Like so many others, Susan and I have been in a political
funk since the election. It has been draining our optimism and elevating our
doubts about the future. In our younger days, we celebrated John Kennedy’s
summons for the “best and the brightest” to join in the service of our nation.
Overall, our generation and those that followed responded. The Kennedy
challenge was the challenge of our “Greatest Generation”: betterment of the human condition. That was
always the goal.
With the advent of Donald Trump, we questioned our tomorrow and
wondered where the “best and brightest” have gone.
Then some two weeks ago, I entered the hospital at the
University of Minnesota for surgery that involved a six-day stay. It was there
we found the answer to the question of our best and brightest.
Anyone who has been a patient knows about vulnerability. But
no one knows it better than the health providers who combine medical excellence
with warmth and understanding of patient care.
As the recipient of their professionalism, I realized that
as a nation we have not lost our sense of excellence. No, we have just
neglected to draw our talented youth into political service. For years, we
pounded government and politics with daily attacks of incredible negativity and
now we are reaping the results. The best are elsewhere.
The University of Minnesota Hospital radiated excellence and
demonstrated a culture that is patient centered. From the cleaning staff that
always greeted me with cheer and well wishes to surgeons who came regularly to
check in and nurses who had to deal with the complicated challenges of medical
technology while providing the ultimate healer, human warmth, all combined to
renew our faith and confidence in tomorrow.
This experience not only healed a wounded body but also
restored our confidence that the best and brightest are still there but we, the
people, have to encourage them to enter public service. Without excellence in
our governance no other excellence will thrive.
Let’s start with teaching civics in our schools and
accepting responsibility for restoring quality in our mission to serve the
public.
