Leadership Matters

Leadership matters. Leadership inspires. I am inspired and moved by Churchill's immortal "we shall fight on the beaches" speech in the Commons, Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" speech and Bush's "I hear you" impromptu at Ground Zero.

I am also inspired by Rudy Giuliani's steadfastness and indefatigable resolve during the first 72 hours following the World Trade Center attacks.

Fast forward to Louisiana's leaders' responses to the aftermath of Katrina. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin lost his composure during the now famous radio interview. The police chief of New Orleans was literally crying and behaving erratically in front of network news cameras. Senator Mary Landrieu was threatening to punch out President Bush and of course crying on television with her now infamous sobbing line, "one little crane." And the state's other senator, David Vitter, hysterically and erroneously proclaimed that there were 10,000 dead bodies lying in the streets of New Orleans.

None of these actions inspired confidence or proffered hope. Rather, they underscored the lack of organization, coordination and leadership at the local and state levels. These well-heeled politicos manifestly demonstrated the dearth of "grace under fire." They reacted--quite dilettantishly. They never led.