Any wine pundit worth his syrah must at some point make the effort to evaluate the quadrennial crop of presidential candidates for their potential to promote American wine. Who would be most likely to push American-made wine front and center not only with visiting dignitaries, but in front of the American people?
I'll grant you, most presidential candidates don't exactly make haste to be identified with the elitist, effeminate, non-beer drink that is wine. And it's likely that the 2012 campaign for president will continue the tradition of candidates keeping any personal appreciation of wine to themselves.
However, For those of us who vote based only and solely on a candidate's likelihood to drink wine, promote the drinking of wine or simply promote the American wine industry, we are obliged to do the political math. Here's mine:
MITT ROMNEY
Mitt appears to be the designated driver among the current crop of Presidential candidates. As a member of the Mormon religion who takes its rules on drinking and smoking quite seriously, it is quite likely that Romney has never had a sip of wine in his life—and this despite the fact that he apparently spent a good deal of time in France and Bordeaux on missionary business in his youth. However, it's even more likely that the man will never have a sip of wine for the rest of his life. However, and importantly, it was then-governor Mitt Romney in Massachusetts that vetoed a a bill that would have allowed direct shipping to his state residents, but only from in-state and out-of-state wineries making less than 30,000 gallons of wine per year. He believed the bill was unconstitutional. His veto was overridden the cap on who could ship wine into the state went into effect. The law was later ruled unconstitutional. However, it's unlikely that as president, Romney would ever find himself in a similar situation and if asked to sign H.R. 1161, the anti-consumer wine bill now languishing in Congress, it's likely from his views on states-rights that he would overlook the the bill's likelihood of leading to restrictions on consumer access and sign it as a gift to those who believe the 10th Amendment is the moral basis of good government.
VERDICT: HIT'S HARD TO SEE A PERSON WHO HAS A MORAL AVERSION TO WINE MAKE AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE WINE.
JON HUNTSMAN
Huntsman too is a member of the Mormon faith who, despite reports that while Ambassador of China he was known to take a diplomatic sip of Chinese wine before switching to water, is a known abstainer who's views of alcohol and drinking are informed by his moral world view. While I get the impression that Huntsman is somewhat more likely to be influenced by a more worldly perspective and with it an understanding that wine has a place in the world, I'm not sure this perspective would lead him to be any kind of advocate for American wine or wine drinkers.
VERDICT: DON'T COUNT ON A PRESIDENT HUNTSMAN TO BRING THE VIRTUES OF WINE INTO THE PUBLIC SPHERE
MICHELLE BACHMANN
In 1977, while a Junior at Winona State University in Minnesota, young Bachmann led a political effort to allow alcohol in the dorm rooms on campus. She took her crusade all the way to the governor. Later, while running for Congress in Minnesota three times, Bachmann took $24,000 from the National Beer Wholesalers of America. The former action appears to be the action of a person simply willing to get involved, rather than as an advocate of consumer access to a legal product, while the latter strikes me as par for the course as the National Beer Wholesalers of America tend to give campaign contributions to any candidate that demonstrates a heartbeat. It should also be noted that in October, Bachmann came to Napa Valley, ground zero for the American wine industry. She spent a few hours at the Napa Valley Country Club picking up checks from supporters and members of the Napa Tea Party. That said, there is no indication that Rep. Bachmann takes much delight or interest in things gourmand. She strikes me as the heir to Midwestern conservatism where public displays of refined appetites dont' sit to well with her peers.
VERDICT: WHILE NOT AN IDEOLOGICAL ENEMY OF WINE, A PRESIDENT BACHMANN ISN'T LIKELY TO DEMONSTRATE ANY DELIGHT IN AMERICA'S WINEMAKING HERITAGE.
RICK PERRY
There are indications that Governor Rick Perry might be the best hope for wine lovers. To begin with, he has campaigned at wineries in Iowa as well as in Sonoma, where he spent time at Jordan Winery at a $500 a plate fundraiser. But consider that it was also reported that Food & Wine Magazine was among the few magazines are delivered by mail to the Governor's posh digs in Austin. If nothing else, this indicates that Perry, or at least those closest too him, isn't afraid of wine and may even appreciate the idea that some American's are proud of their food and wine heritage. But consider this, Governor Perry has, at least twice, used location-based social media tool FourSquare to check in at liquor stores and proclaim his desire to get him some good Texas wine by using the #gotexanwine hashmark and the Governor wagered a case of Texas wine, not Texas Barbecue or Texas boots or a Texas cowboy hat, on a basketball game involving the Aggies and Notre Dame.
VERDICT: RICK PERRY HAS GONE OUT OF HIS WAY TO PROMOTE TEXAS WINE AND HE APPARENTLY LOVES TEXAS WINE. I'D BET HE'D BE A STRONG PROMOTER OF AMERICAN WINE IN THE WHITE HOUSE ON THOSE OCCASIONS IT MAKES SENSE.
RICK SANTORUM
Rick Santorum probably has the clearest statement on his relationship with wine. Upon being asked by a reporter about his fluency in being able to describe what kind of beer he liked, the former Senator said: "I don't do wine tastings, I do beer tastings."
VERDICT: NEXT!
RON PAUL
As the libertarian in the race, one gets the impression that Paul's disposition toward wine is constructed around the idea that citizens ought to have access to it. However, his fervent belief that the state must control nearly everything, probably would lead him to believe that Granholm v. Heald was decided incorrectly and state could do as they please with regard to blocking access to wine. As far as I can tell, the only time Paul has even come close to commenting on wine is when he notes when arguing for the legalization of marijuana that dope is safer than alcohol. So, connoisseurs of marijuana probably have a very good reason to support Paul.
VERDICT: NOT MUCH FOR WINE LOVERS TO CHEER ABOUT
NEWT GINGRICH
One gets the impression that Newt Gingrich is the most "worldly" and culturally sophisticated person in the Republican race. And let's face it, anyone with an expense account at Tiffany's probably has a penchant for spending on the finer things, a category that wine fall into. But who knows. The man has had little to say about the subject of wine or alcohol in general. It's merely a suspicion of mine that if place in the White House, Gingrich would be quite pleased to bring out the good stuff when dignitaries came calling.
VERDICT: LIKELY TO POUR, BUT NOT PROMOTE.
