| Another strange milestone has passed in | | | | that I had met a truly great leader when |
| my odd, but colorful life. The new | | | | he had been governor of California and I |
| president of Argentina, Cristina | | | | was simply a teacher in graduate school. |
| Fernandez-Kirchner, the wife of the | | | | More than that, it helped shape a |
| incumbent and outgoing president, was | | | | philosophy of life. |
| elected as expected. And once again, by | | | | More than sixty years ago, I saw first |
| happenstance rather than design, I was | | | | light on the Communist side of East |
| physically in Argentina. | | | | Germany, followed by escapes and |
| I have always been interested in | | | | relocations over the years, both in |
| politics. In a much younger life, I was | | | | Europe and the United States. My father |
| actually going to follow my dream and | | | | had already been killed by the |
| ego and become senior senator from | | | | communists. Fortunately, the rest of my |
| California. That ambition was cut short | | | | small family escaped unhurt. |
| on the realization that a foreigner, | | | | That philosophy both gladdened and |
| lack of funds, and the anathema of being | | | | saddened my experience of election day |
| played by someone else's strings did not | | | | in Argentina. |
| lead to a senate seat. | | | | It gladdened me because the election, |
| Nonetheless, much of my life - such as | | | | though voting is mandated by law instead |
| being in Argentina on a crucial election | | | | of purely voluntary as in the United |
| in its history - was being "in the right | | | | States, was generally honest, with more |
| place" for potential historical events. | | | | than a dozen candidates vying for the |
| I was similarly in Warsaw, Poland, in | | | | spot. It elated me especially since the |
| June, 2003, only a few days before that | | | | country's history has been fraught with |
| country voted to join the European | | | | dictatorial regimes in the |
| Union. At the same time, NATO had chosen | | | | not-too-distant past. For many electors, |
| to move some of its operations to | | | | that memory was still etched sharply in |
| Poland, and President Bush paid an | | | | their minds. This election saw none of |
| official visit. People constantly asked | | | | the atrocities of the past. |
| me whether I was a member of George | | | | Yet, the election also saddened me, |
| Bush's team, since he had arrived just | | | | watching the revelers enjoy themselves |
| days after my flight. Nothing could have | | | | with not much thought, setting off |
| been further from the truth with the | | | | firecrackers, hugging, dancing and |
| beginnings of the war in Iraq just a few | | | | swaying to the rhythms of cacophanous |
| months earlier! I strictly went to | | | | music. Most congregated in large and |
| Poland that summer to relax, teach a few | | | | small towns simply for the enjoyment. |
| classes, and see historic places like | | | | Some may have gyrated in hopes for the |
| Krakow. It ended up being a fascinating | | | | future. Few seemed in sober thought for |
| election! | | | | the troubles ahead for the future. |
| In November, 1992, I was in Little Rock, | | | | Inflation, productivity, foreign |
| Arkansas at the Capital Hotel to watch | | | | exchange, crime and corruption are as |
| Bill Clinton and wife Hillary revel in | | | | real today as they were yesterday. And |
| his victory. Nearly a year earlier, when | | | | the seemingly unstoppable selfishness |
| I had barely moved to the southern town | | | | punctuating human civilization seems to |
| and knew little about Bill Clinton other | | | | permeate society, whether in Argentina |
| than that he was a minor governor of a | | | | or Germany, the United States or Iraq or |
| minor state, I was outside Arkansas' | | | | elsewhere in 2007 as it did in eons |
| historic state house when the candidate | | | | past. |
| first made his announcement. Again, | | | | Fortunately, I am only a guest in this |
| seeing, and later meeting the candidate | | | | country. This simple fact precludes me |
| and President were fortunate, but not by | | | | from much more than observing. |
| design. The invitation to the | | | | Nonetheless, it does lead me to |
| Presidential Ball in Washington after | | | | reinforce my thoughts that, while the |
| Clinton's formal Inauguration came about | | | | majority of people may not give more |
| through friends both in Arkansas and New | | | | than a microsecond of thought to the |
| York and California. | | | | larger issues of life facing each an |
| I was also in Munich, Germany in | | | | every one of us in the future, |
| July,1990 on business. As luck would | | | | constitutional freedom and elections may |
| have it, one of the greatest | | | | perhaps spawn leadership with results |
| celebrations was held in Berlin during | | | | like the United States under Presidents |
| my sojourn, the concert and celebration | | | | Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton. |
| of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Although | | | | Wealth and prosperity for the population |
| I was far in the south of Germany and | | | | of Argentina does not have to be an |
| could not take the time to travel to | | | | elusive exercise. Increased education |
| Berlin, the celebration was transmitted | | | | and communication, along with a pause to |
| across the world, and people everywhere | | | | assess the willingness to absorb the |
| joined in the spirit of nearly half a | | | | tradeoffs required, are not materials |
| million people physically present at | | | | for a dime novel. |
| Potsdamer Platz. | | | | Whether people in this age and time are |
| Watching the festivities in Berlin in | | | | willing to make that small adjustment to |
| 1990, and the echo of Ronald Reagan's | | | | change in human nature remains anyone's |
| words of his "Tear Down This Wall" | | | | guess. |
| speech of 1987, brought home once more | | | | |