"What a man's mind can create, man's character can control."
- Attributed to Thomas Edison -- inventor
Character -- What is It?
Following are some of my favorite articles, essays, and quotes on Character
by Peggy Noonan
Excerpted from an essay on Ronald Reagan for the book Character Above All, published earlier this year by Simon & Schuster.
In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant; Harry Truman wasn't brilliant, and he helped save Western Europe from Stalin. He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever. White Houses are always full of quick-witted people with ready advice on how to flip a senator or implement a strategy. You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks.
But you can't buy courage and decency, you can't rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him. If he does, they will give meaning and animation to the great practical requirement of the presidency: He must know why he's there and what he wants to do. He has to have thought it through. He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nonetheless, a vision of the future he wishes to create. This is a function of thinking, of the mind, the brain.
But a vision is worth little if a president doesn't have the character--the courage and heart--to see it through....
(Reagan) had the vision. Did he have the courage without which it would be nothing but a poignant dream? Yes. At the core of Reagan's character was courage, a courage that was, simply, natural to him, a courage that was ultimately contagious. When people say President Reagan brought back our spirit and our sense of optimism, I think what they are saying in part is, the whole country caught his courage.
There are many policy examples, but I believe when people think of his courage, they think first of what happened that day in March 1981 when he was shot. He tried to walk into the hospital himself but his knees buckled and he had to be helped. They put him on a gurney, and soon he started the one-liners. Quoting Churchill, he reminded everyone that there's nothing so exhilarating as to be shot at without effect. To Mrs. Reagan, it was, "Honey, I forgot to duck." To the doctors, "I just hope you're Republicans." To which one doctor replied, "Today Mr. President we're all Republicans." Maybe he caught Reagan's courage too.
But Reagan the political figure had a form of courage that I think is the hardest and most demanding kind. A general will tell you that anyone can be brave for five minutes; the adrenaline pumps, you do things of which you wouldn't have thought yourself capable.
But Reagan had that harder and more exhausting courage, the courage to swim against the tide. And we all forget it now because he changed the tide. Looking back, we forget that the political mood of today, in which he might find himself quite comfortable, is quite different from the political mood the day he walked into politics.
But he had no choice, he couldn't not swim against the tide. In the fifties and sixties all of his thoughts and observations led him to believe that Americans were slowly but surely losing their freedoms.
When he got to Hollywood as a young man in his twenties, he shared and was impressed by the general thinking of the good and sophisticated people of New York and Hollywood with regard to politics. He was a liberal Democrat, as his father was, and he felt a great attachment to the party. He was proud that his father had refused to take him and his brother Moon to the movie, Birth of a Nation, with its racial stereotypes. And he bragged that his father, Jack, a salesman, had, back long ago when Reagan was a kid, once spent the night in his car rather than sleep in a hotel that wouldn't take Jews. Ronald Reagan as a young man was a Roosevelt supporter, he was all for FDR, and when he took part in his first presidential campaign he made speeches for Harry Truman in 1948.
When Reagan changed, it was against the tide. It might be said that the heyday of modern political liberalism, in its American manifestation, was the 1960s, when the Great Society began and the Kennedys were secular saints and the costs of enforced liberalism were not yet apparent. And that is precisely when Reagan came down hard right, all for Goldwater in 1964. This was very much the wrong side of the fashionable argument to be on; it wasn't a way to gain friends in influential quarters, it wasn't exactly a career-enhancing move. But Reagan thought the conservatives were right. So he joined them, at the least advantageous moment, the whole country going this way on a twenty-year experiment, and Reagan going that way, thinking he was right and thinking that sooner or later he and the country were going to meet in a historic rendezvous.
His courage was composed in part of intellectual conviction and in part of sheer toughness.
When we think of Reagan, we think so immediately of his presidency that we tend to forget what came before. What came before 1980 was 1976--and Reagan's insurgent presidential bid against the incumbent Republican President Jerry Ford. Ford was riding pretty high, he was the good man who followed Nixon after the disgrace of Watergate; but Ford was a moderate liberal Republican, and Reagan thought he was part of the problem, so he declared against him.
He ran hard. And by March 1976 he had lost five straight primaries in a row. He was in deep trouble--eleven of twelve former chairmen of the Republican National Committee called on him to get out of the race, the Republican Conference of Mayors told him to get out, on March 18 the Los Angeles Times told him to quit. The Reagan campaign was $2 to $3 million in debt, and they were forced to give up their campaign plane for a small leased jet, painted yellow, that they called "The Flying Banana." On March 23, they were in Wisconsin, where Reagan was to address a bunch of duck hunters. Before the speech, Reagan and his aides gathered in his room at a dreary hotel to debate getting out of the race. The next day there would be another primary, in North Carolina, and they knew they'd lose. Most of the people in the room said, "It's over, we have no money, no support, we lost five so far and tomorrow we lose six."
John Sears, the head of the campaign, told the governor, "You know, one of your supporters down in Texas says he'll lend us a hundred thousand dollars if you'll rebroadcast that speech where you give Ford and Kissinger hell on defense." The talk went back and forth. Marty Anderson, the wonderful longtime Reagan aide who told me this story, said he sat there thinking, 'This is crazy, another hundred grand in debt....'
The talk went back and forth and then Reagan spoke. He said "Okay, we'll do it. Get the hundred thousand, we'll run the national defense speech." He said, "I am taking this all the way to the convention at Kansas City, and I don't care if I lose every damn primary along the way." And poor Marty thought to himself, 'Oh Lord, there are twenty-one....'
The next night at a speech, Marty was standing in the back and Frank Reynolds of ABC News came up all excited with a piece of paper in his hand that said 55-45. Marty thought, 'Oh, we're losing by ten.' And Reynolds said, "You're winning by ten!" Reagan was told, but he wouldn't react or celebrate until he was back on the plane and the pilot got the latest results. Then, with half the vote in and a solid lead, he finally acknowledged victory in North Carolina with a plastic glass of champagne and a bowl of ice cream.
Ronald Reagan, twenty-four hours before, had been no-money-no-support-gonna-lose-dead--but he made the decision he would not quit, and at the end he came within a whisker of taking the nomination from Ford.....
We have all noticed in life that big people with big virtues not infrequently have big flaws, too. Reagan's great flaw it seemed to me, and seems to me, was not one of character but personality. That was his famous detachment, which was painful for his children and disorienting for his staff. No one around him quite understood it, the deep and emotional engagement in public events and public affairs, and the slight and seemingly formal interest in the lives of those around him. James Baker III called him the kindest and most impersonal man he'd ever known, and there was some truth to that....
He had a temper. He didn't get mad lightly, but when he did it was real and hit like lightning....
Reagan is always described as genial and easygoing, but Marty Anderson used to call him "warmly ruthless." He would do in the nicest possible way what had to be done. He was as nice as he could be about it, but he knew where he was going, and if you were in the way you were gone. And you might argue his ruthlessness made everything possible.
Character
by Scott Wilder
Webster defines it as the "main or essential nature" and distinguishing "mental and ethical traits."
My dad used to say that it's who you are when you're alone. Doing the right thing even if no one would know.
We've heard the saying, "Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap your character; sow your character, reap your destiny."
Character does count.
Character is the rudder that steers the boat. Character determines not whether you're on course. You're always on a course. The question is are you are on the right course.
Character, honor, integrity, and duty are concepts replaced in America with political correctness and popularity. If what we do or say is well received, it doesn't matter if it's right.
We have gotten far from the character in America just 10 years ago. And how have we gotten there?
A little bit at a time.
It starts with something that seems little and meaningless. In the grand scheme of things, what could it possibly matter if I do this or that? Shading the truth here and adding to the story there to make your point. That couldn't make a difference.
Pretty soon, we're confused about right and wrong. Right and wrong implies some standard... some truth... something non-negotiable. And this is a negotiable world.
Everything is up for debate today. There's your truth and her truth and my truth. And what's true for me today might not be true for me tomorrow.
Before we know it, we are so far down the road that where we are in no way resembles where we were not so long ago. Where we were just 10 years ago.
At the heart of character is truth. And we have forgotten the source for truth -- -the Word of God.
It's true of our country. Sadly, I believe it's true of some churches. And certainly it's true of us as individuals.
But there's hope. Grab the rudder! Get the charts!
We can avoid the rocks. We can get back on course -- the right course.
To get people in Washington and Austin and in the pulpit to be people of character means nothing if we are not people of character in our homes. In our hearts.
Scott Wilder hosts the The Scott Wilder Show, 4-7 p.m., M-F, on KWRD Radio, 94.9 FM Dallas, TX. - He has a wealth of information and links to other sites.
A Great People?
In the November 5, 1996 presidential election, the United States citizenry voted 49% for Bill Clinton and 41% for Bob Dole. The day before, in an ABC News poll, Americans were asked if they believed President Clinton was trustworthy. Fifty percent said no, 39% said yes. They were asked in the same poll if they believed it was more important for the President to have good character or to care about them. Fifty percent said being cared about by their President was more important. Thirty-two percent said good character in their President was more important.
Character Does Count
By J.C. Watts
In my wildest imagination, I'd never have thought that the fifth of six children born to Helen and Buddy Watts, in a poor black neighborhood, in the poor rural community of Eufaula, Oklahoma, would someday be called Congressman. But then, this is America, where dreams come true. I never thought I would have the privilege of addressing the American people, but this is America, where dreams still come true.
Tom Lewis had a dream -- as a police officer walking the streets of D.C.'s toughest neighborhoods. Time after time, kids would come up to him, fatherless children, and ask, "Will you be my daddy?"
So, when Tom retired from the D.C. police force, he took his life savings, bought a house, and turned it into a center where kids could go for tutoring and nurturing and a warm meal. He calls this the Fishing School. Tom understands that what we build, nourish, and encourage the youth of America to be today is what our country will be 20 years from now. Tom is joined by countless other unsung heroes. This past year I had the opportunity to travel the country and meet the people who are changing lives, one heart at a time.
In my own home state of Oklahoma, there's the Resurrection House in Chickasha that takes care of the homeless in a rural community. There's an organization called TEEM, The Education and Employment Ministry, where Doc Benson restores people with a job and a future. I celebrated with Freddy Garcia at Victory Fellowship in San Antonio who not only met the challenge of his own drug addiction but has a ministry serving others with success rates that the social scientist can only dream about.
These people working in the trenches, and suffering with those who suffer, understand compassion. They understand compassion can't be dispensed from a safe distance by a faceless bureaucrat sitting in an air-conditioned office in Washington, D.C.
And while we are on the subject of compassion, it was just about four years ago that I was privileged to address the GOP convention. It was at that time I talked to you about the Republican definition of compassion. We don't define compassion by how many people are on welfare, or AFDC, or living in public housing. We define compassion by how few people are on welfare, AFDC, and public housing because we have given them the means to climb the ladder of success.
At that time, welfare reform was a distant hope, but I am pleased to tell you that just two weeks ago, the historic Republican Congress passed over the objections of Bill Clinton a welfare reform that will restore compassion and dignity to those less fortunate.
Compassion can't be measured in dollars and cents. It does come with a price tag, but that price tag isn't the amount of money spent. The price tag is love -- being able to see people as they can be and not as they are. The measure of a man is not how great his faith is, but how great his love is. We must not let government programs disconnect our souls from each other.
Bob Dole understands. Bob Dole knows that it's people like Tom Lewis, the folks at the Resurrection House, Freddy Garcia, and Doc Benson. It's these people, not the government that can provide folks with tools they need to become productive citizens with dignity. Bob Dole understands Washington can't teach people right from wrong, dry their tears, or help a child with his homework. In fact, I have a special message for the kids in your house tonight. I'd ask you to get them, and while you do, let me tell you that the years I spent as a youth minister were glorious years that made an investment in eternity.
In addition, there is one title I cherish a great deal more than congressman and that is the title of Dad. So, indulge me while I say a word to the kids in the audience tonight. Young people, America needs you. If our country is going to continue to be great, if it is going to continue to be strong, you are going to have to do your part. You are going to have to fight for America. Fight against skipping school and cheating on your papers. Fight against driving too fast and disobeying your parents. Fight against cursing and smoking. And fight, fight with every fiber of your being against drugs and alcohol.
I know, I know. You've heard all this before and you probably think that J. C. Watts is just another old-fashioned grown-up, and if you're thinking that, you're right. Just ask my five kids, Keisha, Jerrelle, Jennifer, Trey, and Julie.
You see, character does count. For too long we have gotten by in a society that says the only thing right is to get by and the only thing wrong is to get caught. Character is doing what's right when nobody is looking. And I want to make a promise to you.
We will do our best to leave this country in better shape financially, environmentally, and, most of all, spiritually.
The American dream is about becoming the best you can be. It's not about your bank account, the kind of car you drive, or the brand of clothes you wear. It's about using your gifts and abilities to be all that God meant for you to be. Whether your dream is to be a doctor, teacher, engineer, or congressman. If you can dream it, you can do it.
The American dream is the promise that if you study hard, work hard, and dedicate yourself, you can be whatever you want to be. You can do it. You are America's greatest resource. And, one more thing. If a poor black kid from rural Oklahoma can be here tonight, this great country will allow you to dream your dreams, too. God bless you all.
From World Magazine excerpts of J. C. Watts' address to the 1996 Republican Party Convention. J. C. Watts is a former Oklahoma Congressman. The phone number for World Magazine subscription information is 1-800-951-6397.
Quotes on Character
"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."
- George Washington (1732-1799)
The people "have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge-- I mean of the character and conduct of their rulers." - John Adams (1735-1826)
The qualities of a great man are "vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character."
- Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969)
"Character is the only secure foundation of the state."
- Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)
"Americanism is a question of principle, of purpose, of idealism, of character. It is not a matter of birthplace or creed or line of descent."
- Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
"Respect for character is always diminished in proportion to the number among whom the blame or praise is to be divided."
- James Madison (1751-1836)
Arguing against a large lower house in a debate at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, PA, 1787
Of all the properties which belong to honorable men,
not one is so highly prized as that of character.
- Henry Clay
"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jelly beans."
- Ronald Reagan (b.1911)
"With all the power that a President has, the most important thing to bear in mind is this: You must not give power to a man unless, above everything else, he has character. Character is the most important qualification the President of the United States can have."
Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
(From TV ad for Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign in 1964.)
"What a man's mind can create, man's character can control."
- Attributed to Thomas Edison -- inventor
"To arrive at a just estimate of a renowned man's character one must judge it by the standards of his time, not ours."
- Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) -- American writer"The politics of crime is not about a party's record or a candidates proposals, but about perceived character and values."
- Susan Estrich -- lawyer, Democratic strategist
The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops - no, but the kind of man the country turns out. Our people are slow to learn the wisdom of sending character instead of talent to Congress. Again and again they have sent a man of great acuteness, a fine scholar, a fine forensic orator, and some master of the brawls has crunched him up in his hands like a bit of paper."
Ralph Waldo Eemerson (1803-1882) -- American writer and philosopher
"It is our character that supports the promise of our future - far more than particular government programs or policies." -
William J. Bennett-- writer and former Secretary of Education
"Faced with crisis, the man
of character falls back upon himself."
Carles De Gaulle (1890-1970) -- French military leader and statesman
"Politics ruins the character."
Otto Von Bismark (1815-1898) -- Chancellor of Germany in the late 19th century
"Character is power."
Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) -- African-American educator
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
Helen Keller (1880-1968) American blind and deaf writer/lecturer
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically... Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) Civil Rights leader
"Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wing, and only character endures." - Horace Greeley (1811-1872) -- New York newspaper editor
