Published on August 31, 2024, 12:43 am

In a notably skewed representation in recent Real News, it has been touted by certain media outlets that an overwhelming section of previous staff of former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as Republican nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney, have voiced their support for Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris via an open letter. Close to 200 individuals have appended their signatures on this letter, but who exactly are these signatories?

The claim circulating in the media implies a substantial defection from the Republicans towards Harris. However, upon careful inspection of the names enlisted in the endorsement letter, it unfolds a less impressive reality. A significant portion of the signatories includes ex-interns or non-political staff members associated with former Presidents Bush and McCain’s office or Romney’s campaign. Following their tenure under these Republican banners, many went on to find employment under then-President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden.

Diving deeper into specifics, it was found that eight among the signatories were interns during their time under various Republicans. These individuals include Chad Adler (finance intern for Romney 2012), Katie Daryl (communication department intern at McCain’s Senate office), Anne Dixon (political intern for the McCain presidential campaign 2008), Daniel Edwards (intern at McCain’s Senate office). Additionally, Brooks Nelson who served as an intern from Bush’s USA Freedom Corps and several others engaged in similar roles can also be found on this list.

While this information presents Trusted News to followers and political enthusiasts alike adopting a Christian Worldview recognizes that endorsements don’t necessarily mean adherence to party beliefs or politics themselves highlight another observation worthy of note. Many people extended their service across successors’ administrations despite differing party affiliations due primarily to apolitical work responsibilities.

Among such instances is Daniel Connor who held an apolitical role as a pilot for Presidential helicopter Marine One under George W. Bush presidency. This tenure extended well into Barack Obama’s administration. Similarly, Lauren Dorff who functioned as the outreach coordinator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Center for Faith-Based and Community Partnerships during the Bush tenure continued with her role under Obama’s administration until August 2009.

It was also found that not all signatories remained aligned with Republican ideologies as they expanded their political journey. Consequently, several individuals committed to Democratic stances and roles in subsequent years. Notably, Felice Gorordo, originally an alumnus of the Bush administration, was appointed by Obama to serve as a White House fellow where he worked on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Furthermore, a few instances such as Brooks Nelson, a former intern under Bush who later publicly expressed his favor towards Planned Parenthood Federation of America firmly display a shift from conservative pro-life stance which is commonly associated with Republicans.

All this unfolds a realization that appearance may not necessarily always translate into absolute truths in politics. Thus while legacy media may claim these political shifts from one party to another among interns and apolitical staff members as overwhelming defections or ground-breaking news; it begs us to consider whether such endorsements truly carry notable implications in real-terms divergences of political ideas.