FIVE POLITICIANS YOU RESPECT

Let's see...ummmm...ummmm...

Unfortunately, the first 2 who come to mind are deceased - Tip O'Neill and Paul Tsongas.

But, going with those who are still among the living, and in no particular order, here are four:
* Rudy Giuliani (former mayor of NYC) - lots of flaws but he stood very tall on 9/11 and has earned my respect.
* Carolyn McCarthy (US Representative for my old district on Long Island) - after her husband was killed, and her son wounded by a madman on the Long Island Rail Road, she became a gun control crusader and was eventually elected to Congress, where she's had the chance to show she's not just a one-issue politician.
* John McCain (US Senate) - plain-speaking and always interesting.
* Bill Frist (Senate Majority Leader) - an oasis of calm and information during the anthrax crisis. It remains to be seen how he'll behave in his new role; I may change my mind.

Rudy earned my respect. I'm told he doesn't fit all political positions, but certainly was the guy for the New York 9/11 disaster.

John McCain also holds my attention. One has to wonder how he would handle the Presidency.

(No howls from the peanut gallery, please)

Cynthia McKinney

Howard Dean

John McCain

Ted Kennedy

You got it Jespah, the only good politician is a dead politician.

Senator, Barbara Boxer, D-California

Representative, Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland

Senator, John McCain, R-Arizona

Senator, Ted Kennedy. D-Massachusetts

Former President, Jimmy Carter, D-Georgia

Can't think of any, let alone 5.

It's difficult for me to conjure up respect for any politician as it's inherant in the system that they compromise their own respect for their constituents. That should be the question -- what respect do politicians give us? I respect some causes and actions that some politicians have stood for. Clinton for Head Start and balancing the budget (something George Washington was quite imperative had to be the order of the day), Johnson for Civil Rights, Kennedy for his support of the arts. I'd say that Kennedy would have followed the same course as Johnson on Civil Rights but Johnson got it passed. Then, we have the things they have done that don't demand respect and you know what they are. I don't respect anyone for taking claim of something that is in the natural course of human history and they had very little to do with it except they were on the throne (sic) at the time.

I've had a good think & I honestly can't come up with 5. Now isn't that sad?
And I guess you know the politicians from your own country best, for obvious reasons .... So I'll nominate the ONLY Oz politician I respect at the moment: Greens leader, Bob Brown. Why? Because he is sincere, consistent & I agree with his values.

I respect the Russian emperor Alexander II for the liberal reforms he performed in 1861-81: abolition of slavery, declaration of independence of courts and introduction of jury, establishment of the elected municipal administrations in cities and regions.
The second person to be respected is the U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan, the winner of the Cold War.
The third one is Reichskanzler Otto von Bismarck, unifier of Germany and inventor of the social security.
The fourth is a current Russian President Vladimir Putin: I appreciate his struggle against domestic corruption and terrorism.
The fifth is the current Israeli PM Ariel Sharon: IMHO, his approach to the peacemaking in the Middle East is the most relevant and pragmatic.
I am not commenting on Mr. George W. Bush: first I want to see some positive results of the war on terror declared by him .

The only one I can come up with is our Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chritien. I like him because he's a no nonsense kind of guy and I like the way he thinks. He often takes the words right out of my mouth and I like that ;-)

Rudy Giuliani

Give 'em hell, Harry (Truman)

After that, I hit a blank wall!

Olof Palme
Helmut Kohl
John F. Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Joschka Fischer

The nature of the beast will never command respect. We tolerate politicians but certainly do not respect them.

If I am permitted to exceed the quote of five people, I would like to add to the list Gandhi: this man showed that national liberation movement must not be mandatory violent.

bigdice, tell us a little bit about Palme, Kohl, and Fischer.

I've been thinking about this for two days and the only one I can come up with is Bob Dole. Sad...

Well, all three had/has not always gained the respect they deserved in their homecountry, but was/is highly respected abroad.

I remember that Olof Palme was "hated" by the opposition, but he reamined calm, and it showed that he was right in the long term.

Kohl was the german chancellor for 16 yrs, and he had to take a lot of crap from just about everybody in Germany, but he stood tall. He always stated that he took his actions for the best for Germany first, and for the best of Europe second. I personnaly think he did a good job with european unification, but didn't do too well with the german!

Mr. Fischer is a good diplomat, and his workings in these dark days will take some time to show. He's more a diplomat, than a politician.

The best political personality is not the Vatican president who makes a lovely holiday in USA.
Not the foreign minister of Germany who celebrate his 1,2,3,4 or fifth wife.
Nore the CDU Kohl who wish to marry a bewitching jurist.

I look around a decent political person with whom ican share a glass of wine.
But i find none.
How can I pick up 5 if i find none?