Bachmann Underscores Importance of Character in Des Moines Register Op-Ed
Bachmann: "Character must count in this election"
Urbandale, Iowa - Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann opined her position on the role character should play in the 2012 election. Bachmann, a consistent conservative, calls on Iowa voters to look past the rhetorical webs spun by the candidates, and analyze the true character behind the words.
In an excerpt from the op-ed, Bachmann writes, "In electing the next president, we all must ask ourselves does that person have the guiding principles to stand firm and always do what is in the best interest of Americans. Will that person succumb to the enticements of the office at the expense of the people? Is that person driven by popularity and political ambition, or is the person a faithful servant to his or her family and God?"
The full op-ed is available below or by visiting this link:
Bachmann: "Character must count in this election"
The question of character has become a centerpiece in the Republican presidential campaign, and rightfully so. After all, the founders looked to character first when outlining in the Federalist Papers the true measure of a qualified candidate for the office.
In the process of nominating a replacement for President Barack Obama we must not only contrast positions on individual issues but also ensure that the core of convictions of each candidate be analyzed as leading indicators of how he or she will respond in office. The next president must not possess the same arrogance of power that has held this great country hostage the last three years.
I believe in the goodness of America and its people, and have a vision of a bright future for our children. Every day, I witness the American spirit and see clearly the promise of our collective future.
But to achieve that future we must never settle for a president who fails to meet the standard of character and goodness that our Founders viewed as prerequisite. Ronald Reagan shared this belief and often quoted "America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."
Our next president must respect the heritage of our founding and unite the U.S. people for a common purpose.
Pledging to be an agent of hope and change, this president instead dug in his heals immediately upon raising his right hand and often has placed his own personal interests ahead of the interests of the American people. He has displayed in only three years a stunning lack of character as he routinely vilifies his dissenters and deliberately places his personal political fortunes before sound policy. He has shown us what we do not desire the president to be and lain to rest any notion that soaring rhetoric suffices as an indication of character.
As if warning against President Obama, Harry Truman fittingly opined, "Fame is vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures — character."
The true measure of a leader is gauged by how he or she performs when circumstances are least favorable. As Thomas Paine once said, "Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us."
Too often, campaigns are a tribute to glibness, and reward those who best capture the passion of the moment. After all, the nation turned to then-Sen. Obama during a similar moment. But true character cannot be found in what is promised. Rather it is earned and revealed over a lifetime. Character transcends the challenges of any political issue du jour.
In electing the next president, we all must ask ourselves does that person have the guiding principles to stand firm and always do what is in the best interest of Americans. Will that person succumb to the enticements of the office at the expense of the people? Is that person driven by popularity and political ambition, or is the person a faithful servant to his or her family and God?
In his 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention, then-Illinois state Sen. Obama made clear that we are not a nation divided into red states and blue states, but rather we are one America. While these sentiments rang righteous, this president's actions since taking the oath have flown in the face of unity and raised deep concerns about the character of the man.
Confronted with difficult economic circumstances and challenging issues, he has consistently chosen the low road by vindictively criticizing his dissenters with piercing rhetoric and standing by idly as his supporters wage claims that any opposing view must be borne of racism. His character has shown clear as he stands with those who loathe America, while he accepts political donations from those he protests.
The 2012 presidential election represents a defining moment for our future. The strength of character of our next president will have a major impact on the course that we chart. While an imperfect servant myself, as my faith reminds me each and every day, I am running for president because I believe that we have strayed from the character that made us great. The character of our president must correlate with that of the American people, and during the past three years we have witnessed a disturbing imbalance.
Whether Iowans choose me or one of the other candidates, the time is long overdue that a person of character is returned to the office.
