• August 6

Rod Shealy

All day I have been trying to figure out what to say about the news that my good friend Rod Shealy has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  I’ve had a lot of trouble because just three weeks ago my stepfather, who raised me as a child, passed away from brain cancer. Cancer is a scary thing and far too many people have suffered from its wrath. I’m just praying that Rod is one of the guys who can beat it.  As someone told me today, “if he can beat Majority Leader Rick Quinn, he can beat cancer.” I truly hope so.

Rod didn’t get me into politics, but as is written on my UTPL bio:

“He became the USC and State College Republican Chairman for three years, started working on a few campaigns, and then met political consultant Rod Shealy who taught Wes one simple lesson – the fun isn’t on the government side. It’s on the campaign side.”

I’ve worked a lot with Rod, but I had more fun running campaigns against him.  In a hate filled and stress driven career, Rod keeps things interesting and fun. I’d rather run against him than any other consultant in this state.

We all know that Rod is a student of spin, so I have to tell you my favorite Rod story.  About two years ago Rod decided to open up a “coffee shop” in Irmo. He told me and everyone else that he was sick of sitting at Lizard’s Thicket all the time, so he was going to open up a coffee shop.  He kept us all updated on how the opening of the coffee shop was going and when it finally did, the “coffee shop” was actually a soda shop.  Rod must have been scared that someone would steal his idea and he couldn’t help but spin his new business venture.

I tell that story because it’s my hope that this whole tumor announcement is actually some crazy Rod Shealy spin.  I’ll be praying that it is.

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Comments

  1. Tim August 7th

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    Well said. I worked with Rod for a few years (even though I’m a Democrat), and I consider him one of my best friends in the world.


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About Author

Wesley

Wesley Donehue is a Republican political consultant, tech enthusiast, and coffee addict. Called "the political high tech 'Wizard of Oz'" by WSPA's Amy Wood, Wesley blogs about the intersection of politics, technology, and business.