He was either finding the best words to say, or he simply could not piece together a prized champion rising to the political arena with the same grandeur of a boxing arena just yet. After all, athletes rising to government positions continue to be the exception, not the norm.
The Most Improved Player in 1989 and three-time All Star rose to his position by beating two-time incumbent Heather Fargo by a comfortable margin (Johnson’s 57% against Fargo’s 42%) last November 5. Johnson did a mini-Obama of sorts, earning his ticket to the key of Sacramento through his radical, albeit expensive, plans of repackaging his hometown into not only being known as the eighth largest capital of the world, but also as a tourist destination that can stand out with the best of them. Imagine Sacramento being mentioned as a high-caliber tourist destination that can rival that of San Francisco and New York. That will be his ongoing project throughout his tenure in office.
However, Johnson’s victory did not come without a steep price. His exorbitant spending of $40M, in the midst of a financial crisis, has to be recovered without pulling up the taxes as he proposed during his campaign.
Della then left an e-mail to the longtime playmaker from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, simply restating the thought of Pacquiao running for office once again. Johnson of all people should have an idea of the situation: a visible minority of the demographic residing in Sacramento comprise of Filipino-Americans. Can Pacquiao really survive each power punch the political arena has for him?
More importantly, can Pacquiao learn from Johnson’s personal experience? He actually could. To Della’s surprise, Johnson was able to reply to the e-mail despite his hectic schedule. Here is an excerpt of the much-anticipated response. Words of wisdom, if you would like to call it that.
“Percy, given that I’m new to politics, I’m not sure I have a tremendous amount of advice to offer. If anything, I’d say that you have to be yourself and listen to the community. Good campaigns are won on the ground by going out, meeting, and talking to constituents and staying focused on the voters, not on the politics or media.”
Very sound advice, one that really gives an essence of what politics is first and foremost. Be yourself–because one cannot lose his identity in the confusion that masquerades around the government. Remember Darlene Custodio? She was the woman who claimed Pacquiao to be naïve and inexperienced. Oh, and she was also the one who knocked out Pacquiao, if you would like to put it that way, during the most recent elections in South Cotabato and General Santos City. She would be the most appropriate mirror of what Fargo was to Johnson, a cynical believer of athletes having no place in the no-man’s land of politics.
Perhaps the question of whether Pacquiao having the competence for office seems ill-fitted at this point in time. Competence within the ring comes first. Within a month, Pacquiao will face his toughest challenger yet in Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya. All roads point to a slugfest unlike anything he has ever faced before, and politics should be the furthest thing on his mind right now.
Johnson assumes his seat on November 25. Pacquiao aspires for boxing immortality on December 7. One is certain, the other a 50-50 situation. Whatever happens, they will both have to rediscover themselves, their strengths and flaws, to command the respect they both desire.
Great effort on mining the data for your column.
I wrote a related column in the gradmag two years ago, lamenting why Pacquiao can spend 40M to fund a fight he may not win (he didn’t) and not use the same amount to build GK villages enough to house more than a thousand families.
Custodio is right. Pacquiao is naive.