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August 19, 2009
E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
Tom Vilsack is In to Win, Too
One of the most memorable guests last week was Iowa Governor and democratic presidential hopeful Tom Vilsack.
On Friday's program he outlined his approach to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and made some extremely promising statements about the kinds of commitment it will take to make this happen. Conservation and investment in renewable energy sources topped his list of priorities, predictably enough, but there were a couple of points he made later that resonated strongly with me.
He segued from a story about his mother's triumph over substance abuse into an assertion that the sort of courage he saw in his mother is something that he believes each one of us possesses. Individual courage, he says, is what it will take for Americans to change their habits and triumph over the dire issues they currently face, energy use among them. This sort of Midwestern earnestness, with its emphasis on personal responsibility and individual capability, was appealing and refreshing.
Vilsack went on to discuss the importance of environmental stewardship, a notion he insists crosses religious lines, and is vital to protecting our environment. Again, a simple idea founded in personal action, with equally broad appeal.
This is the sort of sensible, wide-reaching approach that could make Vilsack a contender for the presidential nomination. But does he have what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with Clinton and Obama? As he memorably put it, “They're rockstars, but I'm rock-solid.” It will take more than idealism and a good catchphrase to win this heavyweight match, and by all accounts he has a long way to go, but it's turning into a more interesting race by the day.