The primary challenge defining the Dems
January 27, 2008
(BEACON NEWS) — The guarded scientist
The rare moment of introspection came in the back seat of a campaign worker's car.
Foster, 52, described a particularly good spot at Fermilab's Wilson Hall to watch sunsets. Painting the scene, Foster segued into a mild reminiscence of the job and friends he had for two decades. Does he miss it?
"A lot, at times," Foster answered frankly.
Minutes later, Foster tells the story of how a computer program he created to bolster Rep. Patrick Murphy's 2006 run for Congress was cited by Murphy's campaign manager for victory. That e-mail, which he still has, is when he knew the move from science to politics was the right decision, he said.
Leaning heavily on his background as a businessman and a scientist, Foster has led a straightforward campaign that seems to exemplify a scientific approach. In forums, debates and most interviews, he often takes responses directly from his notes, but he's quick to point out that's not a sign of unfamiliarity with the issues.
Instead, it's his way of avoiding a fatal campaign mistake he fears could undo the hard work of his supporters.
You're "always 20 seconds away from ruining your campaign," Foster explains. "The same is true in government. You really have to have someone who thinks before speaking."
Like his Democratic counterparts, Foster promises change in Washington. He insists his experience, especially in science, provides an advantage when dealing with the complex issues of global warming and energy independence, as well as in taking reasoned approaches to pulling troops out of Iraq or fixing the national debt.
"You just have to continue to comb the lice out of government," he said.
Acknowledging he's not the "loudest voice in the room" or the most-polished, Foster says he can make a difference in the small groups where policies are formed.
"Good policy should pass no matter" who proposes it, said Foster, co-founder of a theater lighting company.