Non Political Thread About a Politician -- I Swear

[YankeeFan]

Really fun article about Chuck Schumer:

Even by the standards of Capitol Hill, where ambitious and awkward young people are thrust together in cramped workplaces and crowded bars, the nuptial output of Senator Charles E. Schumer’s office stands out.

Schumer staff members, put simply, like to marry each other. There have been 10 weddings so far, and two more scheduled this fall — an average of nearly one “Schumer Marriage” (his term) for each year he has spent in the Senate.

Cupid’s arrow lands where it will, but many of the couples say that Mr. Schumer, a New York Democrat, has an unusual knack for guiding its journey. He keeps close track of office romances, quotes marriage-friendly Scripture (“God to man: be fruitful and multiply”), and is known to cajole, nag, and outright pester his staff (at least those he perceives as receptive to such pestering) toward connubial bliss.

Forget Master of the Senate. This is the Yenta of the Senate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/nyregion/senator-senator-make-me-a-match-for-staff-schumer-is-cupid.html?_r=1&hp&pagewanted=all

 

[Versatile]

This seems like the basis for a really bad rom-com. Who could we get? I'm thinking John Krasinski and Olivia Munn play a pair of new staffers whom Sen. Kevin Spacey works to get together even as Krasinski has a girlfriend he's not happy with and Munn is certain she has no time for a man while advancing her career.

 

[waterytart]

I love the idea that even male Jewish senators can be Jewish mothers.

 

[crimsonace]

As someone who worked in a place where several relationships/marriages happened (including mine), this is kinda fun.

I can remember my now-wife and I walking into the editor's office, stating we were together and it was getting pretty serious. At the time, the company had a "no spouses" policy and the EIC did everything he could to keep his people from leaving, so my wife was pretty worried that he'd blow his stack at us. Instead, he says "frankly, I don't give a $#!+" and we went on our merry way.

Shortly after that conversation, the nepotism policy was changed to allow people who were already working when they got married to work together.

 

[Versatile]

I love the idea that even male Jewish senators can be Jewish mothers.

Maybe we get Jeff Goldblum instead of Kevin Spacey. That movie definitely would be funnier.

 

[TigerVols]

Schumi's just setting himself for an HR lawsuit.

At least, he would be if he worked in California.

[/Been There, Done That]

 

[Amy]

I love the idea that even male Jewish senators can be Jewish mothers.

I think I read something a very long time ago that former Senator Joe Lieberman was an active matchmaker and hosted events for Jewish singles in Washington.

correction: What with all those Jewish senators, esp from states where I've lived, it is so easy to get confused. It was the former R senator from Minnesota, Rudy Boschwitz, who was the matchmaker - http://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/02/us/washington-talk-briefing-the-matchmaker.html

 

[Webster]

We had an political fundraiser at my company a few years back and I was roped into buying tickets for my wife and I. Chuck was there early and we talked to him for about 30 minutes.

I told him that he gave the speech at my grade school graduation in 1981 when he was an assemblyman and he remembered the name of the principal and vice-principal.

But he wanted to talk more than anything about how my wife and I met and he and my wife bonded over how much they each loved setting singles up.

So the NYT story made me smile.

 

[Starman]

Actually, it's pretty weird. Is he making hires on the basis of how he perceives their stud potential? Sounds like a big lawsuit brewing down the road.

Reminds me a lot of the scene at the beginning of "The Firm" where they're trying to recruit Mitch at the big barbecue cookout, and Lamar's wife calls Abby into the bathroom for some "girl-talk" and she says, "The firm encourages children."

"Oh really? And how do they do that?"

 

[Zeke12]

I love the idea that even male Jewish senators can be Jewish mothers.

I think I read something a very long time ago that former Senator Joe Lieberman was an active matchmaker and hosted events for Jewish singles in Washington.

correction: What with all those Jewish senators, esp from states where I've lived, it is so easy to get confused. It was the former R senator from Minnesota, Rudy Boschwitz, who was the matchmaker - http://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/02/us/washington-talk-briefing-the-matchmaker.html

Boschwitz, of course, being from Minnesota, was replaced by another Jewish senator, Paul Wellstone, and after a brief dalliance with a Republican Jewish senator -- Norm Coleman -- Minnesota sent another Jewish man -- Al Franken -- to continue the tradition.

 

[waterytart]

I had never realized one of the lost tribes ended up in Minnesota.

 

[Zeke12]

I had never realized one of the lost tribes ended up in Minnesota.

State's population is one percent Jewish, FWIW.

 

[Bob Cook]

Just like you wouldn't expected Minnesota to be a center of black funk in the 80s, either.

 

[Versatile]

Just like you wouldn't expected Minnesota to be a center of black funk in the 80s, either.

Or the hottest new rap track, "Hot Cheetos and Takis":

 

[Bob Cook]

Just like you wouldn't expected Minnesota to be a center of black funk in the 80s, either.

Or the hottest new rap track, "Hot Cheetos and Takis":

Between this and "Chocolate Rain," Minnesota is a center of black viral videos.