Political Spotlight: Roger Stone, the political liability

What interested me perhaps the most about Stone was his contrary nature. Like politics, the surface of Stone was much different than the deeper underground. When you look at him, you see an aged, conservatively dressed man with an old school sense about him. He is articulate, speaks in a no-bullshit manner, and is filled with a history of politics, having seen and heard it all. A gentleman, who resembles an old mobster, prefers clubs with a jacket requirement and asserts that a man should never wear “white dress shirts after six.” Yet, it is maybe this knowledge that makes him an opinionated, sarcastic, cunning, political operative who would implement anything up his sleeve to get his way. Despite all his tricks, Stone seems to remain upfront about them and has become a force to be reckoned with in the fields of politics, informing and persuaded the public by all necessary means.

Looking simply at the articles and videos we were given to formulate opinions on Stone, the contradictions continue. The short quips with StoneTV seem remotely harmless. He approaches and issue or political figure such as Barack Obama with a standard, critical journalism style. He has an opinion, such as a columnist would, and sticks with a precise, quick argument filled with research to back his arguments. The only remote line of sarcasm is delivered without a punch as he says Obama is delivering the “same old baloney”. His blog appears to be written in about the say style. You get a clearer vision of Stone’s historical involvement with politics, with the same quick journalistic sentences and arguments for McCain and Palin. This can be viewed in articles such as his standard “Palin’s Checkers Moment,” and even “Hurricane Ike”, which is delivered with a bit more dry humor.

However, when we get into the ReasonTV segment we are encountered with a man who seems to step out of the aforementioned mold of your average conservative liability. With the encouragement of our well-known interviewer, Stone cusses, jumps from topic to topic, and reveals just how colorful of a personality he possesses. Certainly, he keeps within the step of historical backing and references, but you begin to get an idea of just how tricky and dirty he is willing to play things, even if it means slandering a candidate with claims of mandatory class on Saturday in a first grade election.

This clearer view of who Stone really is becomes propelled in the “Weekly Standard” and “The New Yorker” articles, which illuminate him with titles such as “the dirty trickster”, a “professional lord of mischief” and his self-reference of “If it rains, it was Stone.” Here we continue to get below the surface and see just who Stone is—an intelligent, knowledgeable man who is willing to attack in the muddiest of ways.

So if everyone knows Stone is a source of waywardness and turmoil, why does he remain to be such an intact force in American politics? The answer lies in the exploration of the word truth.

When it comes to the reporting by journalists, Stone seems to be the first person to get the scoop. Maybe this is because he’s been behind the scene for forty years and possesses the knowledge of all things politics with the right connections to collect scandal. Perhaps it is because his all-too watchful eye knows just how to spot the absurd, such as Spitzer’s affair with a prostitute.

Regardless, of the reason, Stone gives the general public insight and reveals the truth, as ugly as it may be, and truth, above all is what journalism is crucially about. Whatever his ulterior motives may be, the American public seems to be appreciative of him. Even journalists, who despise him, trust his information. Not to mention, you have to at least be pleased about a man who does not fear, but rather embraces the opportunity to expose what others are trying to hide. People have a right to know who is representing them and running their government, be it local, state, or federal.

It is the political exploration of this truth that leaves a question ringing around the word. Stone always has some type of motivation for what he’s doing, whether it is to bring forth the right issues, elect the person he’s backing by making the other guy look bad, or create an outbreak of conversation to circle around the water cooler. This is the guy who is the avid supporter for Nixon-like politics who knows the greatest way to win can lie in the art of the con. One has to wonder just how honest these truths can be, when Stone believes that, “Politics is not about uniting people. It’s about dividing people. And getting your fifty-one percent” as well as his rule stating, “The only thing worse in politics than being wrong is being boring.” It then becomes a fine line between discovering necessary scandal and exposing the dirty politician, and having an unscrupulous consultant who searches for redundant truths and capitalizes on them. Clearly Stone is a biased political mind that is paid to cause trouble, and does his job immaculately. He has five Jaguars to show for it. Yet for every candidate he represents, he also knows how to cover their impropriates, thus hiding other necessary truths.

The one truth we do know is that Stone is a character of both intelligence and deviance. Political campaigns for years have both benefited and capsized because of him. He likes to fight dirty, and he’ll be the first to tell you it.