second, you said “Politically speaking, the Auditor of Accounts has one thing in common with the lieutenant governor: almost nobody cares who he or she is because almost nobody knows what he or she does”

this may be true today but it wasn’t that long ago that people did care; admittedly, Tom Salmon and Randy Brock did not distinguish themselves or generate much interest; but Ed Flanagan completely redefined the job and gave people a reason to care; if he/she acts with courage, the State Auditor can be an important independent voice for the people by asking tough questions of the administration; sadly, the Leg. is not very good at this so the Auditor can fill a void; Ed did this with a passion, although his fights with Howard Dean often overshadowed the substance of the reports he issued (the mainstream media saw to this)

sadly, Ed’s approach to the job has not been adopted by his successors (although Liz Ready tried in her way); but I’m convinced that a credible candidate who is not afraid to speak truth to power would galvanize voters; we can only hope someone steps forward

The News Guy should get to know the Snelling Center, which has quietly become one of Vermont’s premier resources. He might find that its mission is very positive, and something to like.

Finally, Mark Snelling’s, and the whole Snelling family’s involvement in the center has been active and thoughtful. The Center began as an ongoing, particularly active tribute to Gov. Richard Snelling. The curricula communicate an ethic of service, educated decision making, and honest effort which characterized his, and Barbara Snelling’s public service in Vermont. I don’t think one would be able to find a single graduate who did not value highly the experience of being a part of a Snelling Center program.

Regarding giants, I remember being on the floor of the U.S. Senate once and asking myself, “Where are the giants?” They seem so rare, and in an age of celebrity, notoriety and instant information and gratification, it is fair to ask — but not easy to answer — “What makes a giant?” Perhaps we expect too much from one person when we should seek to evaluate the characteristics of the society from which de jure leaders spring. I personally believe that the last Vermont gubernatorial giant was Deane Davis. Davis was elected at an older age, had accomplished much in his life and did not NEED to be Governor. I think he had a sense of something larger than himself, a great sense of Vermont, and was able to bring about two absolutely landmark accomplishes in the face of challenge: institution of the sales tax and the creation of Act 250. Yet, he did not act alone and was able to assemble a collective wisdom, bringing to mind Newton’s comment: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Therefore, a political giant is more a creature of a supportive cast of characters … and an underlying socio-cultural polity that makes great accomplishment possible, something that might not be achievable in the tea-bagger era. (In the realm of giants, I would have to give runners-up awards to the Dick Snelling/Ralph Wright partnership back in the budget crisis of 1991.)

Jim March, a professor emeritus at Stanford and an authority on leadership, co-authored a book using Don Quixote, of all characters, as a meditation on leadership. Toward the end of the book, he observed that Quixote’s attitude “embraces a view of life and action that uncouples heroic commitment from great hopes for consequences. It speaks of obligations rather than expectations, of a life that is to be lived and enjoyed, and of duties to be honored.” Now, who in your list might fit that description, News Guy, and who, in your long experience, might qualify as a “giant”?