Dr. Charles Krauthammer, noted author, newspaper columnist, physician and conservative voice died late last week at the age of 68 after a brief battle with cancer. He cast a giant shadow over the nation for several decades with his insight, quiet wit and intellect.
He was a Fox News Network contributor, and we enjoyed listening to his words of wisdom as a panel member on the nightly news show, Special Report, with anchor Bret Baier.
Krauthammer had an amazing and unusual life. After his first year in medical school, he severed his spine in an unusual diving accident in a swimming pool and was crippled from the waist down for the rest of his life. His paralysis included his arms and hands. Yet he persevered and not only graduated from Harvard Medical School but also became a well-known psychiatric physician, political speechwriter and Pulitzer Prize winner, among his many other attributes. He married and he and his wife were able to have one child, a son.
Oddly enough he got his start as a somewhat liberal Democrat, working for Vice President Walter Mondale. Later he switched philosophies and became an advocate of President Ronald Reagan and coined the term, “Reagan Doctrine.” His conservative viewpoints were widely acclaimed, but he was not bombastic with regard to his opinions. He expressed himself with a rather softened approach, but was unafraid to speak his mind. He also admitted his mistakes.
He had a following like that of Walter Cronkite who anchored the CBS Nightly News several decades ago. Like Cronkite, who was a lifelong Democrat, his listeners trusted and respected him with no thought about his political leanings.
We remember one of Krauthammer’s comments shortly after Barrack Obama was elected president for his first term. He warned the country to believe what Obama did, not what he said. How accurate that proved to be.
With regard to President Donald Trump, Krauthammer did not immediately have a positive opinion of him. In fact, he said he did not vote for Trump. (He said he didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton either.) But months after the election, Krauthammer began to soften his feelings toward the president, looking at his accomplishments, not his personality.
He offered these comments about Trump: He is not a liberal or conservative, he’s a pragmatist … He sees a problem and understands it must be fixed … That is a quality that should be admired and applauded, not condemned … Immigration isn’t a Republican problem. It isn’t a liberal problem. It is a problem that threatens the very fabric and infrastructure of America. It demands a pragmatic approach, not an approach intended to appease one group or another.
He added these thoughts: As a pragmatist, Donald Trump has not made wild pie-in-the-sky promises of a cell phone in every pocket, free college tuition, and a $15 an hour minimum wage for working the drive-through at Carl’s Hamburgers.
His conclusion? Trump is the opposite of the “good old boy” president who brokers backroom deals that fatten the coffers of politicians. He is unencumbered by the financial shackles of those he owes because of donations. He says what he is thinking. He is unapologetic for his outspoken thoughts using everyday language that can be understood by all. He, for the most part, does what he says he will do and understands that it takes more than hollow promises and political correctness to make America great again.
We will miss listening to his wise words.