It is often said that politics is a dirty game. However, there are times when a leader must seize the high moral ground and demonstrate that there is, after all, a shred of honour in an otherwise sordid blood sport.
President George Bush decided to take the high moral ground in the storm of controversy that had engulfed Mississippi Senator Trent Lott over Lott’s endorsement of the 1948 segregationist platform of Senator Strom.
Our leaders should take note of President George W. Bush’s actions in this matter. They should not hesitate to take a page out of Bush’s book if and when the occasion demands.
With the furor rising over the Senator’s endorsement of segregationist policies, and despite his repeated apologies, it was clear that enormous damage had been done to the Republic’s carefully cultivated image of racial understanding and equal opportunity for all by Lott’s remarks.
In one ill-advised and insensitive statement, the 61-year-old Senator, effectively undid his political career, and, by raising the Jim Crow ghosts of the past, managed to offend decent- minded republicans and democrats en masse.
President Bush carefully distanced himself from Lott’s debacle, and, in his first public comment on the controversy, sternly rebuked the Senator, who was eventually forced to resign as the Republican leader in the Senate on Friday.
“I respect the very difficult decision Trent made on behalf of the American people,” President Bush said in the wake of Lott’s resignation Friday. “Trent is a valued friend, and a man I respect.”
But the president refused to defend the Senator or endorse his views. He could have used the influence of the Oval Office to rally behind the embattled Senator if he chose to do so. Instead, the he took the high moral ground. And while he did not gloat over the downfall of the once-powerful Senator, the president shed no tears, at least publicly, over his departure as Republican Senate leader.
Prime Minister Christie has not yet been faced with any crisis on the local scene, which might warrant the resignation of any of his Cabinet Ministers. No doubt, such a time will come, and it will be interesting to see just how the Prime Minister deals with such a crisis.
He is barely seven months into his administration and, thus far, has been free from any scandal, which might threaten to take down his administration. We believe that Christie has enough political good sense and survival instinct to ditch a colleague when the occasion demands.
He was around during the infamous Night of the Long Knives in the 1970’s when political careers were savagely wreaked at the command of top party bosses. He, himself, was ruthlessly fired from the Cabinet and left for dead in the political trenches. But he persevered through isolation and opposition to finally become Prime Minister. Hence, our earlier statement that we believe that Christie has a highly developed sense of political ruthlessness and an uncanny ability to survive.
His first major test has not yet come. But it will. And when it does, we believe that our analysis will be proven correct. We believe that Christie will give the lie to many of his critic’s views that he is a soft leader, who leans too heavily on consensus building. We believe that they are reading Christie wrong. Seriously wrong. Only time will tell.
We recall also that Former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling had to abandon a few of his personal friends when they had offended political, and had jeopardised the party’s chances at re-election. Men like Simeon Bowe and Ervin Knowles and Wilbert Moss, Sr. come immediately to mind.
Sir Lynden loved them all. He put a high premium on loyalty to friends. But he had to do what was practical and politically expedient. And, amidst the clash of heavy political armour, this masterful politician had seized the high moral ground and had done the honourable thing.
We certainly hope that other leaders would follow his sterling example.
Editorial, Nassau Guardian
