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I've known Helen for many, many years, and we talk and meet up regularly.
This was the tame, for public consumption version, believe me.
She has been there for every president since JFK, and, except for JFK, seen them all complete at least one term. Obama
is still in the first grade as far as experience in office goes, and she has seen them all get at least a high school
education. I know what kind of commentary she is capable of, and Helen is very much the professional in tempering her
comments in articles like this.
First off, I'd say to the poster who said these were 6 lessons and not five, that I think the sixth item, about the vision,
was more of a plea than a lesson. Obama's predecessor had no vision at all, and his idea of patriotism in time of conflict
was to seek refuge in the Alabama Air National Guard. He let just about every presidential decision, including the selection
of his vice-president, be made by that vice-president. Look who is giving all the right-wing speeches these days. Bush? No,
Cheney, the guy who was pulling the strings all along. But Obama, as opposed to Bush, can be extremely inspirational, especially
to the faithful. His job, whether or not he should decide to accept it, is to impart that vision, not just to the faithful, but
to the doubters. The extremist right keeps calling him the Messiah as a derogatory term, but if he can convince some of those who
oppose him that he means well for the country, then his legacy can be a great one indeed.
Having courage when it hurts has to be the hardest lesson of all for any president to learn (if ever). Bush never showed any.
He had both his first second terms handed to him undeservedly. Doing what they thought was right cost Ford, Carter, and Bush I
the shot at another term in office. Not that their idea of what was right coincided with mine (Ford's pardoning of Nixon,
Carter's standing by the Shah for too long) all the time. Bush I knew he was risking his second term when he abandoned "read
my lips" to press for new taxes, but he did the right thing for the sake of the economy, and he set up Clinton's relative
success in that area. It cost him a second term, and it certainly doesn't excuse the catastrophe that was nominating Clarence
Thomas to the Supreme Court, but I suspect that even Bush himself had no clue how horrible that move would turn out (probably
still doesn't).
On health care and overseas military engagements, Obama is looking, even if it is still early, at similar dangers, albeit
with somewhat less risk to re-election (so far), due to incompetent (where existing at all) opposition. But having the
courage of your convictions is easy when you're the candidate from the opposition. It's a different story when you're in
office, and you find that being president of all the people means that you have twenty different opinions on an issue,
and maybe ten differing opinions make some sense to you.
As for the rest of it, I think they're pretty obvious, although maybe less so when you're living on the inside of those white
walls*. Helen is always able to get right to the point. That's what has made her such a thorn in the side of every president
since 1961. It's no use dancing around, trying to avoid an issue with her. She'll just stand there until the evasions are over,
calmly arch an eyebrow as if to ask, "are you done?" and then repeat her uncomfortable question.
*In 1995, Hillary made a video parody on Forrest Gump, called "Hillary Gump." In it, she said the White House is like a box
of chocolates: pretty on the outside, but inside, it was full of nuts! Even Gingrich was laughing his head off at that one.
Even Bill Clinton once called the White House the crown jewel of the American penal system.
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