I know most of you have been bombarded with messages urging you to vote for a certain show for BlogBash Best in Show: Podcast award. And I'm sure the list of reasons why one is more worthy than the other is getting lost in translation.
So here I am to tell why I am wholeheartedly supporting Behind Enemy Lines for BlogBash Best in Show: Podcast and why I request that you do the same.
When I moved to Brooklyn in 2010, I was a girl in a new borough of New York City with nothing more than my updated voter registration card when it came to politics. When I went to a county GOP event co-hosted by Russell Gallo, then a local Assembly District Leader, I was welcomed by him and Gene Berardelli into a group of young activists with open arms, albeit with a few jokes about being from Staten Island. That night changed the course of my political life forever.
Behind Enemy Lines hosts Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli showed me the ropes of the Brooklyn political scene. Their guidance and support led me to become President of the Brooklyn Young Republicans, leading a team of dedicated young conservatives to run for office every year & continue to get involved in politics through different avenues. They also encouraged me to get more involved in the county, putting my accountant-style excel skills to good use in campaigns and our county's reorganization election. Hell, they even had my back when I was a plaintiff in a lawsuit against our governor, Andrew Cuomo, for refusing to call a special election for my Congressional seat.
Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli gave me an outlet for a voice that I never thought I had. I tended to keep my political thoughts & comments to myself until I met these two. They introduced me to internet talk radio, and have leant me the mic when I need to vent about the madness of the world we live in today. They welcomed me as an integral part of the unprecedented grassroots Election 2014 coverage that Behind Enemy Lines radio led on WAAR, We Are America Radio. They also have opened the door for me to write blog posts about whatever topic is grinding my gears at the moment. And I am forever grateful of them introducing me to CPAC in 2013, an event that I still can't believe exists for young conservatives.
Through all the great interviews Russell Gallo & Gene Berardelli have done, I have had the opportunity of meeting and speaking with people I admire, like Governor Rick Perry, Congressman Darrell Issa, writer & filmaker Dinesh D'Souza, NRA President David Keene, and Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, to name a few. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to meet such important figures in politics, and still get starstruck when the guys announce guests for their radio show.
My final reason these two men have my unwavering support is personal. They have showed me what true friendship and loyalty means in a political world that includes infighting, backstabbing, and favoritism. They have showed me that being true to yourself and what you believe takes real courage. They have opened their homes and personal lives to me in ways rarely seen in the political world. Russell and Gene inspire me to continue to grow politically while staying true to my core principles. We have shared so many great memories, inside and outside of politics, over the last few years and can't wait to see what the future has in store for them and their show.
Russell Gallo and Gene Berardelli have put their all into their radio show Behind Enemy Lines, and deserve to win the BlogBash award for Best in Show: Podcast. Please vote for them if you can and show your support for them on social media.
Awww, shucks, D.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diana. Love the message and the pics!
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