Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jul 2000
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2000 News World Communications, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.washtimes.com/
Author: Robert B. Charles
Note: Robert B. Charles was staff director for the House Subcommittee on 
National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice (1995-1999), 
and chief staffer to the Speaker's Task Force on a Drug-Free America 
(1997-1999).

A PATIENT LEADER

The year was 1996, and the place was Mexico City. Sitting at a table of 
hostile legislators and badgering reporters, Sen. Paul Coverdell, Georgia 
Republican, and the little-known Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Illinois 
Republican, took question after bruising question.

There had been an incident involving the death of illegal immigrants in 
Riverside, Calif. Was it not true that Americans are racist? There had been 
words on the floor of Congress about the need for Mexico to cooperate in 
prosecuting and extraditing drug traffickers. Wasn't this because the U.S. 
had no respect for Mexican sovereignty? The drug war was a U.S. problem, so 
why was a U.S. senator here to talk about it in Mexico? This was the tone. 
Mr. Coverdell listened thoughtfully.

Never raising his voice, never visibly angering, he waited for openings. To 
each question, he offered a sincere, respectful, direct and honest answer. 
Throughout, there was the wonderful twinkle in his ever-playful eyes. 
Several hours later, still sitting, he had demonstrated a remarkable fact: 
There are men who can listen to harsh, often ad hominem, attacks - and 
slowly turn the attackers into admirers. In forum after forum, Mr. 
Coverdell was able to catch swords and verbally turn them into plowshares.

The drug war - saving young American lives by strengthening our national 
resolve to beat this insidious foe - was not just a vote or an issue to 
him. Sharing the nation's worry, pain and deepening concern over damage 
wrought by indifference to illegal drugs - at their source and in our 
communities - Mr. Coverdell brought passion to the issue. His unique, 
ever-creative oratory ebbed and flowed, on and off the Senate floor, always 
in defense of more effort at home and abroad. One could not listen to him 
without discerning, at once, both his deep commitment to restoring a 
drug-free culture, and helping our allies - Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and 
Mexico - in their efforts to protect and defend their own cultures.

Looking back, Mr. Coverdell was prescient about the rising tide of 
drug-driven unrest in places like Colombia, the link between drug money and 
terrorism, the need for greater U.S. vigilance across the hemisphere, and 
the critical need to apply funds and toil to stopping drugs at their 
source. From 1992 forward, he was clear, well-reasoned, persuasive and 
invariably on target. Indeed, there has not been a force in the U.S. Senate 
who has brought more passion and common sense to this issue than did Mr. 
Coverdell. His leadership was in the tradition of Ronald Reagan - quiet 
respect for others, self-deprecating good humor, a special gift with words, 
and the unquenchable inner fire that grows up beside lifetime fidelity to 
principle.

Inner conviction tempered by outer good cheer: In the tough moments, it is 
to such men that others turn.

In realms beyond the drug war, he was no less a leader. Almost overnight, 
in 1992, he became an unsung voice of reason in the U.S. Senate leadership. 
The role permitted him to work as a grand unifier. Long years of service 
with onetime-Speaker Newt Gingrich in the Georgia Legislature allowed that 
voice of reason to wash, periodically, over into the House. In 1996, he 
unified Republicans in thoughtfully battling against the idea of 
socialized, government-heavy health care, quietly following Abraham 
Lincoln's adage that the best way to beat enemies is to convert them to 
friends.

Childless, he nevertheless demonstrated a deep love of children. While 
rising to the role of secretary of the Republican Senate Conference and 
chief Senate adviser to presidential candidate George Bush on education and 
other issues, he led legislative drives with a direct impact on bettering 
children's education. Most celebrated, from 1996 to present, Mr. Coverdell 
was the father of a proposal to widen access to "higher education savings 
accounts," permitting parents to withdraw tax-free funds for K-12 school 
expenses.

Often, in the years 1995 to 1999, Mr. Coverdell was viewed by House leaders 
as the U.S. senator most adept at threading tough legislative and 
oratorical needles, and then nimbly sewing together the necessary working 
relationships to convert a good idea into law, especially in the 
counter-narcotics arena.

He was a driving force behind such valuable laws as reauthorization of the 
White House drug czar's office in 1998, creation of the Western Hemisphere 
Drug Elimination Act the same year, critical funding for assets as diverse 
as intelligence gathering P-3 AEW aircraft for U.S. Customs and targeted 
education resources for the states. He was dogged advocate for, and almost 
single-handedly assured passage of, the Drug Kingpin Extradition Law of 
1999, and was always a loyal friend to those in uniform, both law 
enforcement and military.

Best, perhaps, he was the unrivaled prince of explaining simple "whys" and 
"why nots" of complicated policy. Many times, members of the House would 
ask, going into a controversial or complicated press conference, "Will Sen. 
Coverdell be there?" If so, their job was already easier.

To many in the House and Senate, most recently leadership in both chambers, 
he was an unsung warrior.

Finally, he was more than articulate and thoughtful, principled and 
likeable. He was also a gentleman — consistently and without exception. He 
was the example of public service at its absolute best. Rudyard Kipling 
wrote of greatness that the test is to "keep your head when those around 
you are losing theirs," and so it was with Sen. Paul Coverdell. Here was a 
man who asked no adulation, shied from fanfare, while toiling deep into the 
night for what was right. He was a man of honor and insight, humor and grace.

Robert B. Charles was staff director for the House Subcommittee on National 
Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice (1995-1999), and chief 
staffer to the Speaker's Task Force on a Drug-Free America (1997-1999).
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