Huffington Post: The writers strike that shut down Hollywood for more than three months officially began in November, but the groundwork was laid much earlier. It started with something the town rarely notices: a routine, biannual WGA election.

Back in 2005, there was already a growing consensus that the negotiations in '07 would be a turning point in the Guild's history, one way or another. As this awareness took shape, WGA members were approached by an unlikely group of leaders.

In 2005, Patric M. Verrone and David N. Weiss ("Weiss"), the candidates for President and Vice President of the WGA, were successful, but relatively unknown writers with the bulk of their work in animation. When Weiss, a friend of mine, told me he was running, I told him he was insane. To really appreciate how insane, you'd have to meet his wife, Eliana. Some writers manage to marry above themselves. Weiss is a good example. You'd also have to meet his kids. Coming from a political background myself, I asked Weiss why he would want to risk losing them in exchange for something as inconsequential as the Guild.