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 Who Do I Want for Governor
by Tom Campbell
June 6, 2007
During the Memorial Day holiday I read two great new books. The first, by Michael Beschloss is Presidential Courage. The second, by former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca, is Where Have All the Leaders Gone? These two provocative works resonated deep in me and started my examination process. It was during the second of CNN’s Presidential debates that I really started focusing on the 2008 gubernatorial election in North Carolina. Who do I want for governor?
Before I could get to the who, however, I had to think about the what. What kind of person should lead us? What qualities should he or she possess? What experience or track record will demonstrate the right leadership our state needs? What do I want to hear a candidate say that will influence my vote?
At the top of the list is integrity. If you want my vote, give me some evidence that you have stood up for what you believe. I really want to know what you truly believe. Call me jaded, but I also want to know where you are getting your money. You will never convince me a candidate doesn’t know who or how much is being contributed by people or groups; further, I don’t buy the notion that the candidate won’t remember (or be reminded) when it comes time to make hard choices.
Next must be honesty and candor. I want to hear a candidate tell me our state has real problems right now, starting with corruption and broken public trust by high-ranking officials. The winning candidate must acknowledge our broken mental health systems, failing schools, crumbling and congested roads, antiquated tax codes, poor relationships with local units of government, and rapidly growing government that hasn’t or won’t hold itself accountable. These are truths that must be spoken, if for no other reason than the fact that most serious observers recognize most or all of them to be true. This takes courage, another trait that must rank high on the list for leadership. .
But our next leader must not dwell on the negative. We need some vision. We want someone to show us a plan for how we can become better than we are today. Mind you, we don’t need more namby, pamby platitudes but some real action plans to put on the table. I, for one, would like to know who our next governor would appoint to serve in key positions such as DOT, Health and Human Services, Budget, Commerce, State Board of Education chair, and other leadership roles. Tell us about your team and we might get a glimpse of how well you will function as our state’s chief.
We need a communicator, someone to tell us truths, someone concerned with the common good instead of special interests, someone more concerned about what is right than what will get them re-elected. We want to see this person out front on significant issues, using this office to inspire us to do better.
Is there a man or woman currently who meets these criteria? Like I said earlier, first we have to measure each one against the qualities we desire. Then we can determine the “who” to elect. I’m not there yet.
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