The leader of men must be wise and strong; when he is not, he must seem so, putting on what John Keegan called the mask of command

The leader of men must be wise and strong; when he is not, he must seem so, putting on what John Keegan called the mask of command. Yet at times of high tension great leaders show their emotions: Aeneas, realizing that the Carthaginians among whom he had been shipwrecked knew the "tears at the heart of things"; Nelson, dying at the moment of victory at Trafalgar, saying "Kiss me, Hardy" to his flag captain; Churchill, weeping tears of "wonder and admiration" over the fortitude of Londoners during the Blitz.

Now add George Voinovich, telling his Senate colleagues that they should reject John Bolton because "I'm worried about my kids and my grandchildren." Weighing the issues at stake, even the heart of Voinovich shuddered; the voice of Voinovich broke. Webster, Clay, Calhoun, all the ghosts of the Senate, took note. Their greatness receded a step, to make way for Voinovich.

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