When Sid Vole shows up in town in Hope Was Here, he tells G.T. that "the whole messy game of politics is about trust" (64) and that "politics is war" (65). Play that spin doctor's message backwards and it sounds a lot more like Trust us…politics is a messy war game.
Things do get messy when G.T. announces his plan to run for mayor; Millstone gathers his troops, fills up on ammunition, and starts a personal war against G.T. What's so refreshing about this particular political campaign, though, is that it's not the politics-as-usual that we've all come to tolerate. G.T. refuses to play by Millhouse's rules; he's honest, fair, and even humble when he initially loses the election. His unorthodox behavior as a politician pays off in the end and proves that nice guys can finish first. That, and don't underestimate the youth vote.
You can't fight City Hall? Don't tell that to G.T. and his supporters.
Questions About Politics
- Would G.T. stand a chance in the race for mayor if Mulhoney were a large city?
- How did Millstone manage to hide his corruption for so many years?
- Who or what drives Mulhoney's teenagers to be so involved in local politics?
Chew on This
The book shows that people will ultimately not tolerate political corruption.
The book shows that people will tolerate political corruption if it benefits them personally.