Thursday, January 22, 2004

Lincoln! We Have Him! And Teddy Roosevelt Too!

A while back, I saw a bumper sticker that said: "Republicans Make Great Leaders - You're Following One Now." Not only was that funny enough, but it was pasted on a huge, ugly, Chrysler minivan. While following this load, I made a mental list of great Republican leaders in my lifetime ... Nixon (nope - a crook), Reagan (nope - recession, deficits, Iran/Contra, plus he was stoopid), Bush I (yeah right), Bush II (or is it Ronnie II? ... recession, deficits, and stoopid plus geez at least Ronnie was less-dumb enough to just simply invade a scenic rest area like Grenada.)

Hmmm. So it was just another bumper sticker that promised the world but delivered nothing. Then I thought: What about Arne Carlson? Dunno if he was great, but he's looking better and better these days. Probably the last of the country club Republicans. Pro-choice. Pro-gun-control. Pro-gay-rights. He defied the activists in his own party - a classic moment was when he won the 1994 Republican primary, even though the party had endorsed someone else.

Today I read Doug Grow's column in the Strib, and read this:

He believes President Bush is beatable unless he starts "being honest" about the war in Iraq, if he doesn't mend relationships with the United Nations, and if he doesn't stop "cynically" adding to the deficit.

It should be noted that Carlson, 69, no longer considers himself a Republican. He's an independent, he says.


I voted for Arne in 1994. I'd vote for him again. Somehow I have the feeling he's not driving a minivan.