Scott Brown: Puzzling Out The GOP's New 'It' Boy
Ever since Scott Brown's stunning upset last week stripped Democrats of their supermajority, Brown has become the new darling of the GOP.
But many people are still trying to figure out exactly who Scott Brown is: the "everyman" who campaigned in his blue jeans and pickup truck, or someone else altogether.
"If you woulda told me growing up that a guy whose mom [was] on welfare and parents had marital troubles ... that a guy from Wrentham [Mass.] would be here ... are you kidding me?" says Brown, who seems as shocked as anyone by his meteoric rise from his modest roots.
Brown first got interested in politics as a teenager, helping his father run for state representative. It's not easy being a Republican in Massachusetts, but Brown has won every race he's run.
He calls himself fiscally conservative and socially conscious, and Brown's got an alluring story of a self-made guy and patriot who's served 30 years in the National Guard.
But he's not a one-dimensional caricature; Brown's a multifaceted guy who won't be pigeonholed.
One of his closest friends is Jim Vallee, the Democratic majority leader in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. The two have even held joint fundraisers. Vallee says that speaks to Brown's independence, and how he's not an ideologue.
For example, Brown opposes certain abortion procedures, but says he supports a woman's right to choose.
He opposes President Obama's plan to overhaul health care, but supports mandatory coverage in Massachusetts.
"I think he does have deep convictions and values," says Vallee. "And I think he does beat to his own drum. He's his own man."
Indeed, in his 20s, when Brown helped pay for law school by posing nude for Cosmopolitan, the magazine dubbed him a "not-so-shy show-off."
And at 50, he wasn't shy about jumping into a Senate race most thought he could never win.
After his stunning upset, he wasn't shy about suggesting he'd just spawned a new breed of "Scott Brown Republicans."
In fact, shyness doesn't seem to run in Brown's family. His wife is a well-known local TV reporter, and his daughter has some national aspirations as well.
Brown's older daughter, Ayla, became something of a star on the fifth season of American Idol. On the show, she credited her father for piquing her interest in music by singing to her.
"I actually thought he was Elvis till I was 9 years old," she says, adding she was embarrassed when her friends told her one day that it wasn't her dad singing on the radio, it was Elvis Presley.
It wouldn't be the last time she felt embarrassed.
Now 21, Ayla's jaw dropped when Brown introduced her and her 19-year-old sister, Arianna, on election night, then veered from the script.
"They are both available," Brown said to the crowd. "Only kidding, only kidding. Arianna definitely is not available, but Ayla is."
Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei, who served with Brown in the state Senate, says that speech was classic Brown.
"Scott's a normal person, and he's not all caught up in Washington-speak," Tisei says. "And he's very down-to-earth. And he's very authentic."
Critics, on the other hand, see Brown as prone to making politically incorrect statements.
Like the time he called his opponent's decision to have children with her lesbian partner "not normal."
"That was stunning," says Mary Ann Grenier, a Democratic activist who has worked for Brown's opponents in five races.
While Brown has courted independent voters by vowing to be open-minded, Grenier says she's found Brown to be anything but open-minded.
"I never see him giving in," she says. "He has this smile and affability, but when push comes to shove, he believes he is right all of the time."
Supporters say that's just Brown — he has the courage of his convictions. And Brown is nothing if not resolute.
"He's a pure competitor," says his friend Vallee. "You know, he's a gladiator in an arena. Once he steps in, he knows only one [is] stepping out, and he wants to be that person. He gives everything 100 percent."
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STEVE INSKEEP, host:
Its MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. Im Steve Inskeep.
ARI SHAPIRO, host:
And Im Ari Shapiro. Senator-elect Scott Brown says hell be sworn in next week, at the earliest. He became the Republican Partys new favorite when he won the late Edward Kennedys seat a week ago. That upset ended Democrats 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. NPRs Tovia Smith has this profile of the Senator-elect from Massachusetts.
TOVIA SMITH: Campaigning in his blue jeans and pickup truck, Scott Brown ran for Senate as a kind of everyman. The morning after his big win, he seemed as shocked as anyone by his meteoric rise from his modest roots.
Senator-elect SCOTT BROWN (Republican, Massachusetts): If you would have told me growing up that, you know, a guy whose mom was on welfare and parents had some, you know, marital troubles and, you know, I had some, you know, issues, you know, growing up, that a guy from Wrentham would be here going to Washington, D.C.? Are you kidding me?
SMITH: Brown first got interested in politics as a teenager, helping his father run for state rep. It's not an easy thing being a Republican in Massachusetts, but Brown has won every race he's run.
He calls himself fiscally conservative and socially conscious, and he's got an alluring story of a self-made guy and a patriot who served 30 years in the National Guard.
State Representative JIM VALLEE (Democratic, Massachusetts): He's not a one-dimensional caricature. He's a multifaceted guy. So he can't pigeonhole him.
SMITH: Case in point, Jim Vallee is one of Browns closest friends, and hes also the Democratic majority leader in the Massachusetts House. The two have even held joint fundraisers. Vallee says it speaks to Brown's independence and how he's not an ideologue.
For example, Brown opposes certain abortion procedures, but says he supports a woman's right to choose. He opposes President Obama's plan to overhaul health care, but supports mandatory coverage in Massachusetts.
State Rep. VALLEE: I think he does have deep convictions and values. He does beat to his own drum. I think thats the best way to put it. Hes his own man.
SMITH: Indeed, in his 20s, when Brown helped pay for law school by posing nude for�Cosmopolitan, the magazine dubbed him a not-so-shy show-off.
And at 50, he was not at all shy about jumping into a Senate race most thought he could never win. And after his stunning upset, he wasn't shy about suggesting he had just spawned a new breed of Scott Brown Republicans.
In fact, shyness doesn't seem to run in Brown's family at all. His wife is a well-known local TV reporter, and his daughter has had some national aspirations, as well.
(Soundbite of TV show, "American Idol")
Mr. RYAN SEACREST (Host, "American Idol"): All right. If you want to vote for Ayla, 1-866-IDOL-06, 1-866...
SMITH: Brown's older daughter Ayla became something of a star on "American Idol." On the show, she credited her father for piquing her interest in music by singing to her.
Ms. AYLA BROWN: Embarrassingly, I actually thought he was Elvis till I was about nine years old, actually. Like, oh, my gosh, I hear my dad on the radio. And my friends were like, actually, thats Elvis Presley. Im like, oh, my gosh. Im so embarrassed.
SMITH: And it wouldn't be the last time. Ayla's jaw literally dropped after Brown introduced his daughters on election night and veered way off script.
Senator-elect BROWN: And just in case anybody whos watching throughout the country, yes, theyre both available.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Senator-elect BROWN: No. No. No. Only kidding, only kidding. Arianna definitely is not available, but Ayla is.
State Senator RICHARD TISEI (Republican, Massachusetts): Yeah. I think he says what comes to mind, and that speech was classic Scott.
SMITH: Minority Leader Richard Tisei served with Brown in the state Senate.
State Sen. TISEI: Scott's a normal person, and he isnt all caught up in Washington-speak, and he's very down-to-earth and he's very authentic.
SMITH: Thats one way of looking at it. His critics see Brown as prone to making politically incorrect statements, like the time he called his opponent's decision to have children with her lesbian partner, quote, "not normal."
Ms. MARY ANN GRENIER (Democratic Activist): And that was pretty stunning.
SMITH: Thats Mary Ann Grenier, a Democratic activist whos worked for Brown's opponents in five races. While Brown has courted independent voters by vowing to be open-minded, Grenier says she's found Brown to be anything but.
Ms. GRENIER: I never see him giving in. He has this smile and he has this affability, but when push comes to shove, he believes he is right all of the time.
SMITH: Supporters say that's just Brown having the courage of his convictions. Indeed, Brown is nothing if not resolute. Again, his friend Jim Vallee.
State Rep. VALLEE: He's a pure competitor. You know, he's a gladiator in the arena. Once he steps in, you know, he knows its only one person stepping out, and he wants to be that person. He gives everything 100 percent.
SMITH: And it usually pays off. Scott Brown may be the guy who did that nude photo shoot, but on Election Day, it was the Democrats who got caught with their pants down.
Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
