Stewardship more than partisanship
There wasn’t much to say about the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Chaos. Embarrassing. “Is this really the best of America?” Of course it isn’t. The lowest point may have been when Trump went after Biden’s son, Hunter, and his addiction struggles. There are legitimate questions to be asked about Hunter and his dealings with Russia, China, and other countries, but addiction is not an issue to use as a cudgel on a national debate stage. How many people have often hidden struggles they are too ashamed to ask for help for? Moments like that don’t help.
This year, with all the necessary social distancing, the one humanizing moment of every four years at this time, didn’t happen as it normally does — the Al Smith Dinners, hosted by the archbishop of New York. At National Review’s office, we have a lighthearted, joy-filled photo of our founder, William F. Buckley, with Ronald Reagan, and Cardinal John O’Connor is standing in the middle, watching them warmly greet one another. Reagan sent the copy to Bill, writing something along the lines of: Bill, did he say, “I now pronounce you?” Humor in a different time. The photo even without the note radiates the love of friendship and shared values and mutual respect — and love, in their case, as good friends over the years. Seeing Cardinal O’Connor, I always think of Mayor Ed Koch, O’Connor’s good friend, whom I saw at the Al Smith dinner in his final years, long after O’Connor had died. They didn’t agree on some fundamental issues, but they could love each other. Sometimes I hear about family and friendship ripping apart over politics, and I wonder whether those kinds of friendships can exist today.
Anyway, the Al Smith dinner didn’t happen this year as it normally does, with the presidential candidates and some New York glitterati breaking bread together in an overcrowded ballroom, but the miracle of it still did. Donald Trump and Joe Biden sent video messages — both of which drove me a little batty at times. I can’t listen to Biden talk about how Catholic social teaching has influenced his life when he’s as radical as they come these days on abortion, and he had the ability to moderate his party’s position on abortion if he was sincere about Catholic teaching; Trump’s impromptu bombast always takes away from the beautiful truths in his on-script speeches. But the beautiful part about the Al Smith dinner is always the prayer. Cardinal Timothy Dolan got Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to pray privately with him together last time around. This time, I prayed for some national healing as Cardinal Dolan called upon God’s grace for two broken hearts — Joe Biden, who lost a son, and Donald Trump, who recently lost his brother. It seemed to be the most important reaction to the debate — and a reminder in all the disagreements that we’re dealing with human beings.
Amy Coney Barrett seems to get that. Her focus on giving tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg during her remarks at the announcement of her nomination for the Supreme Court was the right, human thing to do. A woman has died. She had family who is mourning. The flags were at half-staff. This is about more than a political nuclear war.
Barrett’s announcement was a beautiful moment in America, if we can put politics aside for a moment. She is woman of faith who takes it seriously, a wife and a mother. Her children are loved and seem to love one another, as we see even from their body language. She excels in her career and is lauded by colleagues and students and teachers. As Trump alluded to during his Al Smith video remarks, John Garvey, the president of the Catholic University of America, had her as a student and wrote a one-sentence recommendation to Justice Antonin Scalia about her: “Amy Coney is the best student I ever had.” I’ve heard young women say they were personally inspired to see her on the national stage, and to see a marriage and family represented so beautifully. These things are possible in the world today — that seemed to be the message they were appreciating. That she has adopted children, too, is such a blessing to the nation. Vulnerable children so often go unseen. They are even more hidden during the ongoing pandemic. In the beauty of the Barrett family, we see the promise of our future, we see the best of America — hospitality and generosity.
Speaking of William F. Buckley Jr.: He was fond of talking about the patrimony. We have been given some tremendous gifts as Americans. It’s our job to make sure we’re passing them along to the next generation. Stewardship. When we watch the debates, we see a debacle. One of the most important things we can do this cycle is count our blessings about the gift of America, talk about those things, teach those things, exercise those things. How can you care for vulnerable children in your community? There’s great power living virtuous lives and asking close-to-home kinds of questions like that. Not everyone is going to adopt a child — or two — from Haiti. But what can we do to support those who do, for instance? We all have a role. The life you are living with your family, that is hope for this country. Let’s not make everything about this presidential election that so many of us are glued to. And let’s pray for one another, whether we agree with one another or not.
This column is based on one available through Andrews McMeel Universal’s Newspaper Enterprise Association.