About Rod D. Martin
Praise for Rod D. Martin
Book Rod to Speak
Politics & Economics
Technology & Markets
Faith & Cultureby Charles Gordon
August 28, 2007
The latest from pundit-land is “no” since up to 50% of Americans say they will definitely not vote for her.
But for those of us who have watched her public appearances over time, from speeches to debates, the answer isn’t so clear.
Here’s a good analogy: If you’ve seen the original Rocky movie on DVD (or VHS), you may recall a scene where Apollo Creed, the heavyweight champion, is not taking his upcoming fight with Rocky very seriously. But while Apollo is basically enjoying himself with friends, one of them has broken away for a moment and is watching TV intently. Seeing Rocky’s training regimen and his deadly earnest focus, he realizes that the champ is in trouble. He tries to call Apollo away from his entourage, but nobody’s listening.
Now the analogy is imperfect because Hillary, unlike Rocky, is not an unknown entity, and there is no Republican equivalent to Apollo, i.e. an incumbent who is the overwhelming favorite.
Nonetheless, when it comes to Hillary, not enough Republicans are watching the TV screen carefully. They’re not seeing her disingenuous but awfully shrewd positions on Iraq. They’re not seeing her debate performances, where she stays calm and cool and in control while the others, led by Barack Obama, compete over who can stick their feet in their mouths first. Most important, they’re not seeing how all she has to do to pull ahead of Republicans is to drive down her negative poll numbers by just a few percentage points.
The New York Republican Party made precisely the same mistake in 2000. Result? First Lady Hillary Clinton became U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton.
Can Hillary win? Yes she can. Three issues may decide the 2008 election — Iraq, the war on terror, and the economy. Iraq favors the Democrats today. That could change but then again, maybe it won’t. The war on terror favors the Republicans, as Hillary herself admitted this week. But as for the economy, if we have a recession next year, that will favor Hillary, thanks to the fact that her husband presided over an economic boom, albeit not of his own making.
Message to GOP: Don’t obsess, but take Hillary seriously as a truly dangerous opponent, unless you want her to be your next Commander-in-Chief.
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.