This time of year I get about a hundred Christmas, Hanukkah and general holiday cards from friends, family, clients, vendors and of course every elected official I have ever given money too or who thinks he can be president some day and somehow thinks I can be of help in the endeavor.
This year I placed a piece of double-sided tape to the back side of each card and stuck it to a bare white wall (most of my walls are bare–I am not big on hanging things that require more effort than two-sided tape).
While it wasn’t entirely a fair or for that matter a well regulated contest because the cards were placed on the wall at different times, they are different shapes and sizes, etc, we do have a winner: U. S. Senator George Allen
I am not necessarily supporting the senator at this point for President, but I felt some obligation to report the facts.
All the cards from the other POTUS hopefuls have fallen down, over time. Granted NY Governor Pataki failed to send me a card at all so he has been disqualified from the outset and I used the Kathy Tavoularis/Sen. John McCain card as a substitute for the Senator since I am not on his list either.
That said, here is the order in which they fell off the wall:
First to fall was the card from the Romney family (Gov. Mass.) – I like the guy a lot and considered changing the rating system to make first to fall the best spot. But I just couldn’t justify it. Sorry Mitt.
Next came Teve Torbes, I mean Steve Forbes and fam. I always like his cards because they have that outline of the family inside the card with their names on it.
Next to fall was the card of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and his wife Marsh. Curiously the card is of both their backsides.
Then came Tavoularis/McCain.
President George W. Bush‘s holiday card (don’t blame me, if it doesn’t say Christmas anywhere on the thing), fell pretty late in the game too. Not that he is eligible to run again. But I just thought it was relevant.
Alas, the only remaining cards on the wall from elected officials on Christmas Day were Senator George Allen and Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle (also not a contender but interesting nonetheless).
Honorable mentions of cards that had impressive staying power on the wall include: Assemblyman Chuck Devore and family, the OC Weekly holiday card, the Johns/Holder family card (I must say Buck looks darn presidential and Colleen gets my vote for First Lady), the Paule Christmas card (the one with the cute Santa hat on the picture of the ultra-sound of soon-to-be-born Miller and finally Denis and Suzanne Bilodeau+family.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and HAPPY NEW YEAR!