It is probably one of the more high profile political events of the
year as 1500 or so high rollers of industry rub elbows with the
high-rollers of politics as each side uses the other for whatever ends
they might have in mind.
So much happens on stage, but there's lots you never see.
Rick Snyder, the supposed non-career politician, has done something
every career pol attempts i.e. to mold his or her image, not with words
but with non-verbal stuff.
Hence Snyder has been tie-less for the entire campaign. No blue
suits and power-red ties for this guy. He is just one of us working
slugs who probably can't afford a tie anyway.
But there he was, out in public, walking around the Grand Hotel in
a tie. There goes the finely tuned image, off the porch and into Lake
Michigan.
Alas this was not a make over in the making. Recall that Grand
Hotel silly rule about sport coats and ties for men after six. Any
good nerd knows you follow the rules even if it gives your highly paid
image makers nightmares.
The debate between five republicans and two democrats hoping to be
governor next year produced lots of buzz, but did you know that behind
the scenes the Dillon guys pulled off a bit of a coup?
The democratic Speaker is the tallest of the pack and everyone
knows if you are going to be on stage, you want to be center stage.
That show biz rule is as old as Jimmy Durante. (Google him if you're
drawing a blank.)
The original recommendation was that the seven candidates would
draw numbers to see who stood behind which podium. The center spot was
number four.
But the crafty Dillon-ites convinced the other candidates to do it
according to last names. Virg Bernero would be first and Rick Snyder
would be last and what a co-winky-dink, Dillon would end up in, TA-DA,
spot number four!.
He looked very governor-like as he dwarfed the two shorties Mike
Cox and Tom George on either side.
For the Dillon camp, that got off to a rocky launch, it was a deft
maneuver that nobody caught and it worked.
Maybe being a cerebral candidate has its advantages after all?