Richard Nixon

Incredible.  I have just been reading a speech by a guy called Robert Dole.  What I do find amazing is who the speech was about.  It was at his death.  Robert Dole was his friend.  The person he was talking about was Richard Nixon.
When I think of him, I think of Watergate, scandal, dialogue with China and not fit for office.  None of that has changed.  What I had never considered before was despite his very obvious short comings, he had friends.
He, like all of us, was flawed.  The difference I think is that his short comings effected a nation whereas mine are very localized.  I need to be careful pointing the finger though, as apart from a number of them pointing back at me, I was born me and if I had been born him, that would have been me.  I have no idea how often I have set myself up as morally superior due to the actions of another, and conveniently overlooked my own shortcomings.
It is incredible.  He had so much going for him.  He was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He had to work for where he got, including holding down a couple of jobs to pay for what he was aiming for.
Talent alone is never enough.  I remember hearing someone say they were sick of hearing of talent.  What they were looking for was results.  Potential is a great thing if it is turned into something good.  I have experienced and know so many people with unfulfilled potential.  The world was my oyster.  It was a could have thing.  But it remains a great “could have.”  Time has past them by.  There is no doubt in my mind that it is never too late to achieve, but I need to be careful that each passing day does not represent a lost opportunity.
I am grateful for what I have achieved, but I know I could have achieved more.  I love my life, but it seems from the richest to the poorest, the most talented to the least talented, there is a cost that must be paid.  There needs to be a continual willingness to embrace what is necessary to achieve what is desired.
What Richard Nixon highlights to me is that, if there is any flaw in a character, it will be exposed.  Sometimes it is immediately obvious.  At other times it takes years to reveal itself.  Hopefully it is dealt with privately.  Often it is not.  There can come a day when what may or may not be obvious to me, becomes obvious to everyone else.
I have mentioned before there was an ad on Foxtel that said “I have found there is bad in good people and good in bad people.  I totally believe that.  Even drug lord love their kids, and even Mother Teresa could be selfish.  That is not an excuse for bad behaviour, as bad behaviour is bad behaviour no matter who does it.
There is no doubt that based on Richard Nixon’s actions, I would have gotten rid of him to.  I don’t think though that because of his short comings I can set myself up.  It is too easy to say, I would not have done that, but although I may have not done that, the question remains, what would I do?