Nelson Mandela, Jesse Helms, and Russ Feingold. No doubt others as well, but these names come to mind offhand.
Bill Clinton: for sticking to his guns when he could, making tough compromises when he had to, and not resigning when that would have been the easiest thing to do.
Paul Wellstone: for connecting with and caring about the people, and being very liberal.
John McCain: for doing things his way.
To me, a Senate of 51 Wellstones and 49 McCains would be the ideal situation.
I’m an Australian, so I’ll nominate one of our own.
Don Dunstan, 1926-1999, former Premier of South Australia and (while most politicians seem to prefer grey suits) noted wearer of safari suits and pink shorts. Although not at the same time…
He was a passionate believer in electoral reform, someone who worked and fought like hell for the rights of women, Aborigines (he started working on land rights in 1965), migrants, gays (SA was the first Australian state to decriminalize homosexuality) and consumers. Whereas most party leaders want all their ducks lined up and in a row, Don Dunstan encouraged open debate and even disagreement, and recognised that you sometimes have to make people uncomfortable to get them thinking.
Another vote of Emperor Norton. The world needs more men of his character.
Paul Tsongas seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. Probably too good a head to be President by today’s standards.
Chester Alan Arthur, who, when asked about his extravagant lifestyle, said “I may be President, but what I do in my private life is my own damn business.” If only Bill C. had taken this wonderful advice to heart. Arthur also worked hard to get the Pendleton Act passed, which created civil service reform and attempted to bring professionalism (and do away with political patronage)in Federal gov’t. He also had the dignity to know that he was going to die within a few years of the end of his first term so he didn’t seek nomination for a second term.
Harry Truman for putting Douglas MacArthur in his place.
Lincoln and Jefferson (warts and all) for their accomplishments. Both consumate politicians and as different as night and day.
Shoot. I forgot about Paul Tsongas. I respected him for not pandering with a proposal for a middle-class tax cut, in the race for the '92 Democratic nomination. A rare kind of honesty, for a politician. He was no match for Bill Clinton though, who did purport to favor a middle-class tax cut, and who then promptly dropped the idea after being elected.