Who Is That Candidate Really?

Essays on the Character of Politicians

Gordon J. Hilsman

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9798385282456
  9798385282463
• eBook ISBN:
  9798385282470
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Political Campaigns & Elections
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The long-standing practice of political campaigns mostly ignoring any examination of the character of candidates has shown itself to be sometimes nearly catastrophic. People filling top government positions for which they are not specifically qualified cause considerable confusion, deep personal damage, and even global crises. Professional athletes, symphony musicians, and university professors all require careful scrutiny of their fitness for the role before employment. The US Congress and presidency do not. This book boldly presents background information and describes skills to fill that incredible gap in our government. Top politicians need specific knowledge, ingrained honesty, broad empathic understanding of diverse citizens, an observable measure of courage, and a fierce dedication to the common good of humanity, among other personality characteristics, to adequately implement their role in society. Using the language of virtue developed in several countries episodically over the past three thousand years, the essays of this book lead voters to know what to look for in candidates and how to engage, even confront, potential politicians about their character. Reading it will deepen voters' familiarity with who a given candidate is at their core before electing them.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Author’s Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1. Insisting on Character in Our Top Politicians
• 2. Seeking Justice in a Potential Politician
• 3. What and to Whom is this Candidate Dedicated?
• 4. Leading in an Adolescent Society
• 5. A Brief History of Character
• 6. Finding the Humble Gems for Governing
• 7. Prudence and Wisdom: Time to Grow Up
• 8. Empathy Rising
• 9. Who Has a Recipe for Guts?
• 10. The Path to Humility
• 11. Drunk on Fantasy
• 12. Addiction to Shiny Views
• 13. Keep One Eye on Blame
• 14. Disappointment in an Evolving World
• 15. J. D. Vance, Pope Leo XIV, and the Continuing Evolution of Love
• 16. Hurt: The Most Neglected Emotion, even by the Supreme Court
• 17. Has Anyone Ever Listened Personally to Our President?
• 18. What About the Forest?
• 19. “I” and “We”
• 20. Who Can Say ‘No’ When It Counts?
• 21. Tolerance First
• 22. Five Questions to Ask Every Politician Who Wants Your Vote
• 23. A Grounding Theory for Assessing Politicians’ Character
• 24. Gas Pedal or Brake
• 25. Cows Are Out of the Pen: Now What?
• 26. An Open Letter to the Fifty Attorneys General
• 27. Seeing Prudence Before the Election
• 28. Sold Down the River
• 29. Dedicated or Addicted
• 30. Intolerable Ignorance
• 31. Who Cares About Us?
• 32. Time for Character Guardrails for US Politicians
• 33. Senate Hearings? Is Anybody Hearing?!
• 34. The Star To Which You Hitch Your Wagon
• 35. Knowledge Needed, Knowledge Avoided
• 36. Position vs. Function
• 37. The Character Assessment Seminar
• 38. Patience Is Not Mere Waiting
• 39. What Musk and Ramaswamy Apparently Could Not See
• 40. How To “Make The Team” in Government
• 41. Injustice to the People
• 42. Keep Learning About Character
• 43. Why Congress Can’t Collaborate
• 44. Stop Taking So Much for Granted
• 45. Learning from the Muslim Jewish Feud
• 46. Either Benignity and Civility or Resentment and Hostility
• 47. Feeling Superior
• 48. What About Dead People?
• 49. What Caitlin Clark and Michelle Obama Have in Common
• 50. Looking Good
• 51. Joy, Ridicule, Satire, and Abuse
• 52. Speculation on Character in the Supreme Court
• 53. Not Only Hope, but Hopefulness
• 54. Clinical Kindness
• 55. How Not to Meet Your Failures in Politics
• 56. The Debate Questions That Are Never Asked!
• 57. Reverence in a Catholic Head of State
• 58. Always the Dirty Dishes
• 59. Passion Dancing with Moderation
• 60. The Worst of Ivory Tower Exploitation
• 61. How to Find a Politician Who Has Good Sense
• 62. Eleven Things to Do to Avoid Unpleasant Truth
• 63. Ride or Dismount
• 64. A Leap of Faith is Needed Now
• Epilogue
• Bibliography