The Feit Family Ventures Corporation (FFV) is a youthful, ambitious, entrepreneurial company dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the expected
as first-to-market with multiple brands of innovative biomedical technology and engaging new media content.
Named a “Digital Driver” by the Magazine Publishers of America in January 2006.
Jonathon Scott Feit, President & CEO / Chief Editor & Publisher
(310) 625-0979 main ~ (509) 984-9049 fax ~ jonathon.feit@feitventures.com
"You, Sir, Are a Great American!"
Interview with 2008 Presidential Candidate John McCain
On the evening before he addressed the American Magazine Conference in Puerto Rico in October 2005, and again deftly held at bay questions about whether he planned to seek the Presidency in 2008, John McCain, the senior senator from Arizona, could be found teaching Igor Finkel how to play craps at the resort's casino. The next day, after his talk, he sat exclusively with Finkel and Jonathon Scott Feit to discuss Young Professionals' role in and relationship with the media and government, his personal Zen, and the importance of a small head.
Citizen Culture is the country's first magazine targeting young professionals, both men and women ages 23-45--an audience that is known, or notorious, among the media and government for being apahetic, fickle. Or reputed to be, at least. We, obviously, as a magazine disagree with that characterization. How do you feel about it, and what do you feel is the government and media's responsibility, or what actions can be taken, to mobilize that up-and-coming demographic?
Well, there's no doubt in my mind that young Americans are more willing to serve, and serve causes greater than themselves, than my generation was. And whenever they've been called, they respond. And I don't mean that they all join the Army or the Marine Corps. I mean that they volunteer, they give time, they give money, they give effort, on behalf of causes, and we saw this recently after Hurricane Katrina. So I think that Young Americans are grossly underestimated by many both in the political arenas as well as the media.
Our magazine's seventh issue is "The Relationships issue." In your life you juggle some of the most complicated relationships imaginable: self, family, state, country. How do you find balance?
Finding balance is probably the hardest thing that we have to do, especially when you have a family and children, trying to make sure that you don't neglect your parental responsibilities and at the same time carry out your responsibility to your constituents. I haven't always handled it as well as I should, and I regret it. I'm pleased that my children have turned out very well, but that's due to my wife's parenting skills and dedication as opposed to mine.
How do you feel about being a crossover voter's favorite candidate--rather, favorite politician?
I'm flattered by it. With the independent voter we obviously do very well. But a lot of the stuff is ephemeral, and you've got to be careful not to read [your own press, or] listen to too many people that make you believe that you're extremely popular. Political popularity is very ephemeral, and as long as you understand that, then you can handle things more appropriately. I've seen too many politicians who read their own press clippings. I read 'em, but don't believe 'em.
Besides making you a national hero, how did being a Prisoner of War affect your politics?
The obvious: when I was deprived of America, I grew to love her more. I grew to appreciate the strength and beauty of the freedoms and the grandeur of our country.
If you weren't in politics now, or never had gone in, what would have been your alternate career choice?
I'm sure I would have been in some kind of public service, wehterer it be city councilman or deputy sheriff or working at the Salvation Army. It would have been something to do with public service.
As the father of several up-and-coming Young Professionals, what are your expectations of the demographic, politically, socially, economically, and culturally?
I think because of the information technology, they have the greatest access to knowledge and therefore success than anytime in history. At the same time I worry about the fact that we are laying on them a massive multi-trillion dollar debt that they are going to have to pay for and we, because of our profligate behavior, have done them a gross injustice.
Do you think the country is developing in a direction where we'll be able to pay for that debt?
No, it's getting worse. It's getting worse all the time as we run up these massive deficits.
We're publishing an investigation into New York City's preparedness for the Olympics. [Issue 6, page 86.] We know that you commissioned a report about Olympic funding. Given the amount of money that was budgeted, and the degree of technology available, how do you stop the Lone Gunman?
The only way you stop the Lone Gunman is to go where they're bred, and that is in the streets of the Middle East. The street corners of the Middle East, where young people, men are standing around with no hope, no job, no opportunity. They're taken by the extremists off the streets into the madrassas, funded by Saudis--among others--and they're taught to hate and destroy and kill.
How about in this country?
In this country you do the best that you can. But you're never going to stop someone who's intent on doing something bad, over time, from getting into this country. That's why we have to win in Iraq, and that's why we have to bring democracy and freedom to the people of the Middle East. Without that you'll have a continuous breeding ground for terrorism.
