A Candidate Unafraid to Say the Unpopular
SAN DIEGO -- Lindsey Graham just did something that -- in the world of politics -- simply isn't done.
The Republican senator from South Carolina, and 2016 presidential hopeful, performed a public service recently when he reminded us -- at a town hall in Sioux City, Iowa -- that running for president is about more than just winning a popularity contest. Often times, authentic leadership -- especially on tough and controversial issues -- requires saying and doing things that are unpopular.
Like when someone stands up at a campaign event and suggests that the best way to fight the war on terror and keep America safe against the Islamic State is to outlaw Islam.
How did Graham respond? I'll tell you in a minute.
But first, here's some context to help explain why what happened next is so incredibly rare in American politics.
Being an effective leader ought to be about telling voters the cold truth, instead of longing for a warm embrace. Running for office has become too much about striving to be liked.
What if people are not overjoyed with someone seeking elective office, but they still respect that person? Shouldn't that count for something? After all, they're electing a leader. Not choosing a BFF.
Besides, haven't voters figured out that most politicians will say just about anything to be liked? You would think that, after decades of being misled, manipulated, disappointed and betrayed, we would know better.
After a quarter-century of covering politicians at every level of government, I've concluded that most of them excel in five areas: not telling the truth, putting their interests before those of voters, talking a lot but saying nothing, hiding their true feelings about one another and, lastly, telling voters what they want to hear whether or not the candidate actually believes it.
It's best not to put too much stock into what candidates say they believe. After all, that will often change with the wind.
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