On David Stokes' Thoughts on George W. Bush -

On David Stokes' Thoughts on George W. Bush:

I ran into this article recently - about George W. Bush in the aftermath of Bin Laden's capture. The author rightly gives President Obama some credit for inviting Bush to a ceremony at Ground Zero. He then discusses Bush's post-Presidential attitude, and includes this line:
Most people aspire to office because they want to “be” something. A few, in contrast, seek leadership roles in order to “do” something—and when that job is done, they move on with their lives.
I don't know if he's right to put Bush in the latter category, but I would love it to be true. The historical parallels are obvious. It's an attitude I try to cultivate towards my own rank - to remember that I don't have it because I am something special (it's not as if lawyers are rare), but rather as a tool to get things done. (For me - to open doors that need opening.) Should everyone? I doubt it.

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