And he believed in the power of faith to inspire the best in our country and ourselves. I know many believe he was a traditional liberal because of his compassion for the poor, and his opposition to the Vietnam War. But he rejected all political labels. What we need, he said in 1968, is a better liberalism and a better conservatism. We need a liberalism in its wish to do good, yet that knows the answer to all problems is not spending money.
Money can t buy dignity, self-respect, or fellow feeling between citizens.
We need a conservatism, in its wish to preserve the enduring values of the American society, that yet recognizes the urgent need to bring opportunity to all citizens, that is willing to take action to meet the needs of the future. That is the kind of politics, the kind of leadership, that the American people want. This is as true today as it was in 1968. My father would be deeply gratified and proud of our nation to know that, thanks to the DLC, we are closer to providing that kind of leadership than at any point in a generation. We now have to take this leadership and bring it to bear on the greatest issues facing America today.