Family, First
We all know Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is taking a pass on the Presidency. And as I had speculated earlier, he wanted to do it and only family concerns would keep him out of it. I know the cynics in the crowd have a hard time believing the Governor, but I take him at his word.
Prior to September 5, 2009, I would have probably been in that club myself, however one year, 8 months and 17 days later I fully understand where the Governor is coming from.
When you run for President, you just don’t run, your entire family does. Whether it’s secret service protection, the national media rummaging through your trash, or the general hassle that comes with running, the one thing you can guarantee is that your life will never be the same. And if your family isn’t on board, forget it.
It’s one thing to do something your wife and kids aren’t crazy about, like telling them you’re taking them to the beach, when in fact you take them to Beech Grove. It’s another thing to turn their lives totally upside down and inside out. To spare your family that type of grief and hassle is something that you have to admire in an elected official, especially when they mean it.
It’s one thing to run around preaching family values. It’s another thing to put it into practice and actually value your family but putting them first. It would be nice if more elected offiicials spent time practicing family values instead of hitting everyone else over the head with them.
