Too Few of our Public Servants ...

The moments of political leadership, rooted in a true north of ethics, courage and the common good seem like a very distant memories. Today, a note from my friend Paula Boggs brought back a bit of a sense of optimism at this generally dark moment. These are the words from John McCain, hero, veteran and public servant at the 2000 Republican Convention. "I have been an imperfect servant of my country for over 40 years, and my many mistakes rightly humble me. But I am their son (referring to his NAVAL officer father and grandfather) and they taught me to love my country, and that has made all the difference, my friends, all the difference in the world. I am so grateful to have seen America rise to such prominence. But America's greatness is a quest without end, the object beyond the horizon.

And it is an inescapable and bittersweet irony of life, that the older we are the more distant the horizon becomes. I will not see what is over America's horizon. The years that remain are not too few, I trust, but the immortality that was the aspiration of my youth, has, like all the treasures of youth, quietly slipped away. But I have faith. I have faith in you. I have faith in your patriotism, in your passion to build upon the accomplishments of our storied past.

I have faith that people who are free to act in their own interests will perceive their interests in an enlightened way and live as one nation, in a kinship of ideals, served by a government that kindles the pride of every one of you.

I have faith that just beyond the distant horizon live a people who gratefully accept the obligation of their freedom to make of their power and wealth a civilization for the ages -- a civilization in which all people share in the promise of freedom.

I have such faith in you, my fellow Americans.

And I am haunted by the vision of what will be."