Recent Roddie Edmonds Commentaries

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We Are All Jews
While I never served in the military, my 95-year old father served in World War II in a series of fierce battles in the Hürtgen Forest, a painful experience he has only spoken of once, even after he was awarded a Bronze Star. What follows is a story about another World War II soldier, Roddie Edmonds. The story is part...
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June 24, 2020
Read Some of the Most Recent Articles
The Latest... And Often Greatest
Why Facts No Longer Matter (And Why That Matters)
In 2012, Justice David Souter—long retired, rarely seen—offered a quiet but powerful warning during a talk in New Hampshire. Reflecting on the erosion of civic...
The Cost of Doing the Right Thing
I met President Gerald Ford while working at KMIR-TV in Palm Springs. The event was held at the home of a wealthy supporter in Thunderbird...
When Conscience Led the Country
Jimmy Carter didn’t just talk about values—he lived them. Long before entering the White House in 1977, and long after he left, Carter viewed leadership...
Steady Leadership
Dwight D. Eisenhower didn’t lead with bravado. He didn’t govern by grievance. He led with character. A five-star general who commanded the Allied victory in...
Fighting for the Public Good
Theodore Roosevelt didn’t plan to become president. In 1901, after President William McKinley was assassinated, the 42-year-old vice president was sworn in—becoming the youngest person...
The Man Who Refused to Be King
This week, I’m focusing on what may be the most endangered quality in public life: integrity. Over the next 5 days, I’ll spotlight five U.S....