Let's play a political game

[poseidon]

I'm only posting this here because it is the closest appropriate forum...

Let's play a game. Most of us know where we stand on various issues. Most of us know who is a Republican and who is a Democrat.

So, here's the game... if you're a Republican, offer a list of Democrats from say, the last thirty years, that you respect and (gasp) maybe even admire. If you're a Democrat, offer a list of Republicans from the same period.

I'll start with the next post.

Oh yeah, it would be nice if these guys weren't like, on your city council or something like that. Shall we limit this to governors, senators, MoCs and presidents?

[poseidon]

Dante B. Fascell of Florida, ex-chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (and, I have to admit, was my boss back in 1989 when I interned for him).

Sam Nunn of Georgia, ex-chairman of the House Armed Services Committee

Les Aspin of Wisconsin, ex-Secretary of Defense

Zell Miller of Georgia

Hate to admit it, but I like Ken Salazar

Joe Lieberman from Connecticut. I really disliked him when he compromised a lot of his values to run with Al Gore, but pre-Gore and post-Gore, I admire the man.

Claude Pepper from Florida, ex-Senator, ex-MoC, ex-all-around-wonderful-person (only because he's dead)

Walkin' Lawton Chiles of Florida

[erik_kosberg]

Arne Carlson was a good governor. I'd take him over Democrat Rudy Perpich any day.

I kinda miss Senator Dave Durenberger, I disagreed with him on a fair number of issues but he's a decent guy.

I've met Jerry Ford. Yeah, a bumbler, but an alright guy face-to-face.

I disagreed with Reagan on almost everything issue-wise but at least he was likeable as a mensch.

Eisenhower is stretching the 30-year limit but add him anyway.

[poseidon]

erik_kosberg said

I've met Jerry Ford. Yeah, a bumbler, but an alright guy face-to-face.

I got to meet him as well several years ago. Personally, I think he's a lot more personable than most would assume.

[drmomentum[$]]

I'm not registered with any party. And I don't respect politicians all that much. Not trying to be a wise ass, that's just the way it is.

We're clearly not playing liberal/conservative, because you have Zell Miller on your list.

But, I'll tryo to go along with what I think is the spirit of the question. I was impressed when Gov. Jane Swift had a baby in office. William Weld was not horrible. Maybe Gov. Romney just makes me nostalgic.

Colin Powell has a lot of admirable traits.

I think most politicians I would admire would want to leave politics right about now. I could admire a Republican like my dad if I saw someone like that in office, but I don't think you get far in the party being a Massachusetts-type Republican.

[erik_kosberg]

We don't have party registration in Minnesota. At one point or another, I've voted for Democrats, Republicans, Greens, and independents.

[realtraveller]

The late Paul Simon of Illinois was a decent, honest man.

I like Jerry Brown and sent him a campaign contribution when he ran for President.

[brian_igo]

Great thread, Jeff. This will be fun to think about while I'm at work tomorrow.

[CurtisEdmonds]

I got to hear Sen. Byrd and Z. Miller speak at the retirement party for my old boss PG in Washington and came away very impressed. Byrd is a great speaker, no matter what you think of him. Also, the highways in WV are damn good.

I lived in John Lewis's district in Georgia for three years, even voted for the man. I disagree with his politics in every way you can imagine, but I respect him more than anyone else in the Congress.

Daniel Patrick Moynihan was not only a very smart guy, he didn't let the confines of liberal orthodoxy stop him from thinking.

There's a guy in Connecticut, Jim Langevin, who is an ex-cop and a quadriplegic who is doing a lot of stuff on disability issues in the House.

I didn't like Paul Wellstone and I thought he was a menace. But he seems to have had a sincere interest in people and their problems, unlike most Democrats who do things just to get their trotters in the public trough.

Lady Bird Johnson, natch.

That's who I like, and hell can have the rest of them.

[theworm[$]]

I respect Curtis.
And Slick and Rich.

[wivabef]

There are so many politicians that I respect from both sides of the aisle...as I am one who clearly straddles both sides of the aisle!

Of course, you know my crazy love for John McCain, made even more so with recent events.

Bill Bradley is wise, compassionate.

I know people pick the hell out of Ted Kennedy, but he has his consituency and the nation close to his heart. Whatever he does he does with great compassion for Americans. And he is savvy and quite efficient.

Paul Tsongas was a great, great man.

And of course, my political raison d'etre, the man who called the chaffe from the wheat, Warren Rudman.

Other than Olympia Snowe, who is empowered by her convictions, I'm afraid to say that no other women in the governor, president, senator or congress stand out for me. But plenty do on the local level. Now, I'm not calling out people I only know by name. I am only calling out people that I know by action and deed. So, there may well be women I haven't considered.

I prefer politicians who understand that less is more. I am conservative politically only because I often, not always, of course, feel that change should not be legislated. "Enacting" quite often has the opposite effect.

[brian_igo]

My favorite Republicans...

• Joe Liebermann....
• Barry Goldwater
• Richard Lugar
• Warren Rudman
• Nancy Kessenbaum
• Bob Dole
• David Stockman
• John McCain
• Chuck Hagel
• Christine Todd Whitman
• John Heinz

[wivabef]

Oh, yes, John Heinz.

[AuntieEmma[$]]

Colin Powell, before his speech to the U.N.

Rudi Giuliani, starting the morning of 9/11 and ending before his stupid speech at the Republican Convention

Michael Bloomberg

John Lindsay (he was mayor of NY when I was a kid, and from what I can remember he was pretty good)

Abraham Lincoln

editing to add -- I just saw that these were supposed to be from the last thirty years. Well, there goes two-fifths of my list.

[Redlass]

My list may expand when I have a little more time to think about it, but off the top of my head, I'd say:

Elizabeth Dole. She's probably one of the few people that I would cross party lines to vote for, though I can't promise that--it would be a tough call.

John Engler as a person, though I absolutely hated his policies and what he did as a governor. But I respected how involved he was with his family and how devoted he was to his girls. He dropped them off at school every day and was at every school function, no matter how busy he was.

John McCain

There are others, but I'm going to have to think some more.

[MrsNormanMaine[$]]

Republicans I respect

Nancy Kassenbaum
Olympia Snowe
Susan Collins
John McCain

MNM