(cross-posted at Deny My Freedom and Daily Kos)
I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.
Having heroes in politics is an odd proposition, mainly because it’s a rarity to find those who are completely untarnished by the toxic atmosphere that politics is composed of. In this day and age, though, it seems like just about anyone can be a hero to the Democratic Party – simply for speaking up. It’s a shame, because I feel that it should be people who go far above and beyond their basic duties in the political world who deserve admiration. Nowadays, we are forced to laud statements by those like Hillary Clinton for making a common-sense statement.
As a young American, I probably don’t have the historical perspective that many others possess. However, in these dark times, there have still been plenty of heroes. On this day – Independence Day – here are four people in politics who are inspirational to me.
I wasn’t alive during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. From what I’ve read and heard, his presidency usually doesn’t get high marks, whether it be due to stagflation problems or the Iranian hostage crisis. Since then, though, he’s been an inspiration to many, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work over the past 25+ years. Furthermore, he’s perhaps the only politican who comes off as a genuinely honest, kind person at first glance. His decency and his inspirational life of service, especially after his departure from the White House, reminds me that there are indeed nice people in politics. You don’t have to compromise your morals to make a difference. His recent postings at Daily Kos in support of his son Jack’s Senate campaign have allowed us to see first-hand the kind of person that President Carter is.
I have long been a fan of Al Gore, even during the 1990s. His passion for the environment and his brokering of the Kyoto treaty was a validation of the beliefs of the “Ozone Man”. After the 2000 election was unjustly stolen from him by the Supreme Court, he did what anyone would have done – taken a long break. However, he’s come out swinging ever since, and he’s been right on every issue – whether it was the war on Iraq, our civil liberties, and, of course, on global warming. As someone who saw the power of the Internet long before any other politician did, it’s no surprise that Gore has been the cutting edge of technology – whether it be his highly complex slide show he uses during his presentations on the climate crisis or in founding the revolutionary Current TV. It is rare that you get a politician of true intellect, and every day, it’s easy to think, “What if?”. I hope he runs in 2008, despite his adamant refusal to…but that’s another blog entry for another day.
The first time I really paid any attention to Howard Dean was when the New York Times did a profile on him in the summer of 2003, before his campaign really caught fire. I liked that he was quite plain-spoken and seemed to be a man of principle. I wasn’t active in the political process yet, but his “I represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party” line, cribbed from the late Paul Wellstone, rang true to many of us. After seeing our party roll over on issue after issue in the face of an administration emboldened by tragedy, it was a breath of fresh air to hear someone speak truth to power so unapologetically. Even though his campaign flamed out spectacularly, Dean succeeded in crashing the gate in the end, becoming chairman of the DNC and bringing long-needed reform to a party infrastructure in desperate need of it. Party leaders may still try to undercut him as much as possible, but we’ve got his back. Dean’s ultimate lesson for all of us is that we do have the power – and it’s one that I’ve taken to heart.
Although Tim worked for Jeff Seemann’s (above, right) congressional campaign, it was his work, along with Bob Brigham, on Paul Hackett’s OH-02 campaign that really opened my eyes. The amount of work that Tim put into getting the word out about Hackett in the blogosphere was spectacular. Largely due to his efforts, the race was closer than anyone else would have imagined. Afterwards, Tim joined the DNC as their director of Internet outreach, and when Ned Lamont’s Senate campaign got off the ground, he joined them in what looked like an uphill battle at first. Ever since, the Lamont campaign has been steamrolling, and, like any previous Tagaris-linked operation, the Internet outreach has been crucial. Kos may have been one of the first to revolutionize the Internet as an organizing tool, but it was Tim who has become the master of using the Internet for specific campaigns.
July 4 is meant as a day to celebrate the best of America. But while we’re at it, let’s take time to celebrate our own heroes, for they have gone above and beyond what anyone has asked them to in order to help preserve the spirit of America in a time when our country’s standing has never been lower.