True leadership emanates from men who say the right thing at the right time to the people who need to hear it most. This is how I think of Bob Dornan. In my mind's eye I return to 1990, on a typically hot and humid July morning in Washington, D.C., where a not-so-typical debate began to boil on the floor of the House.
At issue was the expulsion of Representative Barney Frank, who had brought shame upon our institution for misjudgments involving a male friend and prostitute over an 18-month period. As the sponsor of the resolution to expel Frank, I can tell you that the experience was one of the most intensely sobering dramas with which I was ever involved in my 14 years of service in the House. It was not a time for the timid. Only four members spoke in favor of the expulsion. Bob Dornan was one of them.
Bob began his comments, "I have not been this nervous in this well in over a 14-year span in this House." And then he did something that has become trademark Dornan, something only courageous men can do under fire.
Knowing that he stood virtually alone, knowing that ridicule and contempt would be heaped upon him by Frank's defenders and a vicious liberal media, Bob turned and looked Barney Frank square in the eyes, not once turning his attention elsewhere, and said what had to be said to the man who needed to hear it most: "I don't care about the details. The devil is in the details. That is for you lawyers.… I will vote for expelling you because you did not have the honor or decency to resign."
Bob Dole, as inspirational as his life has been, would never have shown such leadership. Phil Gramm would have become invisible. Dick Lugar would have prayed that the moment would quickly pass. And Arlen Specter would have defended Frank. Under those circumstances, not one of these Republican candidates, who all serve in elective office, would have done what needed to be done or have said what needed to be said. This is a major reason why I support Bob Dornan for president.
Bob's conservatism is real. It is passionate. And it is based on a deep and abiding faith in God. I was glad, although not surprised, to hear Bob inject themes of liberty and virtue into the presidential debate. Unlike the congressional colleagues who have become his presidential competitors, Bob actually understands the historical, moral, and philosophical basis of these themes. He knows, and has stated, that we cannot be a free people unless we are a virtuous people. He did not need million-dollar handlers to tell him that. Nor did he need the incessant prodding of pro-family special interests to motivate his comments. He knows the relationship of liberty to virtue because he is a self-motivated student of truth.
History is one of Bob's closest friends. His life-long relationship with history has honed his bubbling idealism into a practical and balanced conservative philosophy. As a staunch proponent of lower taxes and lower federal spending, Bob knows the bounds of governmental authority, not only because he has worn this mantle of authority over the last 18 years in Congress but also because he has studiously examined history. From ancient Rome to modern America, Bob Dornan knows what makes nations rise and fall. The presidential rivals who serve with him in Congress haven't got a clue.
Bob Dornan is not the only good conservative in this race for the presidency. Pat Buchanan and Alan Keyes are also running-and I count each as my friend. Even so, when I have to choose, it is Bob Dornan I will support. Few other qualities in a presidential candidate could offset a lack of elected public service. Bob has been elected to Congress nine times, in Democratic districts. These experiences have built character that cannot be found anywhere else in politics.Moreover, Bob's record of service both in and on behalf of the military is a nearly essential requirement of the role of commander-in-chief. I know Bob feels it is an absolute requirement. Through a variety of circumstances, he has witnessed firsthand how America has influenced the world for good and has developed the deepest appreciation for U.S. sovereignty. Bob Dornan would not rush us off to war, nor would he abandon genuine freedom fighters anywhere in the world. In determining this delicate balance, I know he would excel-always erring on the cautious side in preserving American lives and sovereignty.
Bob Dornan belies the public persona crafted and manipulated by an adversarial media elite. His passion for life, his love of country, his deep commitment to his wife Sallie and their children and grandchildren, and his uncanny identification with all types of people sometimes make him an easy target for mean-spirited and shallow adversaries. Yet he has remained eternally optimistic about life and about the future of America specifically. Great men deserve even greater opportunities to show their mettle. This is why I unhesitatingly support Bob Dornan for president of the United States of America.
William E. Dannemeyer is a former congressman from California.