Dear Mr. Schieffer:
I have enjoyed watching you through most of my adult life and am cheered to know that you will be moderating the upcoming debate between President Bush and Senator Kerry. I think the moderators have done an excellent job thus far - I appreciate that it is no small task to not make themselves the "star of the show" but instead focus on getting Americans to get to know the candidates better.
I am pondering what I think needs to be asked of the President that hasn't been asked already, and I keep getting back to the central issue of character. If ever I could, I would like to ask him a question that would go something like this:
President Bush, when I explain to my children what leadership means, what the responsibilities are of someone in charge, I teach them that the essence of leadership is to be accountable for one's mistakes. The best leader is someone willing to publicly take the heat for the actions of those under him, and criticize them only in private. And to give the credit for one's successes to others as well. It seems, though, that you have been very reluctant to admit that there were any errors that you have made, from your handling of the worst attack in American history, to your march to war based upon faulty assumptions, to your management of the economy. When some members of your administration criticized you, they were mocked as "out of the loop" or "disgruntled." When official reports are released showing you have been wrong, you appear to shrug off over the main conclusions and claim them as proof of your exoneration. And despite being asked in several forums to come up with a single mistake you have balked at citing any. Do you agree that a leader needs to be accountable for his errors, and, if so, can you tell us in what way you are accountable for some of the errors in judgment that your opponent cites?
Yes, I know that this reads more like a speech than a question, but I hope you get the idea and will consider a question to the President along these lines.
Truly yours,
