Representative Paul Hodes expressed discontent with the “mess” wrought by the Bush administration as he spoke to members of the Harvard College Democrats at the club’s fourth annual Leadership Award Gala in Pforzheimer House on Saturday.

Hodes, a Democrat from New Hampshire, said that the election of Republican presidential candidate John McCain in 2008 would be like providing a “third term for President Bush.”

“Politics is like driving a car,” Hodes said. “If you want to go forward, put it in D. If you want to go back, put it in R.”

Though he said the Democratic Party currently lacks a defined, cohesive platform, Hodes remained optimistic about the Democrats’ potential to improve the current situation. He outlined a series of issues he said he believed all Democrats could rally around.

“We stand for real security, healthy families, a sustainable planet, and opportunity for all—not just those at the top,” he said.

Before Hodes began his speech, the club’s president, Jarret A. Zafran ’09, presented the Congressman with the Harvard College Democrats Leader of the Year Award. Zafran then handed Hodes one of the club’s T-shirts bearing the words “Blame Yale” beneath a picture of President Bush’s face.

“Luckily he didn’t go to Dartmouth,” said Hodes, showing pride in his alma mater.

Ricky M. Hanzich ’11 also took the stage to speak about the Joey Hanzich Memorial Travel and Research Fund, which will provide money to juniors and seniors pursuing summer internships in an area of global or public health. Ricky’s brother, former Vice President of the Harvard College Democrats Joseph M. Hanzich ’06 died of a sudden heart attack last September.

A graduate of Boston College Law School, Hodes worked for David H. Souter ’61 in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and later served as the state’s assistant attorney general. After years of working as a lawyer, Hodes was elected to represent New Hampshire in the House of Representatives in 2006 and served as the president of the new class of representatives that year.

Aside from his legal and political careers, Hodes also moonlights as a musician. He has performed both folk and children’s rock music with his wife Peggo under the name Peggo and Paul.

“He has his own record label. He’s funny. He’s charismatic,” said College Democrats Events Director Jonathan P. Hawley ’10, who organized the gala. “He’s a great guy.”

Hodes, who referred to himself as a “practical idealist,” left the audience with a few words of wisdom.

“Bring imagination with you everywhere you go in your life,” Hodes said. “It is an essential component of good government and a good life.”

—Staff writer Lauren D. Kiel can be reached at lkiel@fas.harvard.edu.