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September 15, 2005
Humility: An Essential Leadership Quality
Matt wrote recently:
The buck stops with [the President], but if there's no apology from the city leadership in NOLA (which has been corrupt for generations), none from the state leadership in LA (which has likewise been corrupt), none from the congressional delegation, and if said apology would be further damage to his administration and his party, then W should under no circumstances take responsibility.I took issue with Matt's position and wrote in comments:
If I waited for my wife to apologize every time something broke down in our relationship, we wouldn't have much of a relationship. Humility is a great thing in a leader. Not to mention a Christian.To my great pleasure, President Bush took full responsibility for the failures of the federal government on Tuesday. The President’s act of humility was followed by a statement from Governor Blanco. (HT: Josh Britton)
“We all know that there were failures at every level of government: state, federal and local. At the state level, we must take a careful look at what went wrong and make sure it never happens again. The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility,” Blanco told lawmakers in a special meeting of the Louisiana Legislature.I know that politics is too often more about perception than reality and that the President’s words have been twisted in headlines to suggest that he took full responsibility for everything that went wrong, but that shouldn’t stop people, especially Christians, from doing the right thing.
I'm proud of you Mr. President.
Posted by Rick at September 15, 2005 10:50 AM
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Sure, he accepts full responsibility. As does she. But if there's a price to be paid for being responsible, I'm sure they'll both find a flunky even more responsible than they are.
Meanwhile, they can both look sharp for being so candid and open.
Posted by: delbertpgh at September 15, 2005 04:31 PM
Hey, did anyone see the post-speech coverage on ABC. Apparently they had several evacuees rounded up to watch the speech and they interviewed them after the fact, hoping to get an angry soundbite or two. Trouble is, they couldn't get any of the (mostly African-American) evacuees to blame Bush. One blamed the Mayor, the others liked his speech and were encouraged by it and the general consensus was no one was to blame. I don't think it was the response ABC was looking for...
Posted by: Shawna at September 16, 2005 12:17 AM
Yup, I saw that ABC segment. Americans (even poor ones) want to give their President the benefit of the doubt when he makes a national address. They dislike the idea that he would not be straight when looking them in the eye, and talking to them as people, and not as he would to a body of politicians or reporters. I think the people forgive fudging the truth when talking to political professionals, but they want to believe that a President simply can't lie when talking to us as a people.
It's a special magic, this faith we have, that on the really important moments, he won't lie. I had it once, but lost it listening too closely to Richard Nixon, and Presidents have not sounded the same to me again. I'm always aware of it when I see it in other Americans, though: they believe, and that belief is dear to them, in a personal and patriotic way, and you can't mess with it without getting yourself in trouble.
Posted by: delbertpgh at September 16, 2005 09:29 AM
Rick, please give thought and prayer to entering the political arena yourself.
Posted by: Fran at September 16, 2005 12:54 PM