Well it certainly wasn't meant as an insult.

And being an activist does not mean, well, being active.  Lots of people are active.  They're not all activists.  

Great activists use their skills and talents and resources to draw attention to an issue or cause, to start a dialogue and get the ball of reform rolling.  Those skills and talents and resources do not always translate well into legislative or executive prowess.  Some people make it work, of course.  But I suspect those people were all along more cut-out for politics than activism.  Politics often requires you to give up that very courage and idealism and independence from the Establishment that make people become activists.  It's often a trade off of freedom for results.  I mean, go look at Swedish fish's diary.  We can all sit here and be idealists.  I'd LOVE people like Bove to be in charge.  But to get into that position and stay there requires political savvy and the ability to make people feel secure.  Activists are usually driven to do what they do because the politicians dare not go near their cause and because their cause involves scary things.    

I think in Europe there is more expectation and acceptance of incorporating activism into daily politics (I'm not talking about revolutions and coups - which are also more acceptable in Europe) than in America.  But while it might be easier for an activist to become a politician in Europe, I suspect they probably face the same challenges once elected.  

"Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms." -Dostoevsky

I guess I would be turned off by that.  Or rather, more concerned.  First, if he's that exhausted now...  everyone's exhausted on the campaign trail.  Everyone.  That can just never be an excuse.  I'm just thinking like a campaign manager now.  That's a major red flag and the time to reassess if it's really worth it.  If you're unable to run on adrenaline alone, you might not be up for the job.  You might not want it enough.  Or if you do, you might have a problem getting people to be excited enough.  That's probably not a huge concern for Bove, because of his name recognition.  But still...  Secondly, avoiding the question of your ability, qualifications, motivations for running for office ... that's almost always the main thing people want to know.  And if you don't know it, I mean, it speaks to a naivete about politics.  Don't get me wrong, I'd probably vote for Bove, on the basis of his badassness alone.  But if you don't know, are not absolutely certain of why you belong in politics and what you can accomplish there, and if you don't have a plan for accomplishing it, you're not going to last very long, I don't imagine.  


"Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms." -Dostoevsky