Ah, this is the secret to great leadership. Chris Matthews makes this observation about Jack Kennedy in his recently published biography of the 35th President of the United States. At the end of World War II when Kennedy was tilting toward a life in the political arena, he begins to display an ability to draw conclusions, especially regarding Russia, from a pragmatic, unemotional perspective.
The sentence jumped off the page and slapped me in the face. It is so true. Decisions made in anger, fear, long held grudges, or any other strong emotion often bring tragic results. Kennedy has always fascinated me. I have wavered between the manufactured and packaged candidate created by his father and the hero who led a generation out of the oppressive, hypocritical 1950's. Being a "regular" MSNBC observer, I was excited when Matthews completed his long touted work, Jack Kennedy Elusive Hero, and included it in my Christmas wish list. Though I have only just begun the reading, page 71 presented this insight into the mind of JFK. The Missile Crisis and the trip to Dallas came to mind as did current political figures.
Leadership is so important yet in the political climate of the new year 2012 it seems elusive. Passion is an essential ingredient in any political leader, but when events call for a decision that could change the course of history, the steady mind should prevail. Does Obama's mind operate on this level? Certainly several Presidential candidates do not possess this ability. Newt Gingrich is filled with an apparent hatred for Mitt Romney and sounds more like a petty 13 year old who never gets picked for dodge ball. Should the President make decisions that are predicated by a lifelong fear and misunderstanding of people and cultures?
At least on page 71 Kennedy is emerging as the hero I am seeking...
1 comment:
I think I would enjoy the book...pass it on when you're finished.
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