White House aide talks on experiences

University alumnus and former White House liaison Joe Watkins spoke to a crowd of 25 students and visitors in Vance Hall Thursday night about his experiences in the White House and at the University. During his hour long speech, sponsored by Connaissance, Watkins detailed his beginning in politics. Although he was not interested in politics while at the University, he later volunteered in Vice President Dan Quayle's senatorial campaign in Indiana. "If you come to a campaign with the attitude that you'll do whatever you can, you will be very effective and that's good," Watkins said. He said he didn't come to the campaign with the pompous attitude that many workers did. Watkins described what it was like during his time as a campaign worker. "All I did was eat hotdogs but these are sacrifices you have to make when working in a campaign," he said. Being a member of the campaign incited a chain of events that ultimately found him in the White House with George Bush. After working for Quayle, he was offered a job on the Senate staff, and was also on the the president's transition team. It was at that point that he became friends with Lee Atwater, the president's campaign manager, and became Associate Director for the White House Office of Public Liaison. "I served as a bridge between the president and different interest groups," Watkins said. At the end of his talk, Watkins fielded questions from the audience commenting on the nature of politics today. "The reality of politics deals with mudslinging," Watkins said. "Folks know if they can highlight a weakness they can destroy you. That's the way politics is." He told of dealing with accusations by his political opponents that he supported Apartheid in South Africa while running for Congress. Watkins also discussed the role image can play in politics. "People who are telegenic and can portray an image will often get more votes," Watkins said. "Likewise if people like you, often you'll get more votes on that alone than on your ability to be an effective leader." He ended his speech with insight on the upcoming presidential election and potential candidates New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and Louisiana state Rep. David Duke. Watkins, an ordained minister, was an advisor to singer Whitney Houston, as well as to the Just Say Yes to Education Foundation. He worked as an administrator for four years at the University. Audience members enjoyed Watkins, speech saying it was "motivating and effective." "He's learned from his experiences well," said College junior Allison Weiss. "He's turned negative experiences into good ones and used them to become more knowledgeable." "It shows that African-Americans can affiliate and be productive members of all political parties," first-year MBA student Winston Nesfield said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.