Blogtown, PDX

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Election 2008 Does Potter’s New Beard Hold Clues About His Future?

Posted by Scott Moore on Wed, Sep 5 at 4:15 PM

This morning was Mayor Tom Potter’s first council session since returning from a two-week vacation, during which he was rumored to be mulling over his future plans (reelection or retirement). While he didn’t make any surprise announcements upon returning, he did shock the city with this, a beard:

Pulitzer-worthy photo courtesy of Matt Davis

Obviously, the question is, “What does the beard mean???” Does it look like retirement, or like an attempt to appear imposing and gruff, and totally ready to take on another term? Mostly, I think it looks like Kenny Rogers. Which can only mean one thing:

On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
'Til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,
And knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
And if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Indeed. Now, who's hungry for fried chicken?

Permalink

Comments

I believe you mean Roasted chicken

http://www.nathansfamous.com/rogers/index.html

Posted by Aaron Walker | September 5, 2007 4:26 PM

Perhaps he's going to start making documentaries about the environment...

Posted by DeepCerulean | September 5, 2007 4:35 PM

Of course, you all are missing the obvious popcult tie-in:

Tom Potter and the Beard of Mystery

You're welcome!

(PS:I don't care if making fun of Harry Potter is tired. This was mad clever).

Posted by Samuel John Klein | September 5, 2007 5:12 PM

Maybe the terrible beard is supposed to draw attention away form the tie?

Posted by Mikey | September 5, 2007 5:33 PM

If so, Mikey, I didn't work.

Posted by Samuel John Klein | September 5, 2007 5:59 PM

He's just trying to be like Scott Moore.

Posted by b!X | September 5, 2007 10:43 PM

It looks like the fate of his beard rests with a 'vote' at the O's City Hall blog... which rarely gets comments. The beard vote is no exception: http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2007/09/just_dropped_in_to_see_what_co.html

Posted by Amy J. Ruiz | September 5, 2007 10:45 PM

Figures--Potter can't even decide to shave without forming a committee.

Posted by Scott Moore | September 6, 2007 8:10 AM

Figures--Potter can't even decide to shave without forming a committee.

Quite. He's "visioning" that right now.

I swear, this fellah's given "visioning" a worse name than Robert Bly ever did!

Is it too late to apologize for having voted for him?

B-)

(PS: in my defense, the other choice was, of course, Francesconi (Mr. "Advertise my way to the mayorality"))

Posted by Samuel John Klein | September 6, 2007 8:37 AM

I'm sorry, but Kenny Rogers's beard is fuller and shinier. The comparison was, frankly, out of line.

Posted by boricua | September 6, 2007 10:14 AM

He's obviously too busy "visioning" to shave. That's all.

Posted by threebs | September 6, 2007 10:24 AM

What's the next poll? Maybe "Should the Mayor Take a Dump?"

Posted by freddy | September 6, 2007 10:46 AM

Maybe it's a proxy poll for whether he should run again. If a majority of people say "keep the beard," they're obviously telling him to retire.

Posted by Scott Moore | September 6, 2007 10:52 AM

Covers the acne scars but doesn't do anything to hide the whiskey-nose. Perhaps he should try the paper-bag-over-the-head look.

Posted by CW | September 6, 2007 11:44 AM

I think this is the link you want
http://www.menwholooklikekennyrogers.com/

Posted by KennyFanDS | September 6, 2007 3:43 PM

Yes, nothing conveys a natural insouciance like a straggly beard with a goddamn pomade coiffed I'm-from-the-40s shitbird haircut. Dignity, that's what it conveys. Certainly not asshat feckless loser. No way.

I'm leaving the 'quite' and 'Robert Bly' shit alone. For now. Klein.

Posted by NE Nevermind | September 6, 2007 10:53 PM

b5110axa7tklyd4hk http://www.110795.com/443957.html zksqu020dzfr5by2

Posted by u21pdesnt7 | September 8, 2007 1:57 PM

Comments Closed

In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 45 days old).