Well, that's why I said Ben believed that, not that I did--and I can see how that would strike you that way, although it might also be odd for him to be in love with her and running her campaign while questioning her ability to do the job. I think we'll see her struggle with it more next season, assuming she wins, which it really feels like she's going to at this point. I think that's where the episode tied in really nicely to the Tom/April storyline--that 98 percent of the time the job is going to be really frustrating for her. And the other 2 percent, she'll be able to pull a rabbit out of a hat and do something good. But she's going to agonize over everything because she cares--maybe that's what Ben is talking about. It's not that it comes easily for her, but it's better to have someone like her in that position than someone like Newport or Pillner, who don't think through the implications of their decisions, other than in selfish or political terms.
I'm a little surprised this hasn't come up sooner, since as you pointed out, everything she proposes costs money. Ben's the budget guru, so it seems like he and she would have discussed how to pay for things, and the reality of tradeoffs wouldn't have caught her so off-guard at this point. That's been a little frustrating to me this season, because they're supposed to sound like great Leslie Knope ideas, but they've just sounded like empty campaign promises to me. I kind of wish there had been something more going on in Pawnee or its government where Leslie was campaigning on something particular she really wanted to change or accomplish, rather than just having her be obviously better than this one particular nitwit.
Boy, I want a lot from my sitcoms. Basically I want them to be one-hour dramedies.
> it might also be odd for him to be in love with her and running her campaign while questioning her ability to do the job.
Yeah, no, I didn't mean he should question her ability to do the job. I meant that because I see it this way, Ben should too, because I'm smart, and so's Ben. And the way I see it is that the tradeoffs thing is precisely where her learning curve lies. She's not good at it now. (Ben, on the other hand, is good at it - witness his negotiations with Marlene, when Leslie wasn't freaking him out and sabotaging him.)
So maybe he was just expressing more of a "you'll figure it out" thing - because I think she has to figure that out, at least better than she does it right now. But other elements of politics she's great at. Even that moment in Comeback Kid, I thought she was almost going to pull the rabbit out of the hat during her speech - when she said "wow, this is the worst campaign event ever" - and was going to just start talking, just before what's-his-name came in with the basketball.
But I think you're right, that the 98% might test her more on council than it has so far in Parks.
> they're supposed to sound like great Leslie Knope ideas, but they've just sounded like empty campaign promises to me.
Yeah, and to get all wonky, she could have talked about, say, private businesses also kicking in money for Ramp Up Pawnee. In Harvest Festival and in Meet and Greet it was evident she can work with the business community, or at least recognizes their importance.
As you say, I also expect a lot. ARE YOU READING THIS, MIKE SCHUR ET AL?
I'm a little surprised this hasn't come up sooner, since as you pointed out, everything she proposes costs money. Ben's the budget guru, so it seems like he and she would have discussed how to pay for things, and the reality of tradeoffs wouldn't have caught her so off-guard at this point. That's been a little frustrating to me this season, because they're supposed to sound like great Leslie Knope ideas, but they've just sounded like empty campaign promises to me. I kind of wish there had been something more going on in Pawnee or its government where Leslie was campaigning on something particular she really wanted to change or accomplish, rather than just having her be obviously better than this one particular nitwit.
Boy, I want a lot from my sitcoms. Basically I want them to be one-hour dramedies.
Reply
Yeah, no, I didn't mean he should question her ability to do the job. I meant that because I see it this way, Ben should too, because I'm smart, and so's Ben. And the way I see it is that the tradeoffs thing is precisely where her learning curve lies. She's not good at it now. (Ben, on the other hand, is good at it - witness his negotiations with Marlene, when Leslie wasn't freaking him out and sabotaging him.)
So maybe he was just expressing more of a "you'll figure it out" thing - because I think she has to figure that out, at least better than she does it right now. But other elements of politics she's great at. Even that moment in Comeback Kid, I thought she was almost going to pull the rabbit out of the hat during her speech - when she said "wow, this is the worst campaign event ever" - and was going to just start talking, just before what's-his-name came in with the basketball.
But I think you're right, that the 98% might test her more on council than it has so far in Parks.
> they're supposed to sound like great Leslie Knope ideas, but they've just sounded like empty campaign promises to me.
Yeah, and to get all wonky, she could have talked about, say, private businesses also kicking in money for Ramp Up Pawnee. In Harvest Festival and in Meet and Greet it was evident she can work with the business community, or at least recognizes their importance.
As you say, I also expect a lot. ARE YOU READING THIS, MIKE SCHUR ET AL?
Reply
Leave a comment