Zell Miller: A Profile of Courage

The following was an essay I wrote shortly after the 2004 Republican National Convention. I just came across it as I was perusing my old files and thought it would be applicable seeing as how we are slowly drawing closer to convention season.

The great hymn America the Beautiful defines patriots as those who, “more than self the country loved…” In war, patriotism causes soldiers to place themselves in harm’s way to protect the liberty of those they love. In politics, patriotism causes elected officials to love their country more than their political party – to strive for the greater national interest instead of their own personal interest. When he spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2004, Senator Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat, proved to be one of the most politically courageous elected officials for the ages.

When John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage was published in 1956, he often spoke of the dilemma elected officials face when they hold positions and advocate policy’s contrary to their respective political party’s. Kennedy said, “Of course, both major parties today seek to serve the national interest. But when party and officeholder differ as to how the national interest is to be served, we must place the first responsibility we owe not to our party or even to our constituents but to our individual consciences” (Kennedy 15). Obviously, this is much easier said than done. Zell Miller, however, has often made the difficult choice to split from the Democratic party and his constituents to follow his conscience and advance what he adamantly believed was the greater national interest.

Throughout his entire life, Senator Miller had never cast a vote for a Republican presidential candidate. In fact, he keynoted the 1992 Democratic National Convention for presidential candidate Bill Clinton and was known as Georgia’s incredibly popular Democratic lieutenant governor and governor (Landrith 34). In 2001, Millers successor as governor of Georgia, Roy Barnes, appointed Miller to a U.S. Senate seat following the death of Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell in July 2000. While the Democratic Party's historic control of Georgia politics started to diminish during his tenure as lieutenant governor and governor, Miller remained popular and well respected (Wikipedia 3). He easily won a special election in November 2000 to keep the seat and complete Coverdell’s term.

In 2001, Zell Miller lived up to the promises he made to the people of Georgia during his campaign. He vowed to “vote the interests of Georgia and not blindly follow dogma of either political party. He said it and he meant it.” (Strother 285) He vowed to do what was best for the nation, not for special interest groups or his own political gain. Miller ran as a conservative Democrat and early in the Bush administration agreed with the President on the necessity of tax cuts and other issues, enraging the liberal wing of his own Democratic party. Choosing to support the major initiatives of a conservative Republican president was a very risky move, especially after being such an adamant supporter of Bill Clinton and many other moderate to liberal Democrats.

In 2003, Senator Miller published A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat. For many Democrats, this was the end of the line – Zell Miller had completely disowned his party. Jonathan Karl, a CNN Congressional Correspondent, wrote a review of the book for the Wall Street Journal Editorial Page in which he says, “Mr. Miller sets out to take his party to the woodshed with colorful and caustic attacks on fellow Democrats for steering the party too far to the left” (Karl 1). Miller argued that the Democratic Party lost its majority because they stoped standing for the same ideals that they did in the era of John F. Kennedy (Wikipedia 4). The publishing of this book only increased the amount of political pressure from fellow democrats and constituents and consequently the amount of political courage needed to face the opposition.

Even more risky was Senator Miller’s shocking decision to accept the invitation be a keynote speaker at the 2004 Republican National Convention. During the speech, Miller said, “The next four years will determine what kind of world [our children and grandchildren] will grow up in…I ask: Which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect my family? There is but one man to whom I am willing to entrust their future, and that man's name is George W. Bush” (Miller 1).

In the Forward to Profiles in Courage, Allan Nevins said, “To be important, courage must be exhibited in behalf of some large cause or rule” (Kennedy xii). In Senator Miller’s case, the cause was among the largest possible – the Presidency of the United States. On one hand, his conscience told him to speak in support of President Bush and on the other hand, he realized that doing so would completely alienate him from an already distant Democratic party. Miller had already decided not to run for re-election to the Senate but fear of public reprisal and his public approval ratings were still at stake. The decision to speak in outright opposition to his own party because of his conscience speaks volumes of Senator Miller’s raw political courage.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with the decisions and positions of Senator Miller, it is clear that he acted to fundamentally advance what he believed was best for the nation considering the circumstances. Many politicians reflexively defend their party, its positions, and its leaders – no matter how obviously wrong they may be. Not Zell Miller. “He asks what is good for America rather than what helps him or his party politically” (Landrith 34). Senator Miller should be renowned as a man of real character who is not lacking in political courage. He is truly a courageous patriot who “more than self” his “country loved.”