An Interview With Des Moines Egotist Member Greg Hauenstein

We had a chance to visit with Des Moines Egotist member and left-leaning video-photo-web guru Greg Hauenstein. You learn more about him by viewing his Des Moines Egotist profile here. (Of course, you can also get your own FREE Des Moines Egotist profile here. Here's an explanation why you should join.

Greg, you describe yourself as a filmmaker, photographer, web designer, social media geek and budding politico. What's up? Can't you make up your mind?

I'm just too good to be one thing! Take the job descriptions of four different people, add snark, sweat and Badger Balm Organic Stress Soother and you have me.

I learned basic web design in high school and have grown my skills slowly since then. I attended film school in Pittsburgh, PA for college so that's where the photography and video production comes in. Social media just comes with the geekiness that has been a part of my life since my mom showed me Star Wars when I was about five. Politics came into the picture during high school with 9/11 and the war in Iraq, and I've been hooked ever since.

You're obviously a little left? Does wearing your political colors help or hurt your business?

I'm pretty far to the left. I believe good government exists and I believe it has a role in our society as a safety net. If you lose your job, it's in our best interest that you have a place to live and money to feed yourself and your children. It's in society's best interest that all children get an adequate education starting from an early age. It's in society's best interest that I don't have to worry about going bankrupt if I get sick or hit by a bus. It's in society's best interest that all loving adult couples can enter into the bonds of marriage freely and feel like they're an accepted part of a community.

Paul Wellstone said it best: "We all do better when we all do better."

I don't know that my leanings and activities have affected my work because I'm only just now reaching out of the political world for freelance work. My friend Kyle Chapman from upstate NY and I are starting a marketing/social media consulting firm called "Oh, Hey Marketing" so I'm sure I'll find out the answer to this question in the coming months as clients see my portfolio.

If you could spend the day doing any of the things you say you do, describe your ideal day.

My ideal work day is a more modern and less drug filled version of Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter Thompson. I love, more than anything, documenting the day of a candidate and telling their raw story. I'd be on the trail all day and be up late cutting the video and photos then putting it online for all to see.

Rubbed elbows with any famous pols?

Having started with the Obama campaign in August of '07 when dude could barely get through a debate without CNN blaring for the next week how it was all over and Obama was too smart to be President, I got to meet him and the high-ups a couple times. I got a hug from Michelle Obama the day before Election Day. That was awesome.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar rode around in, and sometimes drove, our Obama RV for a couple days in Colorado while he was still US Senator. I doubt there are many members of the US Senate who have experience driving large equipment.

There are a lot of really, really crappy political tv spots out there. Did you do any of them? If not, who did? What's your take on political advertising?

No. Most campaigns have professional ad firms do their work. I'm really tired of the faux-outrage that a lot of ads have. When everything your opponent does is the worst thing in the world that will end society and freedom and kill baby kittens, it gets really old really fast.

If we asked you to produce a spot to convince voters to vote all of the bozos out on both sides of the aisle, pitch us your best 60 second concept.

No music, no fancy background. Normal looking person speaks passionately directly to camera about why Janey McAwesome should replace Jackie DelCrumBum. No kids as a prop, No acting like a victim. Be an adult and talk to the voting public like adults.