Thinking People

The esteemed Adlai Stevenson was known for his "eloquence, humor, and plain, prairiesong sincerity." So said Bob Edwards on the air at NPR in February 2000 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Stevenson's birth.

Edwards told a story about a supporter who once called out, "Governor Stevenson, all thinking people are for you!" And Adlai Stevenson answered, "That's not enough. I need a majority."

Like John Kerry and John Edwards, Stevenson was capable of and did write his own speeches, reworking them for rhythm, simile, and clarity until the last second. Bob Edwards remembers the day he and his father went to hear Stevenson speak.

"You are I are fellow passengers," he said, "on the spaceship we call earth. We can blow it up. We can annihilate the thin envelope of soil on which our nourishment depends, and contaminate the thin envelope of air we breathe. We are dependent on the same finite quantities of air, earth, water and yes, I will say, the love that we can give one another."

That was in the early 50's. We still face the challenges of which Stevenson so richly spoke back then when he was running for president. We inhabit planet earth, our island home, which needs our care. And we still need to remember that we are fellow passengers together, and that what affects one of us, affects all.

Although perhaps our modern day politicians don't remind us of the likes of an Adlai Stevenson, I believe that in this election year, John Kerry shares the deep concerns of us all as Stevenson did fifty years ago. And every once in a while Kerry speaks eloquently, too. He carries the same message. I hope America is listening.

[Click on the above title to go to the transcript of the NPR program. An audio version is also there.]