For a commander in chief, essential qualities in brief
As I witness the seemingly endless campaign for president of the United States — and its power plays, talking points and theatrics therein, with even the pope weighing in — I recall that the president has many duties. Yet all we seem to hear about in the debates and on the campaign trail is the president’s role as commander in chief. That certainly an important role. After all, it is vital for a president to keep citizens safe.
All candidates want to project strength and have a command of world affairs so duties as commander in chief will appear to be an easy fit. Many fall all over each other in claiming to “love” the military and our veterans. To truly honor and respect the military, a president should keep the military out of harm’s way by avoiding needless, unjust wars, using a thoughtful head and a steady hand. Yet some bang the drums of war like an amplified metronome. Some mention “carpetbombing” and “wall building.” Some vehemently defend a past president’s military fiascoes and fatal security breaches as easily as a brother’s loyalty. Yet we would be ill-served by an arrogant, trigger-happy leader who starts wars based on fabrication. The skill set for an effective commander in chief is far different from that of, let’s say, a brain surgeon. But, as with brain surgery, one false move can spell disaster and death.
To hear some of the campaign rhetoric, you would think that the Republican candidates are running to be elected as “evangelical in chief” or “Christian in chief.” I am certainly not criticizing evangelicals or Christians, but the pandering to churchgoers strikes me as preposterous; it is so contrived and robotic as to be insulting, and I suspect that many in the target audience feel insulted as well.
The president fulfills the roles as head of state and chief diplomat, among others. Diplomacy is, after all, next to godliness. This is the virtue to which presidential hopefuls should aspire. Our chief diplomat should be able to command respect, in part, through strength, but it is also important that the commander in chief be a good listener, surround oneself with knowledgeable advisers and make decisions based on all available facts.
The United States need not be the world’s policeman, yet as chief citizen, the president represents the citizens of the United States on the world stage. We don’t need a narcissistic, self-promoting megalomaniac. Our president is head of state for perhaps four or eight years and must conduct himself with dignity, representing our citizens positively and effectively, as he traverses the globe. We need a representative for whom we can be proud. Strength, understanding, intelligence, patience and diplomacy would be optimal.
For presidents, diplomacy is next to godliness. This is the virtue to which presidential hopefuls should aspire.