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Politics & Economics
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Faith & Cultureby Rod D. Martin
November 29, 2006
Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced today that he will not be a candidate for President in 2008.
This is a blessing. Frist is a great guy and was a serious improvement over Trent Lott in his current position (Lott is far better suited for the Whip role he just won). However, his ability to fire up a crowd is, er, limited; and perhaps more to the point, his recent support of embryonic stem cell research — which requires the killing of phenomenal numbers of innocent babies — made him a sure target of the party’s pro-lifers (i.e., most of our voters). Frist’s only likely role in the race would have been to help John McCain, as he would have helped fracture conservatives without actually having any reasonable chance to win.
It is certainly not clear whether he realizes that, but it is clear that he’s not running, and we can genuinely wish him well in retirement and thank him for an almost-entirely outstanding career.
Frist’s news release after the jump.
** High Priority **
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Amy Call (202) 224-1865
November 29, 2006
Carolyn Weyforth (202) 224-9346
Matt Lehigh (202) 224-8066
Statement of Majority Leader Bill Frist Regarding his Political
Intentions
Nashville, TN – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement:
“My dad in his later years wanted to impart some wisdom to his grandchildren and great grandchildren he would never meet. One thing he wrote that has stuck with me- in fact been a clarion call to me – was “there is so much good to do in the world and so many ways to do it.”
“Politics is a noble occupation. Medicine is a noble profession. Service to others underlies both.
“The people of Tennessee elected me twice to the U. S. Senate, and I was humbled and honored by their support and every day I did my best to serve them with integrity and common sense.
“Twelve years ago, I pledged to the people of Tennessee that I would serve two terms in the Senate – to serve as a true citizen legislator – and then return home. I said I’d come to the Senate with 20 years experience in healing, spend 12 years serving in Washington, then go right back to Tennessee to live where I grew up. I’ve never deviated from that commitment. And I will do just that.
“In the Bible, God tells us for everything there is a season, and for me, for now, this season of being an elected official has come to a close. I do not intend to run for president in 2008.
“Karyn and I will take a sabbatical from public life. At this point a return to private life will allow me to return to my professional roots as a healer and to refocus my creative energies on innovative solutions to seemingly insurmountable challenges Americans face.
“We have been blessed with the prayers and support of countless individuals around the country who have shared our vision of making America a better place. We thank you and pledge to represent these values in our daily lives and wherever our journey takes us next.
“I especially thank Karyn, who has honored me with her love every step along the way. And to our sons- Harrison, Jonathan and Bryan and our extended family: your support and love has sustained me both in and out of politics.
“That call from my father still rings true, so we will explore ways to continue to serve outside of politics. Politics for us was never an end — it was a means — a means to serve our country and humanity, to improve lives. And for that opportunity I am truly grateful.
“Karyn and I will seek the best opportunity to serve. I may eventually return to what I’ve done for most of my adult life, heal through medicine and health.
“In the short term, I will resume my regular medical mission trips as a doctor around the world to serve those in poverty, in famine, and in civil war. I will continue to be a strong voice to fix what is broken in our health care system and to address the issues of clean water and public health globally. We will stay actively engaged in policy issues affecting the lives of Americans.
“The time for Karyn and me to leave Washington has arrived and we do so with tremendous respect for the institution of the Senate and for my colleagues, for our government, for our President, for the genius of the American people, and for the enduring principles of freedom and liberty upon which our country has prospered.”
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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.