Letter From An Intern: Almost Every Man In The Plaza Feels Entitled
Posted on July 23, 2009 at 8:49 pmIn an email to Post Politics, a member of McKensie Morrison’s intern class speaks about the conditions young females on the Hill and her brief impressions of Tennessee’s most infamous intern:
I was an intern this year with McKensie, and I talked to her a few times. She seemed very charasmatic and nice to be around, but i only spoke to her a few times. That’s really all I can say, other than I had forgotten about her until this. I didn’t even realize she had left early as a result of her affair.
What I can tell you is this is hurtful to the internship program which gave me so much insight and I had a wonderful time, truly.
What I can also tell you is that almost every man up there feels entitled to look, touch, and flirt with any female in that place, regardless of whether she is an intern, lobbyist, guest, etc.
I was shocked when I heard about this, but not really. The ego that exists in most men up there is enough to make me sick. There are people that you respect and admire who wouldn’t think twice about giving you a good up and down look in the elevator.
I had been given looks, creepy smiles, and strong drinks made by those very legislators who are probably laughing right now at all of this, those hypocrites. most of them married, too.
Now, I don’t think she’s innocent, but she’s also not there to serve her community and the people of Tennessee. She’s also not getting paid as much (maybe she even got her paycheck from Austin Peay!) and she’s not reforming anything or changing the world. She was most likely making copies and having fun, as it appears.
I just hope all of this knocks those egotistical creepy men off their high horses and maybe scares them off from chasing around interns, and I can assure you that some of them did. I know some interns didn’t have the best character but they were also 22 as opposed to 50+.
Just to let you know, I think its the men up there who have the potential to ruin the internship program. If it goes because one or two Senators or Representatives couldn’t keep their married johnsons in their pants, I will be utterly devastated.
Oh, and by the way, I didn’t see ANY women hit on a single male intern. That’s because the women up there are there to WORK not to PLAY and DRINK EVERY NIGHT!
Comments
23 Responses to “Letter From An Intern: Almost Every Man In The Plaza Feels Entitled”
I would like for the female legislators and some other women who could be appointed to make some recommendations about what can be done about this situation, interns and all.
And let’s elect more of them, too.
Sure. As long as they’re not strong, independent-minded Democrats because, as we know, they tend to have their certified election results thrown out by the Democrat Party good ole boy network.
This sounds like part of a Ron Ramsey PR campaign to save his boy Stanley. “Paul’s just a victim of his environment.”
You know I feel for this female intern who sent you the email. But hey, men are men. Women and sex are always on our mind. My brother in law is an IT specialist and he said he’s had 14 men call him in the past two days wanting him to repair their laptops because they have a virus on them. He figured its b/c they looked up the Erin Andrews tape.
Dan:
As if women don’t think about sex… (hello, look at the intern!) It’s a society/culture issue. Through the years majority of women have just have garnered the ability to control themselves more.
Also, the ways and contexts that groups of men and groups of women talk about it are different.
Hormonally, perhaps men are more influenced, but it all depends on a person’s maturity, self-control and personal responsibility (dedication to values/ sticking to the right thing).
Not all men/women cheat on their significant others.
tend to have their certified election results thrown out by the Democrat Party good ole boy network
If, in a contested primary between a “sell out Republican” like Kent or Mike Williams and a Republican who would reliably vote for a GOP speaker, election workers repeatedly and erroneously told voters if they wanted to vote for the RINO’s challenger, they needed to vote in the Democratic primary, and then the RINO won by a handful of votes, the conservative reaction would be so stark, the brick industry in TN would be set for a decade.
Look, some of these guys’ check-engine lights have come on so many times they’re burned out. Proceed accordingly.
Remember that story I told you about what happens when you ignore your compass.
How has no one mentioned that Rep. Gary Odom MARRIED his intern?
Maybe the married-GOP-family-value representatives in TN, SC, and AZ should have followed Surgeon General Joycelyn Elder’s advice.
But she had a truly wonderful time.
Can someone loan me there intern to english dictionary?
Now, I don’t think she’s innocent, but she’s also not there to serve her community and the people of Tennessee. She’s also not getting paid as much (maybe she even got her paycheck from Austin Peay!) and she’s not reforming anything or changing the world. She was most likely making copies and having fun, as it appears.
What?
Maybe the GOP-family-values representatives in TN, SC, and AZ should have followed Surgeon General Joycelyn Elder’s advice.
Sorry for the repeat.
Sigh, their,not there.
seems as if ‘interns’ are a political ‘perk’. Bill Clinton,Ted Kennedy and Barney Franks are still goin’ strong & wrong. only way to effectively deal with’em is at the ballot box. however, it seems most voters approve with that behavior cause look at who keeps getting re-elected.
First, Louie, bringing Ramsey or any other leadership member, whether Democrat or Republican, into this without any accusations against them is ridiculous. Stanley is the one on the hot seat. Ramsey has done nothing wrong. Secondly, I was an intern in 2000 or so and I dispute the notion that “almost every man up there” feels entitled to be flirtatious with the female interns. Sure, there were some, and I can only speak about the time I was there, but it was not nearly as widespread as this writer would make it seem.
[...] act like the session is one big frat party with the female interns. From an intern’s email to Post Politics: What I can also tell you is that almost every man up there feels entitled to look, touch, and [...]
“seems as if ‘interns’ are a political ‘perk’. Bill Clinton,Ted Kennedy and Barney Franks are still goin’ strong & wrong. only way to effectively deal with’em is at the ballot box. however, it seems most voters approve with that behavior cause look at who keeps getting re-elected.”
Jim K. I couldn’t agree with you more! The members that keep screwing around keep getting elected which means their constituents are not paying attention. I was an intern with McKensie this past session too. I disagree with the intern who wrote this letter about “almost every man up there feels entitled to look, touch, and flirt with any female in that place, regardless of whether she is an intern, lobbyist, guest, etc.”
First, if you were doing your job and not parading around, you probably didn’t even run into all the members, and if you did, they probably did have time to stop and “chat”. For the partying and drinking, you had to go out and put yourself in that position for that to happen. Plus, no one seems to realize that Senator Stanley has had this problem before and not with an intern, but an assistant!
I won’t disagree with the fact that some of the members have major egos, but most of them are down to earth. I learned far more from this internship than any class could offer and I hope to so it again!
I was also an intern this past session. The claims of the person who wrote this letter are certainly not the norm. I was treated with respect, and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. I agree with the comment that alluded that many of the young interns felt it necessary to flaunt themselves in tight outfits and short skirts. That is their problem, and not mine. Some of the responsibility should be placed on the shoulders of the often overly flirtatious and irresponsible interns.
I fear that the idiotic behavior of a few ridiculous interns will spoil the program for those who could really benefit from seeing how our state government works first hand.
Let’s keep in mind that there were nearly 100 interns. How many made the front page? There are many great leaders, from both parties, at the capitol and there were many great interns. I will cherish my experiences at the state capitol, and I would certainly recommend the program to my fellow classmates with one caveat;
If you cannot act respectably then you cannot expect to be respected.
Former TN Intern and Proud of It– You wrote “Plus, no one seems to realize that Senator Stanley has had this problem before and not with an intern, but an assistant!”
I heard this on another blog as well . . . I heard that it was an assistant to a different legislator and that she was fired to help cover it up. I don’t have the names, but I think that it will eventually come out to the forefront, in addition to the problems that the State and National Frist offices had with Paul’s behavior while he was running the Memphis office (dating and wining/dining his 20 year old intern, now wife, when she wasn’t even old enough to consume the wine he bought for her, reprimands over using the Senate-owned computer for Young Republican partisan activities, etc. GOP stalwart Mark Winslow could really fill someone in on the details, if he knew it would not embarrass Dr. Frist - who is probably so appalled at Paul that he needs a heart transplant himself about now.
What makes you think Dr. Frist didn’t know?
I was speaking to Dr. Frist’s probable lack of knowledge of the current situation. I am fairly certain that he was aware of Paul dating his intern (now current wife) during the time that Paul was his Senior field Representative for West Tennessee. In fact, I would be shocked beyond belief if he did not, given that his State Director and Chief-of-Staff in the DC office definitely knew. And this is NOT conjecture.
BTW, the State Director at that time was Emily Reynolds. And the other field reps throughout the state, as well as many Shelby County Young Republican members, were appalled by his behavior . . . he even travelled with Kristi to State-wide Young Republican events while she was his intern and he was the State Chairman of the Tennessee Young Republicans. Ironically, his rallying cry to the year of his term was “Take Back Tennessee” and now his probable forced resignation will end up giving the State House back to the Democrats.
The GOP leaders in the State Senate most likely are desperate for him to resign and will probably continue to leak information about his rather sordid past to pressure him. On the flip side, the GOP leaders in the State House are probably secretly advising him to stick it out . . . because (if I understand this correctly) if Stanley resigns, the most probable successors in a special election would come from Republican House members within his Senate district. Then the Shelby County Commission, which is largely comprised of Democrats, will appoint an interim House representative. And THAT, my friends, would tip the House in favor of the Democrats.
Of course, my question for the day is:
Did Paul Stanley show up to teach his Sunday School class at Christ United Methodist Church this morning or not?????