of the editorial page staff
published by the StarTribune
October 8, 1960
WE'D BE in a sorry mess if nobody had enough public spirit or ambition to run for office.The reason so many want no part of the ordeal, however, should be plain enough to all. It takes a special breed to stand the gaff.My heart goes out to all candidates, regardless of party. The physical beating involved in campaigning, particularly for national office, is all but inhuman. The poor souls are jostled by crowds, compelled repeatedly to make speeches, to huddle at all hours with party bigwigs, get adopted by the Sioux Indians, and be forever charming and full of bounce.
AND PHYSICAL exhaustion is only one segment of the torment. The aspirant must be resigned to having his reputation put through the wringer. His wife and his associates are sniped at, and even his dog comes under the gun.
Old quotes are dredged up and used against him, in blind disregard of the candidate's right ever to change his mind. What he believed 15 years ago he must believe today. And, if, as a boy, he stole apples and watermelons, look out for him.
THE TV DEBATE idea poses one of the best hopes of bringing some order to political campaigns, preserving the health and sanity of the candidates and giving the voters a basis for honest judgments.
It holds the promise of some escape from hero-worshiping mobs, each member of which is bent on shaking the hand of, and exchanging a word with, the next president. Campaigns confined entirely to television, radio and news releases might be a bit too pat, but even if they relieved the candidate of a third of the agony he now feels compelled to expose himself to, it would help.
IT WAS BAD enough in the whistle-stop yesterdays, but rest was then not denied the candidate entirely. He could cat-nap between rear platform appearances and when he stepped off the train for a major speech he had something to go on besides a cold baked potato and nervous energy.
Now, whisked from place to place by plane, he barely has time to shave. He must have something catchy to say at every stop for headline purposes, grab food on the fly and be always gay, even when forced to give a push to old Congressman Perkins, who's in trouble in the 13th district.
MY FATHER, who had about as much business in politics as a Percheron has in the derby, was a county treasurer in Montana for a couple of terms. At campaign time he was about as easy to live with as a rattlesnake and made small effort to hide his contempt for the business. It is a good thing for public relations men, speech writers, reporters and campaign strategists that he is not alive today and seeking major office.
Pop had a low boiling point, detested backslappers, wanted no part of simulated joviality, and when he went without sleep was a rugged adversary. After 24 hours of today's type of campaigning he would have knocked down any photographer who asked him to smile, and anyone who requested him to put in a plug for Congressman Perkins would have been told to go to hell. Pop was not an organization man.
NIXON and Kennedy, as they whip around the country, cannot be immune to fatigue and outrage either. They could somehow control their grief, I suspect, if a few dozen of the handshakers and fame-by-association boys dropped dead. I admire them for their ability to keep taking it. It's too bad, after all the effort expended, that one of them has to lose.
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