the whining about Meghan's shortcomings, she does one thing very well. She gets a response and the purpose of every website is to maximize hits. Keep pitching, Meghan! The batters are all on deck.
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The interest in Schock seems very much like the Palin hysteria right after she was picked as VP. It's not that republicans hate celebrity worship, as their Obama "Messiah" ads would suggest, it's that they hate the fact that they don't have their own celebrities. So when they do hit upon one who is telegenic and breaks out of the old white man mold, they start gushing over them.
Never mind the fact that they vote the party line 91% of the time and closely adhere to the platform positions that young people and minorities find so distasteful (preventing people from getting married, waging open-ended wars against vague ideas, trickle-down economics that failed to trickle down for 30 years, etc).
Meghan, please get over the idea that the Republican party has a branding problem that will be solved by a fresh set of faces speaking the same values. They need new, different ideas, instead of humping the same ones from a mythical 1950s golden era in America.
@Sarastro3 again
I think, and hope, you are right about her being "thoughtful and viable conservative looking for what many conservatives are - the means to establish an identity for their own party".
Above all I want a plan out of the conservatives, I WANT SUBSTANCE, something I can research! I researched their "Government should tighten its belt during financial crisis" and found that not only has it never worked it also proved the wrong thing to do in every instance even in our country (see Hoover).
I think its noble of Meghan's dad to say the "Republicans have lost their way" with regard to spending and the economy, I think he correct, now I want to see them find their way again. I want a credible plan out of them. Their new budget basically has a lot of fluff and a further tax cut for the rich in it, been there done that, I'm still waiting.
Girls night in...is that like, a reality show?
This "girl" just gives me a migraine. Please go back to the Hollywood parties and leave us alone.
It is very hard to convince my friends to try out the daily beast when these types of articles are what pops up. granted, i am a 31 year old woman who appreciates a good set of abs and likes to talk to my friends on face book. there is a time and a place for silliness. although i fully appreciate that miss mccain might be seen as someone who could talk to a younger demographic, to the younger demographic it is insulting that it is assumed that this would appeal to us. why does the young face of the party have to be portrayed as bubble gum pop stars?
I don't get it. You have not told us anything about what this guy stands for. Please give more coverage in the future of the positions of these people, so that we can learn about whether or not we wish to support them.
Thank you.
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