Congressman Tom Tancredo has plenty of political experience, but not much political savvy. He wants to strut on a big stage, but he talks like a novice, seeming not to understand that national politics is a vastly different platform from a backyard political fundraiser. Since the congressman has the hubris to think he’s a credible presidential candidate, he’d be smart to figure that out, fast.
One hard-learned political lesson is taking personal responsibility for your mistakes, especially one as dim-witted as Tancredo’s suggestion that the United States consider a retaliatory bombing of holy sites of a religion that isn’t his and a country that is an ally (and, not incidentally, a major supplier of oil to the United States). But Tancredo hasn’t reached that level of astuteness. He refuses to admit he said something remarkably foolish or to apologize for insulting 20 percent of humanity.
One thing we Americans hope for in our president is common sense. We don’t expect a candidate to know everything required for the most important job in the world. But we do expect that person to meet a reasonable standard of knowledge and restraint. We don’t want someone who, in a fit of arrogance and anger, pulls the wrong trigger and kills countless innocent people – and puts us at greater risk than necessary.
Rash commentary has no place in the Oval Office, nor in the remarks of a potential presidential candidate.
Just because there are fanatical Muslims willing to blow themselves up for some pathetic and demonic cause doesn’t mean that all Muslims and their religion are evil. The suicide bombers no more represent Islam and Muslims than Eric Rudolph, a heartless killer, characterizes all Christians or all Americans. They simply show us that religious fanaticism is dangerous no matter what the religion.
Imagine how Christians would respond to a threat to “nuke” Bethlehem or Rome because some Christian fanatic somewhere committed a terrorist act. There would be widespread outrage, and we certainly would be no closer to a safer world.
Tancredo was once a Colorado legislator. There he could spout off and no one really cared. When you’ve been elected to national office, however, particularly in the world’s most powerful nation, the rest of the world does take note of what you say, as the outrage pouring in from around the world about Tancredo’s comments attests.
Being elected to public office doesn’t make you better or wiser than anyone else, but it does put you on a very public stage. Therefore, people elected to national office are – and should be – held to a higher standard of behavior and prudence than everyone else.
In the world of diplomacy, where we seek to solve the world’s most difficult problems, arrogance is out of place. Building a more secure world, which should be one of Tancredo’s goals, depends on developing strong international relationships, which, in turn, depends on respecting the views, cultures and, yes, religions of others. The congressman, instead, is feeding the fire of Islamic radicalism and confirming for many Muslims their widely held belief that the United States is out to destroy Islam. That’s not a very effective way to improve Americans’ security.
Finally, when you enter into public service, you must be willing to acknowledge your mistakes as well as enjoy your successes. Humility is a wonderful attribute for a politician. Political peacocks may be grand to look at, but they’re rarely successful at accomplishing their goals because their colleagues don’t find their self-proclaimed splendor very appealing.
Tancredo, who has set for himself some major policy goals, may want to take another look at his tarnished stature if he wants to win some victories in the nation’s capital.
Tancredo certainly isn’t presidential material. But maybe if he tries to learn from his missteps, takes a little responsibility for his behavior and slims down his ego, he could be an effective member of Congress. So far, he hasn’t shown much of a desire to do that.
Gail Schoettler is a former U.S. ambassador, Colorado lieutenant governor and treasurer, and Douglas County school board member.
