Are you a Rep or a Dem? May 24, 2000January 28, 2017 Linda Tam: “I just noticed that when I am at your homepage, the little tab at the bottom of my Windows screen, representing Netscape, reads ‘Andrew Tobias – Dem…’ What luck that you did not call your site, ‘Repositioning Finance!'” Speaking of which, I just got an URGENT envelope — Registration Materials Enclosed . . . OPEN IMMEDIATELY — that turned out to be from Jim Nicholson, chairman of the Republican Party, inviting me to join the President’s Club and get my credentials for the Republican Convention. Because of the extraordinary demand for this, Jim writes, “I can only hold your reservation for the next 7 days. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will be forced to extend your invitation to another party leader.” But then he continued, “that is the last thing I want to do. Because I believe YOU are the caliber of person we need. . . . to join the team of advisers and confidants I will turn to for strategy and advice on how to return Republican leadership to the White House this November.” This got me to thinking. I decided that, while I would not send the $1,000 (down from last month’s $5,000 invitation to join the Republican Presidential Roundtable), I really ought to chip in with some advice. After all, Jim had written me a four-page letter . . . and he and the treasurer of the RNC had hand-signed (well, almost hand-signed) a framable certificate “In recognition of [my] proven commitment and dedication to the Republican Party.” As the treasurer of the DNC, I have special respect for this sort of thing and, as I say, felt I really should offer some advice. So here it is: Don’t take any chances. Go with a proven strategy. Bush/Quayle. You may even save on some left-over campaign materials. Decency requires me to acknowledge that there is no significance to this little story. Direct mail, sadly, is direct mail. Sure the RNC looks silly sending me this. But it would not amaze me if we ourselves had at some point congratulated Jesse Helms on being a great Democrat. (Well, maybe not that.) But I’m still going to frame my certificate.