Voronezh, Russia
After the Bush loss, I had a severe bout of depression. Despite the quality and level of work I’d put in, and the notices I continued to receive from colleagues, I’d lost several grueling high-visibility campaigns in a row. It didn’t seem fair.
Fortunately, I was asked to participate in an IRI-sponsored two month trip to Russia to help teach emerging democratic parties U.S.-style campaign communications techniques.
As soon as I arrived in Moscow, and really assessed what I saw, I realized just how backwards Russia, and how the nation collapsed in the face of across the board technological competition with the U.S and western nations.
I was glad to leave the desolate remains of the Soviet Union.