Here is an excerpt her sabbatical note:
"In the past four years I have written about and given advice to both parties in this column. But a week ago, while watching the Democratic convention, I made a decision.
I am going to take three months' unpaid leave from The Wall Street Journal and attempt to support the Republican Party in the coming and crucial election. (Every four years everyone says "this is the most important election of my lifetime," but this year I believe it is true.) I'm going to give whatever advice and encouragement I have in terms of strategy, approach, message--I hate that word--and issues. No one has asked me to do this, and I do it as a volunteer, not for a salary but simply to give my time to help what I think is the more helpful side. This will take a bite out of my finances but I can do it. Actually most of us, when we die, wind up with a few thousand dollars in the bank. We should have spent it! I am going to spend mine now.
The White House does not need my help. They have the best political strategists, communications specialists and speechwriters since the Reagan era, which had the best of all these since the time of JFK. President Bush has his sound, and it's a good one. He's getting his sea legs on the stump--it's hard to go from being-president to being-president-and-running again-for-president, it's a bit of a shift and is always awkward. But he's got it together and they've got it together.
There are others, however, lower down on the power pole, who might benefit from another hand on deck. I've called a few this week and they've been welcoming and I'll see if I can add to their fortunes. If I can't I'll at least try not to sink them.
Because politics is such a spectator sport and an obsession for so many people--I include myself in this group; who else would watch almost every minute of the Democratic convention, and enjoy it?--some political reporters will call me and ask who I'll be trying to help or what I'll be doing. Let me give them my answer now, and it is an answer that will not change. It is the wonderful reply of Terry Edmonds, a speechwriter for John Kerry, who was pressed by a reporter on what work he was doing at the Democratic convention. "I don't exist," he said. He doesn't want to talk about whatever contributions he's making. Neither do I. Also, to be frank, while I'm sure Mr. Edmonds is wonderful at what he does and his modesty obscures the size of his contributions, I am not so confident that I will be wonderful at what I do. I haven't lived a political life since 1988. I have no idea if my ideas will prove pertinent or helpful. "
opinionjournal.com
As we have observed, there was a change in her writings after the election. |
