Not cool!

The Miami Herald is on a quest, looking for the cool Republican, because all Democrats by default are cool, so there must be one cool Republican, right?

I nominate....myself.

My search for cool among Republicans
Posted on Sat, Aug. 11, 2007

BY BETH REINHARD
breinhard@herald.com

The good-looking hipster with the slicked back, slightly mussed hair looks out from his dark shades.

''He's a Republican,'' reads the billboard spotted around South Florida in recent weeks. ``But you don't see that.''

A Sunglass Hut official denied that the ad is a political statement, but its message is clear: Being a Republican isn't cool (unless you have fabulous hair and expensive sunglasses). Is that you, Karl Rove, behind those Foster Grants?

The ad's undertone harkens back to Michael J. Fox's buttoned-up role as a teenaged conservative on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties. His character, Alex P. Keaton, was cute, but he was a square in a suit -- and that's when Ronald Reagan was a popular president.

Thus began a Miami Herald quest for Republican cool. First up: Todd Goberville, 32, chairman of the Florida Young Republicans.

He was about to go scuba diving in the Keys, which seemed promising. Goberville is a director of sales for a construction company. A little corporate, but it might work.

Then came the buzzkill: ''My favorite place to shop is Men's Wearhouse,'' he said.

Here's a tip: Any clothing store that conjures a vast, dusty repository -- i.e. Dress Barn, for women -- is more about selection than soul.

Goberville was undeterred.

''I own an iPod,'' he said. ``I have some stuff on there that my 13-year-old step-daughter listens to -- like Fergie.''

Better.

An inquiry was made about his home address. Miami Beach? Design District? Downtown Fort Lauderdale?

''Parkland,'' he said, referring to the western Broward suburb whose claim to fame is its single traffic light. ``My kids like it. That's what's important.''

Apparently, this Young Republican isn't young enough.

GOING DIGITAL

Next: Erin VanSickle, 28, press secretary for the Republican Party of Florida.

VanSickle wouldn't reveal much, like any good press secretary, but she did point to the state party's newly redesigned website at www.rpof.org as full of podcasts and videos, with blogs forthcoming.

''We are really making an effort to reach out to the new media generation,'' she said.

Temperature dropping slightly, but still not totally cool.

Last try: Steven Muñoz, 18, who recently stepped down as chairman of the Florida Teenage Republicans.

He listens to indie rock. Has a MySpace page. Drives a Jeep Wrangler.

Sounds pretty cool to me.

Asked about the Sunglass Hut ad, Muñoz said the GOP needs to do more to convince kids that it is not just a party for ``rich guys.''

'It bothers me that Democrats get associated with popular culture, like MTV, just because you don't see [Republican presidential candidate] Mitt Romney on stage with P. Diddy saying `Vote or Die,' '' Muñoz said. ``That's part of being a conservative, I guess, being a little more pulled back.''

NO POLITICAL AGENDA

Sunglass Hut insists the ad isn't poking at the GOP.

''It's creative, just for fun,'' said Anna Livecchi, the company's public relations manager. ``It's about altering perception. . . When you wear sunglasses, you can become another person.''

Exactly. My advice to Muñoz, who is heading off to college this week: Get the shades. To quote the Men's Wearhouse commercials, ``You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.''

Beth Reinhard is the political writer for The Miami Herald.