Mirror Holds Answer

A candidate comes along and offers himself for the highest office in the land. He is a thoughtful person of integrity, humility, compassion, gifted with the breadth of intellect and experience necessary to address the full plate of serious issues he will face in the office.

Why is it so hard for that person to rise to the top bracket for the anticipated final contest? Look in the mirror. Look in the mirror if you really want to know. There’s your answer.

Each us must shoulder at least some portion of the blame for our election morass. As we go through the same exercise every four years, we citizens insist that candidates take this position on abortion, that one on school prayer, another on guns, and don’t forget gay marriage, the flag and pledge of allegiance. These are important issues, to be sure, but why should they serve as the primary litmus test for our nation’s top executive?

Why can’t we 300 million citizens acknowledge that we will not agree with whomever is elected on every issue and select the best person we can find, support him with our vote and require nothing more of him than to lead us to the best of his ability, bringing to each decision his best judgment.

Why must we insist that they think like us, drink like us, or believe like us?

In those frequently heard “man on the street” television interviews, people say, “I want someone I’d feel comfortable taking to the ball game” or, “I want someone who will sit down and have a beer with me.” “An ordinary person,” they may add, “An affable guy, hail fellow, well met, you know.”

Frankly, I want a leader who doesn’t care to have a beer with me, would never go fishing with me, can’t tell a joke, and sometimes misses church on Sunday. I want someone who has made mistakes in his life, and asked and received forgiveness. In short, I want an extraordinary person with exceptional skills, not an ordinary man or woman at all, a person of enormous personal integrity as well as ability, a person who admits to mistakes in his life and refuses to repeat them.

That someone is someone capable of earning my trust. And trust is all that is required to be successful in public service.

The times demand such a person. So should the people. Isn’t it time for that person in the mirror to admit the problems of our times are defiantly complex and simply electing someone who agrees with the person in the mirror on the emotional issues of the day will not suffice to address our nation’s serious problems?

This year, we have seen plenty of evidence that “the people” are ready to take back the selection process. Record numbers have turned out for the primaries. Record numbers have shown up for rallies. Something wonderful is moving through America (as Rep. John Lewis has said). And it feels good. It feels like a republic seeking to regain its footing on the world stage. Dare we believe that the citizens will elect this fall a candidate who possesses the personal integrity, raw intellect, life experiences and judgment necessary to meet the challenges of the highest office in the land?

An unexpected distraction...but only a distraction.

"Don't worry about your enemies. Worry about your friends. It is relatively easy to predict your enemies, but your friends.....ah, your friends."

That is the first axiom of American politics.

Yes.....your friends. Rev. Wright has tried to explain, define, lecture, and preach away concerns about his controversial comments delivered from his former pulpit. His appearances around the country and at the National Press Club have, in the whole, not helped.

Look, the preacher whose message converted Obama from skeptic to Christian has views that are not shared by all. That's fact, and that's fine with me. I don't agree with my pastor on everything either...or my representative, my senators, or my governor. That should never be the question. The question is: "What kind of person has Obama become? What kind of person is he today?"

The American people have begun to discern in Obama those rare qualities they hope for in their leaders but seldom find: sound judgment based on a grounded personal sense of integrity and innate instinct to do the right thing. Those two qualities will trump "experience" every time. Judgment and instinct also suggest vision, and when exercised with integrity, they are all that is required to earn the public trust.

Today, Obama should use those qualities which he has in abundance to talk with voters about what he wants to do to strengthen the economy and restore fiscal integrity to our federal budget, to put the nation on a path to energy independence, and to restore civility and mutual respect in all conversations about what must be done to preserve and protect our nation.

Obama is the only hope for American citizens who want to take back their government from the extreme partisans in both parties. Even reasonable Republicans agree he is an excellent choice. He is the nightmare of every person and every special interest group in Washington satisfied with the status quo. Nothing Rev. Wright might say on his current media journey will change that -- unless we let it.

Every Presidential race involves at least three distinct stages for the media: (1) create or build up a candidate, (2) tear the candidate down, and (3) finally, express pessimism about the winner's ability to affect worthwhile change. The temperature of political discourse goes up and down several times during each stage. Isn't our system...special!

Kristol can't hide it

The right wing is going apoplectic over the possibility that Hillary may not be the nominee for the Democratic Party. They have eight years of fermenting hate built up for unleashing on her candidacy this fall. I have a Republican friend who was so certain it would be Hillary in 2008 that he bet me a steak dinner on her candidacy way back in 2002!! And now this fellow Obama threatens to spoil the punch at their party. You have noticed, I'm sure, how the major Republican pundits have tried their best to point wayward Democrats toward her. Some have been subtle, some have been sub rosa, some like William Kristol in today's NYT have resorted to being downright blunt about it:

"But I do think I can speak for most of my fellow right-wingers when I say this: We once looked forward with unambivalent glee to the fall of the house of Clinton. Many of us still do. But we also see the liberal media failing to give Hillary Clinton the respect she deserves. So, since we conservatives believe in giving credit where credit is due, it falls to us to praise Hillary.

The fact is Hillary Clinton has turned out to be an impressive candidate."

Make no mistake about it, the Repubs still look forward with "glee" to taking on Hillary. Watch Pat Buchanan the next time you see him on MSNBC. He wants Hillary so BAD! He just can't hide it. So sorry, Pat, it ain't gonna happen. And Rush Limberger -- he's been "leading the charge" for Hillary from the beginning!

Judgment vs Experience?

Over the weekend, a good Democratic friend told me he was voting for Hillary because “she has more experience than Barack.” You may know many who express the same point of view. If that is the simple reason for making this critical decision, why don’t we all vote for John McCain. He has more “experience” than the two Democratic contenders combined. Look at the experience George Bush brought to the table in the likes of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. No, experience however one might define it, should not be the deciding factor. Judgment, and the ability to discern in others those unique qualities of leadership that complement one’s own, should carry far greater weight in the evaluation of candidates.

Road to Emerald City

A Democrat and a Republican were traveling to the Emerald City in a brand new 2001 automobile they owned jointly. Before they started, the Democrat filled the car with gas --- indeed, he put a spare can in the back full of gas – and off they went.

At a fork in the road, the Republican driver took an abrupt turn to the right.

“Wait just a minute,” said the Democrat, “I don’t think you should go that way.”

“Never mind,” said the Republican, “I know what I’m doing.”

“Don’t you think we should stop and study the map; maybe there’s a better way?”

“Don’t need to, I know where I want to go.”

“Well, at least, let me see your map.”

“You should just trust me. Besides, I don’t need a map," said the Republican. "See, we’re already there,” and he pointed to a sign, Mission Accomplished.

“Uh, wait a minute,” said the Republican driver, “some of the locals are taking it down and packing it up. Well, they’re probably moving it closer to Emerald City; let’s just keep going.”

But the trip took longer than expected. The Republican driver soon ran out of gas. He used all of the fuel in the spare tank, and had to stop frequently to buy more gas at an inflated price from foreigners he had never met. Some of them even appeared to be Chinese, but the Republican paid their high price and kept the car rolling along.

Pretty soon the road became rough and bumpy – and filled with potholes. Sure enough, they hit one, blowing out a tire.

The Democrat says, “We’re in luck, there’s a Democratic repairman by the side of the road who will only charge $20 to repair it.”

“No, that won’t do,” says the Republican, “I have a Republican friend up the road who will do it for us cheaper.”

Well, they finally found a Republican to repair the tire (and they checked his credentials to make sure), but he charged them $30, not $20! When the Democrat complained, the Republican driver cut him off, “Sure he charged us $30 but he gave us $20 back, here’s $5 for you, $15 for me. That’s cheaper, isn’t it?”

“But,” protested the Democrat, “I heard him mutter something about sending us another bill later.”

“No, I didn’t hear that,” said the Republican.

On they went. The road didn’t get any better. “You better let me drive,” said the Democrat. “Oh no,” said the Republican, “I’ll just follow the road I can see in front of us now, no need to consider other options.” The Republican would not listen to the Democrat’s pleas for a change in plans. And now there were plenty of people yelling from the side of the road. Indeed, more than 70 percent were urging them to turn back or at least make a change in plans. “My friend,” said the Democrat to the Republican driver, “Most of the people want you to take a different course.” The Republican driver responded, “So?” The driver continued ignoring all entreaties to change his course.

Eventually, the Republican lost control of his ‘01 car on a figure 8 curve. The car flipped over 8 times, slid down an 8 foot embankment and was smashed to 8 smithereens. Battered and confused, the Republican crawled out of the wreckage, not sure of what hit him.

He looked at his Democratic friend, who had been thrown clear, unharmed, and said with a shrug, “Oh, alright, you want to drive so badly – here.” He handed the Democrat the steering wheel he now held in his hand – the only part of the ‘01 automobile still intact – and said, “You drive.”

January 20, 2009

When the clock strikes twelve noon at the US Capitol and the swearing in ceremony begins for the 44th President of the United States, three things will be certain:

Anxious Person: our new President Barack Obama who has just been handed a list of the most pressing problems facing the nation and is anxious to get started.

Happiest Person: Bush 43, who keeps looking at his watch, wondering if he will be on time for the Greyhound bus that takes him back to Crawford. No one has ever left Washington, DC in higher spirits!

Saddest Person: Osama bin Laden, sitting in his Afghan cave, realizes he has just lost his Number One recruiter. Bush's blunders work wonders on recruitment and moral in the ranks of al Qaeda. Oh well, they can still keep in touch by exchanging greeting cards at Christmas and Ramadan.

Toward a more perfect union

After watching the media run yet again the video showing Obama's former pastor, Rev. Wright, railing away, totally out of context, I am moved to post here a few selected quotes from the speech Obama gave March 18, 2008 in Philadelphia, one of the more important speeches of our time.

Many in America did not see him deliver it; many have not taken the time to read it. I commend the entire speech to you, but for the sake of those with short attention spans, I insert here some of the most salient quotes -- in my opinion -- which I hope will give you a sense of the import of Obama's words.

Selected Quotes of note from Obama speech of March 18, 2008

“A More Perfect Union”

“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together – unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction – towards a better future for our children and grandchildren.”

“…race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now….the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through – a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. …if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.”

“I have asserted a firm conviction – a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people – that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.”

“…it means taking full responsibility for our own lives – by demanding more from our fathers, and spending more time with our children, and reading to them, and teaching them that while they may face challenges and discrimination in their own lives, they must never succumb to despair or cynicism; they must always believe that they can write their own destiny.”

“…America can change. That is the true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”

“It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare, and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper.”

“In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world’s great religions demand – that we do unto others as we have them do unto us. Let us be our brother’s keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister’s keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.”

“This union may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected. And today, whenever I find myself feeling doubtful or cynical about this possibility, what gives me the most hope is the next generation – the young people whose attitudes and beliefs and openness to change have already made history in this election.”

--
It is a speech that will be quoted by others, referenced in future texts, and studied by scholars and political scientists for years to come. Rev. Wright will not be on the ballot this fall. Obama will. And this speech is one of the reasons why.

Why "...if you can keep it."

For the first entry in this new blog, I picked a title that has an important message for this generation -- and here is the story behind that title:

When the Constitutional Convention completed its great work in 1787, the story is told about the lady who stopped Franklin, as he was descending the steps of the State House, and she asked him, “Mr. Franklin, what kind of government have you created?” Franklin replied, “Madam, you have a republic if you can keep it.”

Those last five words, “…if you can keep it” are, in my view, the five most insightful words uttered by one of our founders.

Franklin understood how fragile was the new government just established. He knew keeping it would not be easy. He knew each generation would be required to sacrifice a good measure of its own blood, sweat and tears to protect it. Indeed, he felt each new generation had an obligation to do so.

“You have a republic if you can keep it.”

Franklin’s words ring in our ears each time President Bush issues a “signing statement” declaring his administration will not follow the legislative intent of the bill he just signed.

His words resound loudly each time another freedom is trampled by executive order.

They echo each time the Bush administration describes the Constitution as a “living document” – a draft, in other words – to be amended as required to satisfy the private agenda of a small group of partisans.

Our republic is fragile – so is the Constitution that underpins it – and the people know it. Our republic has been at risk for the past seven years – and the people know it.

The pundits haven’t caught up with the people. They wonder why so many Americans are participating in record numbers in the Democratic primaries, why voter turnout has been so high.

They don’t understand, as you do, dear reader, what is at stake.

You understand the perilous condition of our republic. You want to be a part of shoring up the bulwarks that protect us.

You are reading this because you believe the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches are – and must be – truly equal branches of our government.

You believe in a government that invites the best and brightest from all corners of this republic into it, men and women willing to reach across the aisle, coalesce around the best ideas, and govern in the interest of all.

It matters only that we Americans remain united and dedicated to one purpose – to keep this republic, to keep it strong, and to pass it on to the next generation stronger than we found it.

We are, after all, a republic, not a pure democracy, and it is up to us to select the best person from among all Americans to lead us as President, and to select for the Congress those individuals of intellect and temperament worthy of our trust, individuals who will read, study, learn and vote for us, seeking only to represent the best interest of all Americans.

These past seven years, America has stumbled badly. But this Presidential race has given us an opportunity to walk to the horizon for a look at our future. Many have taken that walk, have peeked over the horizon, and see an America whose best days are yet to come. Barack Obama is the candidate, in my view, who understands how fragile is this republic and what it takes to strengthen its underpinnings. You and I will not always agree with him but we should not expect that. "Does Obama agree with me" is not the question we should ask of him. The question should be: "Mr. Obama, will you help us...keep this republic?"