Please give to The Capital Times Kids Fund.

The popular appeal of LSD

An editorial  —  8/19/2008 5:18 am

Lee Sherman Dreyfus -- "LSD" for short -- never went in for partisanship.

Elected in his first and only run for public office as a maverick Republican, Dreyfus appointed Democrats, independents and even a socialist to state posts. He even succeeded in getting some conservative Republicans to support a sweeping gay rights bill that made Wisconsin the leader in the nation when it came to opposing discrimination.

And he left office in 1983 with a reputation that made his one of the most sought-after endorsements in the state for decades after his single term as the state's chief executive.

It is easy to imagine in these more bitterly partisan times that Dreyfus looks more remarkable in hindsight -- or, to be more precise, in comparison with most of today's politicians.

But the details of a Federal Bureau of Investigation background check completed in 1982 -- when Dreyfus was being considered for a Reagan administration appointment -- confirms our memory of the man.

Released under the federal Freedom of Information Act, the Dreyfus file shows that, of the 50 or so political friends and rivals, associates and neighbors contacted, "All persons interviewed highly recommended him for a position of trust and responsibility."

Dreyfus, who died this year at age 81, set a standard that might well be unimaginable these days.

But we will still suggest that it is the standard to which all who would be leaders -- rather than mere political strivers -- should aspire.

An editorial  —  8/19/2008 5:18 am