Being the contrarian that I am- I figured I'd ask an arguably inverse type of question than that's found most often in the Pit.
Instead of lamenting on how lousy our elected officials are (not that I disagree with that sentiment either), just wanted to ask have you known/met/ a politician that for whatever reason just didn't go far enough? Someone you thought had the chops for something bigger but for one reason or another stopped (maybe because they just had the good sense to get out of the game)?
I think there's a few I can think of that I thought should have aspired to running to higher offices but likely were smart enough to not do so.
One of the names that comes to my mind, and in full disclosure I do have a small bias, but from PA, I'd honestly have to say Tom Ridge.
To explain my bias- I briefly knew one of his children and also was able to meet the man several times. To my memory/recollection, that aside, I felt like he did a lot of good things as his time as Governor in PA. My memory may be overly rosy with who we had as Governor since his time (not even bothering to mention their names).
That said, I always thought he was capable of achieving further notoriety and would have done so had it not been for 9/11 and his appointment to the newly formed Homeland Security Department that has been a... shall I say rightfully controversial department (at least in my opinion) ever since it came into existence.
Don't suppose anyone else can think of a politician they hoped would go further and had they done so would have left a more positive impact on government than the folks that advanced instead?
-LD
Instead of lamenting on how lousy our elected officials are (not that I disagree with that sentiment either), just wanted to ask have you known/met/ a politician that for whatever reason just didn't go far enough? Someone you thought had the chops for something bigger but for one reason or another stopped (maybe because they just had the good sense to get out of the game)?
I think there's a few I can think of that I thought should have aspired to running to higher offices but likely were smart enough to not do so.
One of the names that comes to my mind, and in full disclosure I do have a small bias, but from PA, I'd honestly have to say Tom Ridge.
To explain my bias- I briefly knew one of his children and also was able to meet the man several times. To my memory/recollection, that aside, I felt like he did a lot of good things as his time as Governor in PA. My memory may be overly rosy with who we had as Governor since his time (not even bothering to mention their names).
That said, I always thought he was capable of achieving further notoriety and would have done so had it not been for 9/11 and his appointment to the newly formed Homeland Security Department that has been a... shall I say rightfully controversial department (at least in my opinion) ever since it came into existence.
Don't suppose anyone else can think of a politician they hoped would go further and had they done so would have left a more positive impact on government than the folks that advanced instead?
-LD
