You Can’t Test the Waters, Without Tasting Them, If You Run for the Presidency
We arrived in a little Iowa town on December 4, 2009. It was the first time for us, very cold, dark outside, as I and my wife in the car pulled to a gas pump, fiddled with my wallet and finally found a credit card. A longtime friend and his wife had provided lodging for the night at one of the local motels. Though hungry and tired from a long drive we were at last “testing the waters.”
After a sleepless night my wife and I meet our friend who took us to a local coffee shop. We met a neighbor of theirs, who had just lost his wife unexpectedly. Our friend bought coffee and breakfast for us we were delighted and no longer hungry. Afterward we were taken to the back of the coffee shop where several friends awaited, drinking coffee and talking politics. As my wife and I refilled our cups, they asked questions about issues, important to them and their families. At the end of the morning, one from their group suggested I consider running in the Iowa GOP Presidential Caucuses, a chance to “test the waters.”
Weeks later we visited several hog farms in a rural area of southeast Iowa. The husband, wife and children all work long days, we also met their newest grandson, a delightful little boy. We quickly recognized that these folks were salt of the earth Americans who love their country, church, family and believe in hard work. We visited the farms, feeder pigs, sows, piglets, all in the several hours we were “testing the waters.”
In August of 2010, we left Illinois at 2:00 am in the morning to join other candidates working and serving others at the Iowa Pork Tent. We arrived at 7:00 a.m. it continued raining, yet we helped prepare the pork for hungry Iowa State Fair goers. We remained the entire day and met several thousand Iowans, nice folks with hearty appetites, real friendly people, we had been “testing the waters.” We were told that a national candidate would be serving with us that day, apparently the heavy rain prevented his attendance.
Our travel back to Illinois from the state fair kept us in rain the entire drive. Our car seemed on the verge of losing a bad fan belt. We made it home and scheduled the car for a new belt. Later that day our mechanic gave us the news “it was not the fan belt, simply the front wheel about to come apart from the axle,” yet we were happy still “testing the waters.”
We often arrive home at the end of a weekend. My weekdays begin at 4:00 a.m. with work on posts, articles, emails, newsletters, phone calls, volunteer recruitment videos, brochures, on a severely limited budget. We are not wealthy our credit cards remind me of young Barack O' Bama presenting his card in LA to rent a car for a party meeting only to be told it had been rejected. He returned home not being able to meet his financial requirements that day, no one remembers that now. That often happens when you “test the waters.”
Recently my son called to tell me about a person coming to him “in confidence” to tell him about the laughter he helped inspire at a local shop at my expense, “President of what? You must be kidding?” said my friends, this happens often to candidates. When you include distant family, classmates and friends that question my wife by asking “Is he well?” you conclude it’s part of “testing the waters.”
Recently, my wife and I drove to Iowa’s capital Des Moines to meet with several people including a kind and empathetic reporter. Reporters sadly are not often characterized as compassionate but this lady is that in every sense. We could not tell her that day of my wife’s being sick and the challenge of her smiling and conversing after she had been up the previous night many times, it’s all a part of “testing the waters.”
I am often asked, “have your served in the Congress, as a Governor, do you have a lot of money?” The answer on my part has to be an affirmative “no.” Often I am reminded of potential candidates who are wealthy receive publicity and are better known. Any potential nominee knows he/she must also “taste as well as test the waters,” even if the waters are bitter.
My wife and I love this country, our three children, their spouses, and five grandchildren, two pups and one bird, all part of the family. In the final analysis it doesn’t matter that we aren’t wealthy, once helped conduct a presidential campaign for a Governor, have written in most of the nation’s major papers, the waters still must be tested and tasted. America is our home. I still believe in the power of the American dream and want to see all in this nation experience it. We are honored to be able to test and taste the waters. As of January 30, 2011, I became a Republican candidate for President, even though I am not one of the better known potential contenders, few love America more.
Dr, Alan G. Phillips
Bloomington, IL 61705
PAC Registration filed with the Federal Election Commission, January 2011
