Playground Politics

As I read a story today about the presidential race, I couldn't help but be reminded of my days spent on the playground of Park View Elementary.  I guess, in all fairness, the memories could also spill over to the basketball courts of Triadelphia Middle School (this was the recreational space where we spent our much more sophisticated middle school recess time), but I believe the parallel with the Park View playground would be most fitting.  Why?  Because recess at Park View was much more rich with imagination, make believe and, more than anything, imagined power.  

The story I was reading was in the Wall Street Journal and titled, "Clues Emerge on Romney's VP Pick."  As I read the story, it became apparent, first, how much speculation is involved in this phase of the presidential race.  But, as opposed to the overwhelmingly controversial tone of virtually every other aspect of the race, there's a certain playfulness about this aspect.  While the closing paragraph of the story focuses on commentary directly from Romney on the subject, in which he asserts that only he and one other advisor are privy to the inner workings of this selection, the story seems to outline in cut-and-dry fashion, the obvious choices.  Going back to the commentary from Romney, though, there is a seductive mystique surrounding the choice.  Millions are watching and guessing, but in reality, his rhetoric confirms that the center of power really lies in a very small sphere.

Now, moving to Park View Elementary.  To walk past the school today, which now stands as a random center of businesses amidst an otherwise residential backdrop, one would never guess that throngs of children passed through its quarters and ruled its playground.  There was the kickball/wiffle ball field, basketball court (with the priceless foursquare framework), the monkey bars, ropes, slide, fireman's pole, etc.  Our gym class would often be moved outside in good weather to the kickball field,  and virtually all recess times (weather permitting) were spent in various corners of the rest of the playground.

Memories of choosing teams in gym class definitely parallel the Romney story.  No one would know exactly when they would be chosen by which team leader, but there was definitely a sense of superiority laid at the feet of team captains.  And if you were the poor soul chosen last for a team, well, your place in the pecking order was indelibly sketched--at least for the remainder of that day.  So, the fleeting nature of who is in and who is out also reflects the politics of team selection from the Park View days.  It was not uncommon for the person chosen last one day to be the one chosen first the next.  No real rhyme or reason, just politics.  And don't think there was never a place for advisers like Romney's Beth Myers, as this was a key factor in the decision-making process of the all-powerful team captains.

I realize running our country is not child's play.  Whoever ends up our leader for the next term has quite the work to do (but, don't be fooled by the media, as I'm pretty sure that problems as we're encountering now have always existed--it's just a new set for a new day), however I couldn't help but point out the familiar tone that these two seemingly disparate spheres of life share.  If only the race could be decided by a simple game of kickball...or red rover.