The Nation Could Have Used John Warner Now
The Virginia Republican had long shown a propensity towards principled patriotism
As we mark the passing of former Republican senator John Warner of Virginia, who died this week at age 94, most of the nation might remember the craggy-faced Virginian as perhaps a footnote: just one in actress Elizabeth Taylor's long line of ex-husbands.
But those of us who perhaps lived in or around the Commonwealth of Virginia — or just cared to know the senator better than that — understood that there was so much more to John Warner than a Hollywood trivia note.
Warner would have nothing to do with today's Republican Party of Donald Trump, his “Big Lie,” his corruption, or its assault on voter rights.
That much is a given.
But John Warner was ready to stand up and oppose his party before standing up and opposing the Republican Party was cool.
For one thing, Warner was just one of a handful of Senate Republicans — and the only Southern Republican — to reject Ronald Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork for a seat on the Supreme Court in 1987.
But much more significant than that, Warner bucked his party in 1994 when former Lt Col Oliver North won the Republican nomination for to run for Virginia's other US Senate seat — at the time, held by Democrat Chuck Robb.
North, a central figure in the Iran-Contra affair which nearly brought down Reagan's presidency, was accused of lying to Congress and Warner therefore found North to be unfit.
Warner, instead, supported another Republican who ran as an independent. In the end, the incumbent Robb narrowly squeaked out a reelection.
John Warner never brooked nonsense or chicanery.
He consistently stood for comity, consensus and honor. When he retired in 2009, he endorsed Democratic former governor John Warner to succeed him.
“Warner endorses Warner,” as the slogan went.
Warner would go on to endorse other Democrats, notably Hillary Clinton for president in 2016.
At 94, no one can begrudge John Warner a thing: from his time as secretary of the Navy in the 70s, to his decades in the Senate, he gave his life to public service.
And, yet, one wishes that perhaps circumstances could have worked out differently: If only had Warner been a younger man at this time when the Republican Party is being remade into a party of conspiracy theories and mindless devotion to Trump, one has to imagine Warner knocking a few deserving heads and telling the right people to get the party back on track.
Goodbye, Senator Warner. We miss you….