Mitchman's Blog

Today is a defining day for the Presidential hopefuls as New Hampshire residents head to the polls to cast their vote for the first political primary of this election year.  Regardless of your political affiliation you have to admire in some way, all of the candidates in today’s primary.  These men and women have placed themselves front and center and made themselves susceptible to all kinds of attacks both politically and personally.  They have traded their friends, families, and even personal finances to shake hands with strangers, kiss babies, eat horrible political rally food.  They do this all in the hopes that in a single, private moment that voter will pull the lever by their name on the ballot rather than their opponent.  You have to admit that is a lot to gamble with no guarantee of success.

I have always been fascinated with the people who sought our highest office in the land. It takes a special kind of drive and ambition to reach for such a lofty goal.  These individuals have to begin planning early on in their life, making tough decisions and maneuvering their personal career path in such a way, that it will not come back to haunt them when they announce their bid for the presidency.  The journey begins early and ends at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C.

 The presidency is larger than any person, it is an institution.  The decisions that our Commander in Chief must make affect the lives of millions people both here at home and around the world.  In a time of war they must be willing to sacrifice the lives of soldiers for the cause of peace (or political capital).  A friend of mine who has a mutual admiration for the men that have held that office once wrote, “I admire anyone who has the strength and courage to lead.”  I love that statement, not only because I agree with it, but because it comes down to the courage it takes to lead!  Leadership is making the tough decisions that are not always popular, but need to be made.  History will often judge their presidency by those very decisions. 

Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan, just to name a few, had to make difficult decisions that defined their presidency in both good and bad ways.  Sometimes the results of those decisions are not felt for 20 or 30 years in the future, that is long after some of these men leave office or Earth in general.  So, what does it take to become the President of the United States?  Let’s think beyond the political machine, money and connections required to reach the Oval Office.  What does the core of the individual need to sustain the rigors of this office?  What character traits must this individual hold?  What disciplines must he/she be able to master to keep their sanity in a world that often seems to be out of control? 

That will be the focus of a series of political blogs in the coming weeks; the title of my political blog series, THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT: Lessons from Presidents Past and Present.  I hope you will continue to read them as I post them up to ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER.

Until next time America, YOU KNOW THE DEAL, KEEP IT REAL!!!!!!