In July,
I wrote in the News Tribune
about our first female American president, whenever that may be. My point was to keep an open mind when voting. We did in 2008 when Barack Obama became our first Black president. I offered that we consider women and/or candidates of color regardless of political party. That column didn’t endorse Kamala Harris, Nikki Haley, or any other female presidential hopeful at the time. Nor was it a lament for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss to Donald Trump. It was simply a plea to recapture the openmindedness that gave us the most racially and ethnically diverse Congress in history.
Still wearing my naiveté on my sleeve, I have two female presidential requirements:
One, a Democrat who acknowledges that President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill improved American highways that were first built by Republican President Eisenhower’s administration. She should recognize that Eisenhower, a war hero, actually encouraged future leaders to be mindful of the “Military Industrial Complex” as an interest group to keep an eye on. My Democratic female candidate would accept that Lyndon Johnson’s Civil Rights and Great Society programs benefitted from Republican support.
And two, a Republican who appreciates the Democratic vision that encouraged those civil-rights initiatives and safety-net programs that benefit everyone. She’ll understand that both political parties have contributed to “bloated government” and will work across the aisle to correct it.
Northland is no stranger to cross-party collaboration: The Lugar Center, a nonprofit platform for informed debate on global issues, has in recent years ranked Minnesota as one of the most bipartisan states. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, ranks No. 1 for bipartisan bills, according to GovTrack, as was
pointed out in an editorial in the News Tribune
in September. And U.S. Sen. Tina Smith has worked with Republicans to improve federal rural housing programs, health care, and lower maternal mortality rates.
Elsewhere, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced a bipartisan bill to establish the Atmospheric River Forecasting Program to fight climate change; former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, and onetime New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, R, were also known for finding common ground with the loyal opposition.
I Googled bipartisanship and advice and consent. My senior memory was surprisingly accurate on both, but I see little evidence of either in the current government.
I mentioned my own naiveté, but my inner cynic reminds me how things really are. It thrives thanks to a historically nasty presidential campaign and its shameful, hypocritical aftermath — from both political parties.
Pundits, rightly or wrongly, help guide my thinking. David Brooks, Fareed Zakaria, S.E. Cupp, Gene Lyons, and Mona Charen are my go-to sources of reason.
HBO’s Bill Maher and political consultant James Carville pose views I might otherwise miss. Both men, like everyone else and their brother, theorize why Vice President Harris lost the Nov. 5 election, including that the Democrats took Latino and Black voters for granted, economic concerns carried more weight with voters than abortion, and Democrats talked down to voters: Take your pick.
An exasperated Bill Maher recently implored viewers, “Can we please not let politics (mess) up the holidays?” It was sane counsel if you’re stuck somewhere between wishful thinking and doomsday.
Looking ahead, Democrats are said to have a strong bench for 2028 in Congress and among governors, and GOP stalwarts Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis could return, too, in that free-for-all campaign.
We should still select the best candidate, male or female, but women, pantsuits and all, have come close twice. In pro football, it’s hard to beat the same team three times in a row. If that’s true for politics, a huge glass ceiling may be shattered in 2028.
Jim Newton of Itasca, Illinois, is a freelance writer, retired after a career in subrogation, customer service, broadcast sales and production. He wrote this exclusively for the News Tribune.
Jim Newton