How often do you find a Republican and a Democrat in the US openly exhibiting their friendship, let alone campaigning for an election? The question is of course a rhetorical one and the answer is pretty much obvious. It would be startling then to know that two professors at Concordia University, just north of Milwaukeehave paired up together to run for elections.
Republican Jim Burkee teaches history and Democrat Jeff Walz teaches political science at the same University. The red-blue difference must have been the source of a plethora of debates and arguments between the two intellectuals and it would indeed be a lie to deny that there haven’t been any. But instead of fighting in public and demonstrating that they are a couple of old fools following the paths of politicians, Burkee and Walz have had their discussions in churches and university halls.
But those discussions were mostly tied by common objectives. And what better way to explore ways to fulfill those common objectives than pair up together and get into politics? The pair is now busy joint campaigning to unseat Republican F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (Wis.). The entire concept of a Republican-Democrat joint campaign is so novel that the phenomenon has hit the national headlines in the US.
Burkee and Walz are promising a campaign purified of negative advertisements, personal attack on any politicians and 100 debates in 300 days before the September 2008 party primaries. The dynamic duo’s philosophy leans toward conservatism. Both are firmly against abortion, embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriage.
Burkee and Walz feel that a long awaited wave of change is needed for the state and are confident of their capabilities to bring about that change. They might not have the nuance of hard core politicians but being two respected intellectuals and university professor, the duo do have the intelligence and common sense, elements which are unfortunately discerned lacking in most politicians.
Image Source: CCD.EDU
Source: Washington Post
