Standard-Examiner ... Opinion Tuesday, October 3, 2006 7A

Looking for leaders in a world of venomous politics couple of years ago, I had Top of Utah Voices Regretfully, Cleland’s decision government. the opportunity to meet Max not to seek elected office hasn’t A few weeks ago, 39 citizens ACleland when he came to stemmed the personal attacks. came forward to volunteer to fill Ogden to give the keynote address Cleland is still called upon to give a vacant seat on the Ogden City at a celebration to honor World Michael speeches and express opinions Council. This is several times the War II veterans. on political issues. This is enough number of candidates who would Cleland is a disabled veteran of Vaughan to gather the wrath of those who file for an open council seat during the . He was awarded disagree with him. a normal election. This suggests the and Bronze Star. On Here is what Ann Coulter that the number of citizens willing April 8, 1968, Cleland was injured Commentary wrote about Cleland after the 2002 to serve in political office is far by an exploding grenade. The election: “It is simply a fact that greater than the number willing to injury cost Cleland both legs and Michael Vaughan is Weber State University’s Max Cleland was not injured by go through the demands of a public part of one arm. provost. He accepts e-mail from readers at enemy fire in Vietnam.” election. Shortly after his return to [email protected] Coulter concludes, “He saw a Concerns over venomous the , Cleland ran grenade on the ground and picked politics shouldn’t be taken as for the Senate where Cleland was emphatic that he it up. He could have done that at a general condemnation of the he served from 1971 to 1975. would never run for elected office Fort Dix. Luckily for Cleland’s electoral process. Candidates for Under President , again. He said the 2002 election political career … he happened to elected office should be subjected Cleland was appointed head of had extracted too great a personal do it while in Vietnam.” to public scrutiny. the Veterans Administration; he toll on him, and he didn’t want It seems a little unusual to Yet, it seems that ad hominem was the youngest administrator to to experience anything like that describe the event which resulted Former Sen. Max Cleland arguments have increasingly preside over that agency. Cleland again. in a triple amputation as lucky. crowded out cogent analysis in the was elected to the U.S. Senate in Because Cleland didn’t Cleland never misrepresented his qualifications and effective political arena. 1996. He lost his Senate seat in the provide more details, I did some injuries, and his Silver Star was leadership. The case of Cleland provides 2002 election. research. It seems that in the awarded for valorous action in Leaders are needed at every a stunning example of a potential Cleland delivered a powerful 2002 election, Cleland’s opponent, combat several days before the level of government: national, leader driven from elected office speech to Northern Utah’s World , attacked incident with the grenade. state, county and city. We need by vitriolic politics. Caustic War II veterans. It was easy to see Cleland’s patriotism. Chambliss, I can understand why Cleland leaders skilled at listening to the politics also takes an invisible toll. why Cleland had been elected to who didn’t serve during Vietnam, lost his taste for political office. needs of their constituents. We It is unknown how many capable the U.S. Senate. It was harder to commissioned TV ads opening Lately, it seems as though politics need leaders who can articulate leaders have been deterred from understand how he lost his Senate with photographs of Osama bin and election campaigns have a vision shared by the citizens. ever considering political office. seat. Laden and , that become too dirty and too personal. We need leaders who can build What is known is that communities Indeed, several people in the were rapidly followed by images The winner may be the candidate consensus. are worse off when the political audience asked when Cleland of Cleland. The ads stated that who damages their opponent Unfortunately, individuals climate fosters and rewards would run for elected office again. Cleland didn’t have the “courage through personal attacks rather with the skill to lead seem to be malice over qualified and effective Cleland’s answer was “never.” to lead.” than focusing on meaningful in short supply at every level of leadership.

Why Republicans might want to vote Democratic in November he pendulum swings. don’t-support-me, two more years It swings out. It swings of torturing political prisoners, Tback. Rick two more years of the national Always has. Always will. debt soaring toward the $10 trillion That’s why Democrats are Stewart mark, two more years of a booming starting to get excited about the economy that doesn’t profit anyone November mid-term elections. They who’s not already a millionaire, two know this particular pendulum has Commentary more years ... you get the picture. swung about as far to the extreme If the pendulum swings far right as it’s going to swing, and it’s enough in November, dear Utahns, almost time for it to start swinging sick and not for the drug companies, and brings in a Democrat-controlled back. protection of the environment — in Congress, America can have its George Bush has hijacked the short, any Republican who cares catharsis and be done with it in time Republican Party and the nation for about this country — had better for the 2008 presidential election just about as long as this country can hope that the Democrats sweep — just in time for this purged nation endure, leaving a pungent legacy of back into power this November in to elect a reasonable, responsible lies, fear-mongering and disrespect both houses of Congress. Republican leader like John McCain for the U.S. Constitution and our If that happens, it is very likely or Mitt Romney. American way of life that has him that George Bush will be impeached, But if George keeps control of on the verge of being impeached and perhaps even convicted. Congress, watch out. (not by the current Congress, but by Who knows, they may even The pendulum will swing. It the Democrat-controlled Congress impeach Dick Cheney, too. Couldn’t Democrats will hold press Remember, the pendulum always has. It always will. that could well be in office come happen to a more rankly neo- conferences suffused in self- swings. And if it doesn’t swing far enough January). conservative pair of fellows. And righteousness; Republicans will If you think the United States is in November, it certainly will swing And, for you, dear Utahns, you they should take Donald Rumsfeld respond with partisan invective. ready to repudiate George Bush now that far in 2008. of the reddest state in the Union, out the door with them when they Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh — and the Democrats are salivating How does President Hillary I suggest that the pendulum can’t go. and Michael Moore and Al Franken over the likelihood, remember sound to you? swing fast enough. Of course, the impeachment will have a field day. — just wait and see what happens if Stewart, a registered Republican Any Republican who believes process wouldn’t be consummated And the next two years in the Democrats don’t gain control of who would rather get rid of George in the traditional American values overnight. It would take several Congress will be the sorriest mess Congress in November. Bush sooner than later, will be voting of, say, fiscal responsibility, moral weeks, perhaps months, and while it you’ve ever seen. Then we’ll have two more a straight Democratic ticket in rectitude, the Bill of Rights, voting was going on, nothing else would be. And that is exactly what Utah years of Incurious George in the November. He works as a copy editor rights, states’ rights, government Government would be at a standstill Republicans should be praying for. White House, two more years of no and page designer in the Standard- by the people and not by lobbyists, while the nation was transfixed by Because the alternative would be progress in , two more years of Examiner’s Life section. E-mail him caring for our aged, caring for our the spectacle. worse. the-terrorists-will-get-you-if-you- at [email protected]. Woodward’s latest tell-all book ‘based on astonishing indiscretions’ ASHINGTON believes a president must be argot calls “full-spectrum States chasing the chimera of Where’s John Adams, for — While leading the “the calcium in the backbone” operations” — operations that “nation-building.” crying out loud?” For a Whunt for weapons of George of the nation, so the resolute go beyond killing insurgents “Where’s the leader?” Bush, president to ask that question mass destruction in Iraq in the face that he thinks he must to building schools, connecting according to Woodward, has about Iraq, that tribal stew, is summer of 2003, David Kay Will show the nation does not sewers and other civil projects exclaimed in dismay about the enough to cause one to ask it received a phone call from preclude private anguish. that keep the training wheels Iraqi government’s dithering. about the United States. “Scooter” Libby, Dick Cheney’s Washington The book’s central figure, on the Iraqi government’s “Where’s George Washington? Will’s e-mail address is chief of staff, who wanted a Post however, is not Bush, whose bicycle and keep the United Where’s Thomas Jefferson? [email protected]. particular place searched: “The lack of inquisitiveness is a vice president wants to know if why almost any administration, defect, but Rumsfeld, whose STATE OF THE UNION By Carl Moore you’ve looked at this area. We carefully scrutinized, looks abrasive inquisitiveness have indications — and here much like a teaspoon of is supposedly a defect. are the geocoordinates — that pond water viewed under The prologue begins with something’s buried there.” Kay a microscope — a teeming, Rumsfeld’s selection as and his experts located the disorderly maelstrom of defense secretary. The area on the map. It was in the sometimes rival life forms. 45th and final chapter middle of Lebanon. That is especially true of contains much about Bush, This story from Bob an administration staffed but revolves around an Woodward’s “State of Denial” with such canny Washington interview with Rumsfeld. would be hilarious were it survivors as Cheney, Donald The book actually not about war. The vignette is Rumsfeld and . includes one heartening dismaying because it seems A government of rookies or story that should enhance symptomatic of a blinkering shrinking violets would be Rumsfeld’s reputation. On monomania that may have more harmonious. Veterans Day, 2005, the prevented obsessed persons So, how much of a virtue president traveled to a DOONESBURY By Garry Trudeau from facing facts. is harmony? “State of Denial” Pennsylvania Army depot to Some will regard “State of will take a toll on government deliver a speech announcing Denial” as Katrina between collegiality and the candor of the new military policy for hard covers, a snapshot of its deliberations. It is based Iraq, the policy of “clear, dysfunctional government. on astonishing indiscretions hold and build.” Woodward But it is largely just a glimpse — current and past officials says Rumsfeld, having read of government, disheartening making private memos and the speech, called Andy as that fact may be to those conversations public for Card, the White House chief who regard government motives that cannot be pure. of staff, a half-hour before as a glistening scalpel The book is hardly a Bush was to deliver it, and for administering social revelation about supposed said, “Take that out.” transformation. hidden chaos in Washington Card replied that the three Once, when President that produced the obvious words were the centerpiece William Howard Taft was chaos in Iraq. It does of the speech, not to mention listening to an aide talk demonstrate that President the war strategy. Rumsfeld about “the machinery of Bush and others were replied, “Clear, we’re doing. It’s JustJ ust the Facte LANDSCAPE CURBING SALE 1 government,” Taft murmured, shockingly slow to recognize up to the Iraqis to hold. And the Border your flower beds with our “NEW” “The young man really Iraq’s complexities and State Department’s got to work modern stamped concrete curbing Fall Savings!Reg. $5.95Color. ft. thinks it’s a machine.” downward spiral. with somebody on the build.” FREE $3.00 PERStamp FT.* Pattern & FREE Actually, government is The book does not At last, a division of labor that Includes (12 to choose from) *100 Ft. Minimum ______Not valid with any other offer. • Machine formed people, and not a random demonstrate that the president uses the U.S. military only Offer Expires 11-10-06 slice of the population. Those is in a state of denial. 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