Presidents' Day

HS # 31  2018.2.5

Presidents’ Day

What does it take to lead a country? Is it possible, for example, to have an effective leader who i) is unpolished, with no prior political experience, ii) seems focused on his own needs and situation, iii) gets into fights regularly, hitting back hard - and often unfairly - because it is an effective way to win, iv) can’t control his tongue – gets himself into trouble repeatedly because he can’t just keep quiet, v) has his career threatened momentarily by the way he treats women but still wins in the end, vi) is impulsive and erratic, giving little deep or reflective thought to his actions, vii) is excessively concerned about keeping his hair, viii)  marries a foreign wife, ix)  lives this sort of a life even without drinking alcohol?

Unlikely leader to be sure, but Sampson was the leader of Israel for twenty years. And even though an unsavory character personally, he was able to accomplish some things and help Israel in certain ways not only in spite of, but because of his rather unique “skill set.” Indeed, his self-centered, vindictive temperament was crucial to his success. Had he not taken a hard line on his enemies and sought revenge, his extraordinary strength would have been of no use.  Gladly, his type of leadership was not needed for long, so it eventually passed on to those with different temperaments and value systems.  Shows the wisdom and value of limiting the terms of leaders.

Indeed, looking backwards, our nation has also been served well by bringing in new leaders on a regular basis (codified into law in 1951 with the 22^nd Amendment). Not only does a new broom sweep clean, but also, whatever weaknesses are present in a leader will be endured only for a limited period.

Although our Founding Fathers had a deep mistrust of those with power, interestingly, they did not rule out the possibility of a president serving for an extended period of time.  However, they seemed to know instinctively that it would not be good for the nation. Upon hearing that George Washington was returning to his plantation after two terms, King George III famously said, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”

He did, and quite possibly he was. Feels good, doesn’t it, to reflect back on some of our virtuous leaders of time past. Let’s do a bit more. It’s good for the soul. Here are a few anecdotes you may not know.

Bess Truman was once asked if she could get her husband to stop using the word manure. “Stop? It took me twenty years to get him to use that word!”

John Adams was more refined.  With solid puritanical background and lifestyle, unlike Franklin and Jefferson, while in France he found the extravagant French lifestyle quite disagreeable. Then he became ambassador to Holland and fell in love with the Dutch people.  He wrote home to Abigail that no people are more deserving of respect than the Dutch for their pursuit of learning and the arts and their lack of greed. “Their industry and economy ought to be examples to the world.”  But after spending more time with them, even this Puritan was disgusted by their “littleness of soul” and “a general littleness from the incessant contemplation of pennies and nickels.”

Although that stings a bit, I appreciate Adams because of his appreciation of the liberal arts.  He reflected, “I am a revolutionary so my son can be a farmer, so his son can be a poet.”

JFK and Jefferson were two towering intellects who valued the life of learning.  Once when President Kennedy hosted a group of Nobel Laureates for dinner, he opened with the remark: “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

Teddy Roosevelt is maybe my favorite. The man was bold and brash, but also wise. His love of adventure and of the great out of doors and his forward vision led to our National Park system. But he was also a philosopher. Listen to him: “Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die. And none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life. Both life and death are part of the same Great Adventure.” I have had that quote on my desk for years.