Hotter than John Dean

"John Corbett is WAY hotter than John Dean..." That's how Ings opened the email exchange, and I have to say that I agree. The man who played Aidan on Sex and the City versus the man turned prosecution star witness in the Watergate proceedings? Aidan. Hands down. Throw in Northern Exposure and My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I'm in love.

Apparently, Corbett was seen within blocks of her office yesterday, at Potbelly. Strangely enough, though, I didn't seek out Corbett, who performed last night at the Birchmere. Instead, I found myself in a crowded corner of Olssons Books, listening to John Dean talk about his new book - Conservatives Without Conscience.

Naturally, the whole outing was my brother's idea, the politically- and socially-conscious Brokekid. I was supposed to be at a happy hour at Gordon Biersch in Tyson's Corner, but I a) am a terrible friend and b) didn't get my car back until late. No metro in Tyson's. But I diverge, the Brokekid and a friend asked if I wanted to tag along. Why not?

Of course, I am completely politically challenged. I need a primer for politics. I knew that John Dean was associated with Watergate, but I couldn't remember much else about him or what he's been doing for the past 40 or so odd years.

Enter: Wikipedia. Sure, the site's not 100-percent accurate. Neither is mainstream media. Wikipedia gave me the facts I needed to know. At least enough facts so that I didn't feel like a complete tool at this man's book signing, listening to his philosophy, spectator to the Q&A session.

"Hey. Who knew that he went to the College of Wooster?" I thought, as if I actually knew anything about the man. "Law degree from Georgetown. Republican. Watergate. Star witness for the prosecution. Defamation suits against G. Gordon Liddy for his book Will and the publishers of Silent Coup."

Dean talked about Silent Coup and the lawsuit in the preamble to the book discussion and he paused the book reading to give a live interview on MSNBC's Countdown, commenting on the lawsuit filed by Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson earlier the same day.

Before the break, though, before lights, camera and complete inaction on the part of the assembled crowd, Dean talked about the current state of politics. Much like during his interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, he said that he is a Goldwater conservative, but in this day, that places him left of center.

From what I gleaned in the discussion and Q&A session (again, not showing my complete political ignorance), Dean's new book, Conservatives Without Conscience, focuses on the authoritarian aspects of the current administration and the big league players in American politics. He talked about growth of executive powers and an administration shrouded in secrecy.

The older group, which I swear fell straight from the pages of LLBean, with longish gray hair, khakis and plaid asked insightful questions. The younger folks, in suits and pearls, hung toward the edges as we sprawled far beyond the seating area and the woman next to me fanned herself so frantically in the crowd that I actually got cold. The man behind us snapped his fingers compulsively. Behind him, a camera from C-SPAN caught the entire event for broadcast.

Someone asked about the seeming apathy in the country today, the lack of interest in even the rights taken away from the American people. Dean answered with a story of a man he'd met a few years back, a man who got involved with politics because someone wanted to build a highway through his front yard. Sometimes, that's what it takes. A highway in your front yard. Sometimes, it takes an empty night and a politically-active brother.

I bought the book. I will even read it before losing it to my brother, but he'll have to give it back. It has my name in it, right over the autograph.


Tag: John Dean Conservatives Without Conscience Olssons Washington DC John Corbett