Today's ridiculous story about representatives of our beloved federal government involves congressional staffers, NASCAR, and vaccinations. It seems the House Homeland Security Committee organized a fact-finding mission to two NEXTEL Cup races (Talladega last weekend and Lowe's Motor Speedway this coming weekend) to "study public health issues at mass gatherings." Prior to heading out on the trips, the aides participating in the study were advised to get a battery of immunizations to protect against -- we're not making it up -- hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and influenza.
Read on after the jump to find out why immunizations are necessary for staffers attending NASCAR races.
[Source: The Charlotte Observer]
Listen, it's flu-shot time anyway, but the rest seem a bit ridiculous on the face of things. If you didn't know better, you might think the stands at a NASCAR event were a disease-riddled petri dish based on the vaccination list. Naturally, this didn't sit well with Rep. Robin Hayes (R - NC), who hails from Concord, NC, where Lowe's Motor Speedway is located. He complained about the negative impression the immunization requirement makes in a letter to committee chairman Bennie Thompson (D - MS). Hayes, you see, has attended many races in his hometown without contracting, say, diptheria.
Thompson replied in a letter of his own which stated that the vaccinations were recommended not to combat NASCAR aficionados' cooties, but because the staffers involved would also be visiting local medical facilities (hospitals, etc.) as part of the study, and preventive vaccinations are good practice in such cases. In short, it seems like a pretty big misunderstanding (mixed with some political gamesmanship, to be sure) that could have been avoided with better communication. Had that been the case, we'd have never even heard about it. Instead, it's the top headline on Drudge as I write this. Politicians...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RJP @ Oct 11th 2007 1:55PM
I always pack a bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer and a paper seat cover (for the stands) when I go to NASCAR races. I don't see what's wrong with asking important people to get vaccinated before going.
HSM @ Oct 11th 2007 2:01PM
How are these aides more "important" than anyone else who will be attending? Just curious, because this implies that "important" people should take precautions that "not important" people shouldn't.
Vivek @ Oct 11th 2007 2:19PM
maybe the said ruling should apply to other mass gatherings as well.
compy386 @ Oct 11th 2007 1:56PM
Hepatitis A? Do people throw feces at NASCAR races? And then proceed to consume said feces?
Matt @ Oct 11th 2007 3:58PM
Yes they do.
doug @ Oct 11th 2007 1:57PM
Of course they need the vaccinations, the Washington elite can't rub elbows with the unwashed masses unless they have protection!! It's nice someone called them out on that bs.
Guenther @ Oct 11th 2007 2:00PM
What important people? How are they more important than paying spectators???????
Sounds to me like congressional fact finding missions tend to get a little crazy. Did they make sure any female participants were on birth control as well?
Travis Rassat @ Oct 11th 2007 2:02PM
So, does this mean a red neck is not actually a sign of something more serious?
Sorry - I just couldn't stop myself from my weak attempt at humor. :)
mavkato @ Oct 11th 2007 2:12PM
does this apply to arca races as well? (see the last nascar post)
llarbkd @ Oct 11th 2007 2:18PM
I have seen someone throw up at a race. He was casually walking down the isle with three fingers over his mouth and all of a sudden just threw up on the people who happened to be near him and just kept on walking down. Then about 37 rows later, he did it all over again on the back of this poor girl who couldn't have seen it coming. I might be going out on a limb here, but I think he was drunk.
But still, vaccinations? Really?
John P. @ Oct 11th 2007 2:38PM
This is one of the best posts I've seen in awhile. Why don't they just vaccinate everyone on entrance? Then we can all just get busy, down and dirty, roll around in mud like swine, or whatever else it is we do at Nascar events?
Wait a second, maybe this is where the Term "Dirty Politician" came from. They NEEED the vaccinations to protect US?!?
hehe
phil @ Oct 11th 2007 3:00PM
Do you people not read the post? It was a misunderstanding. It's not all about nascar.
John P. @ Oct 11th 2007 3:22PM
Well, this is called "auto"blog, but yeah, I didn't read all the way to the bottom. I saw nascar and fell asleep in my Lazyboy with a bottle of Bud in my hand before I got that far.
Jellodyne @ Oct 11th 2007 3:06PM
Anyone take the time to read up all them squiggles what makes words? All the way to the bottom? Lesse here "but because the staffers involved would also be visiting local medical facilities (hospitals, etc.) as part of the study" would seem to be a key bit.
But go ahead and go off half cocked. In fact, if it'll help, I'll suggest that maybe we should be talking about mandatory sterilization for all attendees.
Whiplash @ Oct 11th 2007 3:09PM
The vaccination is a non-point. In my eyes the real issue is that the government is sending congressional staffers to car races in the name of "studying public health". I'm sure they're probably going to casinos, strip clubs, and have Super Bowl tickets already too.
Tom F @ Oct 11th 2007 3:25PM
This whole thing is dirty politics. It's not true but it has not stopped people from making a story about it because it sounds so unbelievable. We don't believe the hype.
Stephen @ Oct 11th 2007 3:33PM
Wow, Autoblog, this is a pretty hypocritical post. You wrote this holier than thou comment, but burried after the "jump."
"In short, it seems like a pretty big misunderstanding (mixed with some political gamesmanship, to be sure) that could have been avoided with better communication." [because the Congressional staffers are going to be visiting hospitals as well, where the vaccinations justified]
All you're doing is perpetuating the miscommunication and fostering even more hatred accross the political aisles.
Shame on you.
GOKARTN @ Oct 11th 2007 4:04PM
They shuould vaccinate the NASCAR fans from the dirty Washington politicos