Prediction: Someday, someone will have to invent a smartphone app to track U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s public speaking schedule.
The 32-year Democratic representative has become the unlikely high-profile media star of Hawaii’s four-person congressional delega- tion. Already she has been featured on five national network Sunday talk shows.
Her political biography is enough to lure the most jaded TV-talk show talent scout: Youngest woman elected to a state office in the country, homeschooled through high school, Hindu, combat veteran, Hawaii National Guard captain and a savvy politician who trounced a two-term Hono-lulu mayor by more than 20 percentage points in her first congressional victory.
Gabbard started in 2002, listing herself as a self-employed martial arts instructor and served one term in the state House. Instead of seeking re-election, Gabbard, who had joined the Hawaii National Guard, took a one-year deployment to Iraq.
Military training, combat experience and politics all combined to redefine Gabbard, who went from opposing gay rights, same-sex marriage and civil unions to now standing as a pro-choice supporter and against the Defense of Marriage Act.
Upon election to the U.S. House, Gabbard got some fast credibility as the Democratic National Committee named her a party vice chairperson. Democrats knew they had someone who could talk to, and about, two key groups: women and young people. The added gravitas is that Gabbard speaks as one of the first female combat veterans in Congress.
Gabbard, who must really like getting up early, has already been on CNN’s "State of the Union," NBC’s "Meet the Press," and "Up with Chris Hayes" on MSNBC. She was snagged for a sit-down interview at the Democratic National Convention before her national address to the convention.
ABC’s "This Week" also had her on the show, and on Sunday she was featured in another profile on ABC with George Stephanopoulos.
The network added that Gabbard is expected also to be "featured in the upcoming issue of Vogue magazine, which hits newsstands on June 25."
Learning how to give your pitch on TV is not easy: Some of it is knowing how to self-edit before talking, part of it is quickly hitting the interesting part of your concerns, and part of it is knowing how to learn.
After her campaign against Mufi Hannemann, Gabbard explained that she was helped by Joe Trippi, who ran Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign.
"We had many heated debates throughout the campaign about what to do, what not to do — but I give him so much credit because he saved me from myself many times," Gabbard said in her MSNBC interview.
While back in the district, Gabbard maintains a full public schedule, going from Kauai to Maui to Hawaii island to meet with citizen and special-interest groups.
So far, Gabbard is keeping her political ambitions close. She was rumored to be interested in running against U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz if U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa ran for governor. If she remains in Washington, she could be an opponent to U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono five years from now.
Meanwhile, until that smartphone app comes along, if you want to find Gabbard, check the Situation Room first.
———
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.
