As a native Chicagoan, I have some affinity for a man from my own hometown. President Barack Obama was asked to change Washington. As the first U.S. President with an African-American parent, I continue to embrace him as a modern President. Someone who has experienced tremendous adversity throughout his life. Does this qualify him as a great President? At least a good President? Or is the U.S. in need of a change?
I do not profess to know everything about law and politics, but I know how it feels to be a taxpayer, citizen, and community servant. Therefore, I am going to select ONE individual that can be the next great President of the United States. Here are the qualifications based on the previous top 5 U.S. Presidents (Lincoln, FDR, Washington, Jefferson, and Teddy):
- They must face great adversity along the way.
- They must serve in a time of great civil unrest.
- They must be willing to sacrifice the lives of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens in the name of peace.
- They must be charismatic and capture the imagination of the people they serve.
- They must believe in what they stand for.
It is a daunting task to try and sum up what makes great men and women great. Take Gabrielle Giffords as an example of an ordinary congresswoman who became great overnight. Nobody outside of the greater Tucson area had paid much attention to her. As of today, her Facebook page lists over 34,000 supporters. This is at least 4 times as many supporters as the typical congressperson receives on the social networking site. NOTE: Bristol Palin barely edges her out with just over 40,000 followers.
As Congresswoman Giffords clings to life, the American public invests themselves into her life, story, and what makes her so strong that she can take a gunshot to the head and survive. Now, Congresswoman Giffords is not my selection for the next great U.S. President because I am not sure that we, the people of the United States, will allow for another great President. We the people enjoy the faults of others. We the people communicate faster than at any point in the history of mankind. Would Lincoln be seen so favorable in today's media market? He was tall, lanky, not very good looking, and had failed in efforts to run for political offices. Who would vote for a man in a wheelchair? How about a General from the Armed Forces?
As the political pendulum swings from left to right and back again, it is hard to identify one single person to lead this country into the new frontier. If I were to vote an empty ballot today and had to write in one person, I would select someone who understand the power of new media, embraces the diversity of the Unites States, and finds new ways to incorporate the will of the people to making good, sound policy that can affect generations of Americans. Due to my lack of intimate knowledge regarding the personal beliefs and stances of public figures, I would write in the following name: David H. Petraeus.
General Petraeus would make me feel secure, protected, and I would be confident that he would have a clear understanding of what is taking place in he world around us. There may be better Generals or better leaders to choose from, but as an American, I want my freedom protected at all costs. Therefore, I would select a well-respected and decorated military figure like General Petraeus.
