We were in Des Moines the other day wrapping up a town hall. It was Zach, Carly, Luke, and I. It was raining and chilly. Our white Chevy Suburban was parked far across the parking lot.
We looked at each other for a second. Were we all going to go to the car in the rain? Or was someone going to run to the car and drive it over for the rest of us?
Zach quickly said, “I’ll run out and get the car,” and then dashed into the rain while the rest of us waited.
After he pulled up, we piled in. Carly said, “That was such a dad move, Zach.” It’s true. That’s the sort of thing I do with my family all of the time. I go and get the car in harsh elements while they wait under shelter.
So then I said, “Wait a minute. If Zach is the Dad of this family, what am I?”
And then it dawned on me—I’m the baby.
I realized a bunch of things very quickly:
- People are taking care of me all of the time.
- Staffers have my favorite foods around.
- If I get in a bad mood, everyone around me suffers.
- My schedule determines everyone else’s.
- Others are grooming me, sometimes several times a day.
The parallels were eerie. Zach is the patient Dad. Carly, the energetic sister. Luke is the quiet son. And I am the kid around which the world revolves.
It is hard to understand how close you get on the campaign trail. You literally wake up together in an Airbnb, eat together, ride together in a car for hours on end, and coordinate every part of your day. It is very intense. You are in tight proximity to each other for hours and hours. I’ve noticed that some other candidates travel with actual family members for this reason.
I’m glad to say that the team and I enjoy our time on the road, even when it gets tiring. We get along famously. Good thing, because we travel a lot.
I’m incredibly grateful to the people on the campaign team. Most joined before I had any level of public recognition. They saw something in me and my ideas. Many took huge pay cuts because they saw the chance to have a huge impact. Their talent level and idealism are both sky high. This campaign attracts amazing people.
I’m accustomed to being the father figure—the CEO of a business, the head of a non-profit, and, of course, being an actual dad. I hope to be the leader of a revolution that transforms the country.
But there are many times on the campaign where I’m the person being taken care of instead of the opposite. And I’m grateful for it. Let someone else run into the rain.
We’re heading throughout New Hampshire to Hanover, Lebanon, Concord, Portsmouth, Claremont, Hollis, Windham, and Milford. If you can make it, or have a friend in the area, please do come or let them know. We will be traveling with Steve Marchand, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire who just endorsed me. His endorsement made the nightly news in New Hampshire and the Boston Globe and has made waves throughout the state. Thanks to Steve, we are growing in New Hampshire very quickly.
Here’s to a growing family,
– Andrew