The General
Wednesday night I attended a book signing for Gen. Tommy Franks’ new book, American Soldier. I have not seen any final numbers yet on the news, but I got there about 10 minutes before the appointed time and waited in line a little over 2 hours before seeing the General. He really is an impressive person. He was able to make the warmth of his personality felt in the few short seconds he connected with each person. He looks much as he does on television, only bigger, and his eyes and smile are even brighter. He would be one heck of a political candidate, although I can’t imagine that he would ever have the desire to run. I have not yet read the book, but have leafed through it and the pictures and following passage alone are worth the purchase price.
One evening as I sat at my desk thinking, organizing files, and looking through old papers, I came across a poem I’d written as a young ambitious captain in 1971:Grant Me:
* One opportunity to influence the course of history.
* The foresight to anticipate that opportunity.
* The conviction to plan for it.
* The fortitude to implement the plan.
* The intensity of action to make it work.
* The flexibility to change it when it won’t.
* The loyalty to self to admit defeat.
* The humility owed to victory.
* The tenacity to continue.I smiled as I read the words, written almost thirty years before, and remembered the adage “Be careful what you wish for.”
Although I don’t expect to see Gen. Franks as a candidate anytime soon, I do predict that he will be on the campaign trail after he concludes his book tour. He has refused to endorse a candidate, and has, as far as I know, only said he is leaning toward Bush. After all, he wants to sell books to Democrats, too.
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