Fundraising is one of the least savory parts of a politician's job. Leave it to New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt to find clever ways to bring in cash.
Holt's making the most of the attention showered on him this week after he held his own against IBM's Watson computer in a game of Jeopardy. After the game, the congressman sent e-mails to supporters, titled "I'm not a supercomputer," that asked for small dollar donations to support his work on technology and science education. In return, Holt promised, "I'll continue to do my best to stand up for humans." More from his letter below:
"So, when the answer is, 'He beat a supercomputer in a round of Jeopardy!,' you'll know the question: 'Who is my congressman?'
Last night I was invited to play Jeopardy! against IBM's Watson and I approached it with appropriate caution. You might know that I was a 5-time winner on Jeopardy!, but that was over 30 years ago, back when Watson was just a little Atari. He's all grown up – just ask Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter – and I'm slower than I was back then. I didn't expect much and was glad that my likely humiliation wouldn't be televised.
But, after the first full round, I am proud to report that I held my own; the tally was Holt at $8,600 and Watson at $6,200….
The event was designed to highlight the importance of information technology research to U.S. global competitiveness, note the positive implications of technology for our society and encourage a greater focus on math and science education, all longtime priorities of mine in Congress.
If you share these priorities, please consider making a contribution of $5, $10, or $50 to support my work on your behalf. I can't promise to win trivia shows all the time but I can promise to continue to analyze the issues, think critically and creatively about solutions, and work tirelessly to achieve tangible results.
I'm in awe of Watson's technical capabilities but I think people have reacted to my holding my own against Watson because they rightfully believe that humans are irreplaceable. Watson may know more facts than we can ever possibly cram in our heads, but it can't fathom what it means to be part of a community and won't ever know the difference between right and wrong. Being your representative isn't just processing facts and coming to cold conclusions. It's about listening to your concerns, evaluating our shared priorities, and balancing our society's interests. It's why we elect people to Congress to represent us and I'm thankful to be given the chance to serve.
If you're able, please contribute today to support my work. I'll continue to do my best to stand up for humans."
