POLITICAL “BEAUTY PAGEANT”

On the Sunday before each primary and general election, the good folks at the Anchorage Baptist Temple in Anchorage host “Candidate Sunday.” Every candidate is invited to attend, regardless of political party. We put our campaign materials in the vestibule, then walk into the sanctuary as a group. During the first part of the service, we walk in a line with our families up to Pastor Jerry Prevo, introduce ourselves to the congregation (and to the church’s television cameras), and state the office for which we are running. Included among this year’s candidates were gubernatorial candidates Sarah Palin and Tony Knowles – and of course me!! After the sermon – this year by a survivor of the attack on the 9-11 World Trade Center - we go back to the vestibule and “meet and greet” the congregation.

It’s a nice event. The choir is fantastic. Pastor Prevo may not know it, but in political “shop talk” we call it the “candidate beauty pageant.” Well, we know who won this year’s pageant, and it certainly wasn’t me.