Humans of Coronado is a photo series where we “bump” into residents and visitors around the “island,” completely unplanned and unfiltered. It was inspired by Humans of New York. Next time you are out and about around town, you may just find yourself part of the next HOC series!
This segment of Humans of Coronado concerns the upcoming Presidential election. Whether it’s in a public forum or behind closed doors, many people have expressed an overall dissatisfaction with the candidates who are vying for our nation’s highest office. We’ve heard people say, “I wish [so-and-so] was running.” There have even been humorous postings on social media about dynamic duos who should run in 2016 such as entertainers Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake.
(Photo courtesy of Google Images)
If you had the opportunity to pick anyone (living, of course) who would represent the United States as our 45th President, and you could select his or her Vice President as well, who would you pick? Who’s your Dream Team?
Responses were varied, but it was certainly worth noting that none of the respondents selected any of the current candidates as members of their dream team. Our Humans of Coronado’s choices were definitely interesting and thought-provoking, and include the following pairings:
Darrell Issa and Kristen Gillibrand: “I would pick Darrell Issa for President because I believe the greatest crisis we face is the national deficit, and it seems like no one’s really addressing it. He was the Chairperson of the House Government Reform Committee, but he doesn’t play politics per se. He’s a self-made multi-millionaire. He’s been listed, I think, the last six or seven years the wealthiest person in Congress. He has a net worth, I think, of something like 255 million dollars, but, unlike Donald Trump, Darrell Issa doesn’t promote himself. I also think that it’s kind of significant that he’s an Arab American. There’s only a handful of Arab Americans in the entire Congress, and the fact that he has that I think also addresses some future concerns. He’s a veteran, which is important to me, and served in the Army. He has attacked President Obama relentlessly, but having said that, some of the things he’s attacked him on like the IRS and the cover-ups, show that he’s a fiscal conservative. I think we need that. I really worry about my grandkids’ future. What’s the country going to be like if someone doesn’t take control of the national debt? Darrell Issa knows business. Because this is a hypothetical, I pick Kristen Gillibrand as Vice President. She’s the Junior Senator from New York. She’s an attorney. She graduated from Dartmouth, majoring in Asian Studies. She actually studied in Taiwan and Beijing. She understands the Chinese economy and culture, which again, for future purposes, it’s extremely important that we have that kind of perspective. She’s also a leader in the Senate for women’s issues, which are also extremely important to me. She became a Senator when Hillary Clinton resigned her Senate seat in New York to become Secretary of State. Kristen Gillibrand was appointed, and then won outright. She was reelected in 2012 in her own right, and got, I think, 70-something percent of the vote. She’s on a ton of committees, and is a progressive. He’s [Darrell Issa] a fiscal conservative and she’s a progressive. She graduated from UCLA Law School so she’s not strictly New York, New York, New York.”
Phil Jackson and Colin Powell: “I want someone sporty, and Phil Jackson was the coach of the Chicago Bulls, and he went to Los Angeles, and I think now he does something with the players in New York. One quality that I like about him is he was very present at no matter what he did; it was very evident that he had an opinion. He’s very well liked. He had a variety of personality conflicts with various teams, but no matter where he went, he was able to fit in and get the community together to support his team or whatever he was doing. Granted he does have his flaws like everyone else, but in the end he was a successful leader, very well respected, and a winner. Colin Powell has a lot of military and government experience. He too is a person who could bring people to the table together to talk. He’s very level-headed, smart, aware of his surroundings, and as much as I know about him, he’s not as judgmental. He’s more so aware of issues that may not be so evident. He doesn’t just see one problem; he sees more of the big picture. He’s well-liked and respected.”
Joe Biden and Jon Stewart: “I think were it not for some of the tragedies that the Biden family has experienced, Joe Biden would be in this race. And, if Joe Biden’s in this race, we don’t know who Bernie Sanders is. Jon Stewart is smarter than a lot of people give him credit for, and I think he would be a good balance. Yes, he doesn’t have the experience, but he does have the intellect, and he would be a good balance to President Biden.”
John McCain and Condoleezza Rice: “John McCain would make a great President because I think we need someone with a military background for our own country’s moral protection who knows how to handle foreign affairs interactions. Condoleeza Rice would make a good Vice President because she will represent 50% of the population – females. She has so much solid experience in foreign affairs and has a strong backbone.”
Joe Biden and Tina Fey: “My dream team if I were allowed to pick Joe Biden for President first. I value the experience that he has in politics, but I also value that he has deep cores for his values. I think the timing was completely off for him with his whole political run because his son passed away. If you think about it, he continues to put family first. For Vice President I choose Tina Fey. I think she has sharp wit, and I think she would add humor to any kind of difficult situation. She is classy and well respected. I don’t have any concerns about her not having any experience, and I think someone like her would be refreshing.”
Pope Francis and Peggy Noonan: “For President I would like Pope Francis. He’s a peacemaker. He’s got broad appeal across party lines, across ideology lines. His message is so much about compassion and not judging and meeting people where they are. It just seems like he has a really solid understanding of human nature, and obviously he’s got international appeal and international experience. I think foreign relations are such an important piece of the President’s role. I would pick Peggy Noonan for Vice President. She’s sharp. She’s got a lot of background in politics and exposure to what the President’s world is like, and I agree with a lot of her views on things. So for me, she’s an easy choice.”
Resident, Educator, Military Spouse, and Mother."I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list." - Susan Sontag.Have news to share? Send tips, story ideas or letters to the editor to: [email protected]
