Something Good To Say

I would like to say something good about the following human beings. There is a lot to be optimistic about in America. We are not going to hell in a hand-basket and the sky is not falling. Yes, we have big, big challenges and much is not rosy; but, as Lincoln said: a house divided against itself cannot stand. So for one small moment, let’s look for the good and be grateful for the choices we do have:

1) Hillary Clinton: Tenacious. She has endured many things and always seems to remain. A Midwestern Goldwater girl who has grown up to have a real shot at the Presidency! Who would have predicted that all those years ago? That alone is something to nod your head at. Only in a few countries could a girl like Hillary Clinton grow up to have a shot at the big one—and (seriously) that is one thing that makes America great.

2) Barack Obama: Positive. Transformational. Someone who could truly unite America. I like him.

3) Chris Dodd: Qualified. A serious candidate who is serious about running for president whether the media thinks so or not. The worst thing about all this starting early is that the process will end too early. Men like Chris Dodd deserve a second look.

4) Joe Biden: Very Qualified. One of the smartest candidates. In an ideal world, all of the people who secretly want to vote for Sen. Biden would actually do so, and he would then have a lot more traction.

5) Bill Richardson. Affable and capable. If America’s image needs repairing, it must be done without fawning or kowtowing to bad guys. I think Richardson could do that.

6) Mitt Romney: Bright. He is bright in mind and bright in demeanor. A child of the “other” 60s that no one remembers. I think that Mitt is much less the enigma than we paint him. And I wager he will balance the budget no matter what. He is probably the only candidate you could already start betting on as a first year budget balancer…Intrade anyone?

7) John McCain: The great man in the race. A man with true character. Our modern world looks down on those who speak their minds and he is an unlikely blast from the past. I thought he might make a comeback and here he is. But Presidential races are always like that and we forget.

8) Rudy Giuliani: Had faith in New York City—a town that is not shunned anymore. New York used to be loathed by some and is now loved again. Much of that is Rudy’s doing. A hard worker who went to Catholic school and has risen to great heights.

9) Mike Huckabee: There must be something in the water down in Hope Arkansas. He has a silver tongue. When will Americans wake up and appreciate affable, well-spoken politicians? Britain rewards them. Americans view them with skepticism.

10) Fred Thompson. I actually like the business about “offering himself up.” I suppose you could view it as arrogant, but maybe we have a man who is acting more like a 19th Century American statesman than someone who will grovel for the world’s top job. Plain spoken and unassuming. Not the rock star we thought, but more important, he’s not claiming to be. I like that.