Norwich man in running to be America’s Next Great Pundit
NORWICH – Most people choose to avoid discussions about religion and politics. But not Michael Squires. The 1995 Norwich grad loves nothing more than to debate these controversial topics.
By day, Squires is an underwriter for NBT Bancorp in Norwich. But, by night, the father of two surfs Internet chat rooms and discussion boards eager to weigh in on the day’s hot-button issues.
“I like to debate politics,” he said, which is something of an understatement coming from a man currently in the running to be America’s Next Great Pundit.
Squires said his wife Jaime encouraged him to enter The Washington Post contest, which is in its second year.
“She doesn’t agree with me always, but she supports me,” he said.
The Norwich resident’s submission, “Burning Korans and free speech,” was one of roughly 1,400 entries received as part of this year’s contest, according to the newspaper’s website.
Squires survived the initial cut, securing himself a place in the top 50. Now he’s competing against others in the top tier to make the final round.
He is excited, he said, to have made it this far.
“I didn’t think I had much of a chance,” he reported, explaining that his competition includes think-tank analysts, academics, political scientists, professional journalists and published authors.
Squires – who describes himself as “an armchair activist who cut his rhetorical teeth in the dog-eat-dog environment of internet political discussion boards” – has a degree in business and economics. He explains his “unique” perspective in his profile as “fiscally conservative and socially liberal” with “constructionist/libertarian views.”
Those views are reflected in his essay, which he wrote in response to an article he’d read about Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s comments related to the First Amendment. The topic was fresh in his mind when he sat down to write the piece, he said, and something he felt strongly about.
As of press time, Squires was holding his own in the top ten with more than 330 votes and climbing. He still lagged behind the leader, however, by approximately 550.
He’ll need to be in the top 5 when voting closes at 8 p.m. on Thursday night to continue on to the next round. According to The Post website, the finalists – which will include the five selected by reader’s choice and five editor’s picks – will “face off in challenges that test the skills a modern pundit must possess.” The victor will receive a three-month contract to contribute columns and blogs as part of The Post’s Opinions lineup.
It would be a dream come true for the man who says his “ultimate dream” is to to express his views in a weekly opinion column along the lines of George Will.
To read Squires’ submission and to vote, visit http://views.washingtonpost.com/pundits2010/.
By day, Squires is an underwriter for NBT Bancorp in Norwich. But, by night, the father of two surfs Internet chat rooms and discussion boards eager to weigh in on the day’s hot-button issues.
“I like to debate politics,” he said, which is something of an understatement coming from a man currently in the running to be America’s Next Great Pundit.
Squires said his wife Jaime encouraged him to enter The Washington Post contest, which is in its second year.
“She doesn’t agree with me always, but she supports me,” he said.
The Norwich resident’s submission, “Burning Korans and free speech,” was one of roughly 1,400 entries received as part of this year’s contest, according to the newspaper’s website.
Squires survived the initial cut, securing himself a place in the top 50. Now he’s competing against others in the top tier to make the final round.
He is excited, he said, to have made it this far.
“I didn’t think I had much of a chance,” he reported, explaining that his competition includes think-tank analysts, academics, political scientists, professional journalists and published authors.
Squires – who describes himself as “an armchair activist who cut his rhetorical teeth in the dog-eat-dog environment of internet political discussion boards” – has a degree in business and economics. He explains his “unique” perspective in his profile as “fiscally conservative and socially liberal” with “constructionist/libertarian views.”
Those views are reflected in his essay, which he wrote in response to an article he’d read about Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s comments related to the First Amendment. The topic was fresh in his mind when he sat down to write the piece, he said, and something he felt strongly about.
As of press time, Squires was holding his own in the top ten with more than 330 votes and climbing. He still lagged behind the leader, however, by approximately 550.
He’ll need to be in the top 5 when voting closes at 8 p.m. on Thursday night to continue on to the next round. According to The Post website, the finalists – which will include the five selected by reader’s choice and five editor’s picks – will “face off in challenges that test the skills a modern pundit must possess.” The victor will receive a three-month contract to contribute columns and blogs as part of The Post’s Opinions lineup.
It would be a dream come true for the man who says his “ultimate dream” is to to express his views in a weekly opinion column along the lines of George Will.
To read Squires’ submission and to vote, visit http://views.washingtonpost.com/pundits2010/.
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