Valentine’s Day Ode to the NJ Political Operative

Candidates and pundits get most of the glory, Save Jerseyans.

But it’s the political operatives who do the heavy lifting. I’m not talking about high-powered consultants.

I’m talking about the political science majors working 18 hour days for peanuts, enduring long periods of unemployment while campaign budgets are drafted and finance committees are formed, changing outfits in the back of 15-year old cars with no air conditioning, fighting with “volunteers” who really want free food and yard signs for minimial work, and subsisting almost entirely on cold pizza and the McDonald’s value menu.

And what do they get for their trouble? The promise of an office job (even more work for even less money) that may never materialize in addition to endless, depressing phone calls from their parents: “Why don’t you go back to law school?”

Here’s to you, political gladiators. We love you on Valentine’s Day:

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

3 Comments

  1. Love this, your point about the shitty cars is especially true. I feel like every time I meet a fellow young Republican operative-type, they drive some insanely busted up car, like I do (dented up purple minivan, missing a rearview mirror – but it sure is good for hauling lawn signs!) We commiserate on the irony of our hoopties and sip Wild Turkey from airplane bottles, remembering with fondness a time when we thought working in politics was a one-way ticket to the good life….

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