Congressman Brad Wenstrup passes the ‘gut-check’ test
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Leave it to Congressman Brad Wenstrup to stir up The Highland County Press’ online traffic.
He did it five years ago – or, more accurately, our triple endorsement of him in 2012 prompted some additional online static – er, traffic.
Last week was something different altogether.
It started just days before Congressman Wenstrup’s quick response to the Flag Day shooting at a baseball field in Virginia not far from the nation’s capital. It escalated soon after.
As reported on the morning of June 14, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot and remained in critical condition for days afterward. His condition reportedly has improved – and that is a wonderful blessing.
Congressman Wenstrup, a Cincinnati podiatrist who served as a combat surgeon in Iraq and holds the rank of colonel, was at the scene and assisted with the initial medical care for Congressman Scalise.
"I was glad I was there to help," Congressman Wenstrup said. "But it's a sad day for America. You never expect a baseball field in America to feel like being back in a combat zone in Iraq, but this morning it did. Capitol police and emergency responders reacted swiftly and courageously. We are grateful for their presence. I urge the nation to keep Rep. Scalise and all injured in their prayers today.”
The gunman (politically motivated, it appears) was identified as James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Ill. He was taken down by members of the U.S. Capitol Police. House Speaker Paul Ryan identified two members of the Capitol Police who were injured, Krystal Griner and David Bailey.
* * *
• Just a few days before the Flag Day massacre in Virginia, Congressman Wenstrup submitted a column to The Highland County Press with the headline “United we stand, divided we fall.” He shared it on his popular Facebook page, which explains a lot.
The column begins: “This past Tuesday (June 6, 2017) marked the 73rd anniversary of D-Day. In his 1984 address commemorating D-Day, President Ronald Reagan asked why these men willingly went through the hell that they did on the beaches of Normandy. The answer, he said, was faith. Faith in the mission. Faith that they fought to liberate, not conquer. Faith that if they died, they died with honor, for humanity. Faith in the brotherhood of those they fought alongside.”
That poignant column receive a considerable number of online views and comments from June 11-13. By the end of the day on June 14, we had so many online comments, the cynic in me thought something had to be amiss.
I started checking with our online service provider just in case all of these comments were coming from the same basement computer of a closet – er, cellar – political junkie. After all, it’s well-accepted as fact that all online spammers operate from their parents’ basement. The cool temperature keeps the motherboard from overheating, I suppose. But what do I know?
Come to find out (for the life of me, I cannot explain the regional phrase “come to find out” or why I feel compelled to use it as this paragraph’s transitional lead), there was not, after all, a spammer keeping the motherboard cool in daddy’s basement.
These comments were, for the most part, legit.
They were from many areas of Ohio’s Second Congressional District. They were from supporters, friends and family members of Congressman Wenstrup. They were from those who agreed – and a few who didn’t – with the essence of the column, which is this: “It will be impossible to address all threats to the United States, our democracy and founding principles, if we rarely come together as Americans. Practically, this means engaging in civil discourse, finding common ground in shared goals, and having tough conversations – expecting some differing opinions. It means remembering who we are and what we fight for – as we fight through the challenges facing our nation.”
Precisely.
In the 2012 Republican Party primary election, The Highland County Press was the only regional media outlet which endorsed Dr. Brad Wenstrup in his March 6 Republican primary campaign against incumbent Congresswoman Jean Schmidt and candidates Fred Kundrata, Tony Brush and Joe Green.
(Just for the record, Dr. Wenstrup also was the only one of the candidates who did NOT advertise with us. I guess we just lost Hillsboro Third Ward candidate Tim Countryman’s campaign advertising dollars this year!)
A big reason for the 2012 Brad Wenstrup endorsement was something I like to call the gut-check. In other words, don’t be afraid to trust your gut instincts in life – and especially in politics. Don’t second-guess your gut instincts.
In his recent Father’s Day column dedicated to his dad, Congressman Wenstrup talked about life lessons from his father. The first one was to always look people in the eye and have a firm handshake. (Note to Shane Wilkin: The colonel said “firm,” not bone-crushing.)
One of my favorite life lessons from the old man who’d been through it, is to trust your gut. He had a few other gems as well, but those are best left for family. Ask my son, Colin, if you really need to know. Suffice it to say, though, if someone walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, he’s probably a damned duck. Just something for our more intuitive readers to consider.
There are and have been some toxic political people among us who, when I first encountered them, my gut was already working overtime – and it had nothing to do with those spicy Grippo’s barbecue potato chips that I may have enjoyed for lunch. In fact, Congressman Wenstrup once asked me about some of the more toxic ones.
It is and has been a matter of practice for professional reasons that I keep all politicians and public officials at some distance. Otherwise, I couldn’t do my job and inform our readers with news from an absolutely disentangled media platform. Simply put, we have no entangling relationships with politicians from any corner. Just ask them. They all have an equal degree of aversion for this publisher. And that’s as it should be. No hard feelings.
Still, since this is an opinion and not a news story, it is my gut-check opinion that Congressman Wenstrup was deserving of our three endorsements in 2012 (yes, we really did make three endorsements in two races, you can look it up) and all subsequent endorsements.
Now, after reading all of your comments on the congressman’s “United we stand, divided we fall” column, I am more convinced that The HCP endorsements were correct, all things considered. (Meaning that such things are based on our knowledge of the facts at a given point in time. Should the facts change, so should the opinion.)
In our first meeting more than five years ago, Dr. Wenstrup talked about the core values associated with leadership, saying, "The Army has an acronym for 'leadership:' Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage (LDRSHIP)."
He also said: “I’m not looking for a job or going from one election to the next. If I'm going to run, it's going to be something where I can make a difference. We need to have higher expectations. We need to remember our Constitution begins with 'We the people," not 'We the government.'"
Yes, our Constitution begins with "We the people," not "We the government." Wouldn't it be nice if all public officials recognized this simple truth?
I think Congressman Wenstrup has, in fact, made a difference. Is he now just going from one election to the next? At this point, I would offer a guarded no. Time will tell.
However, my gut instincts tell me he’s still the best choice for Ohio’s Second Congressional District. He’s earned another term in Congress. Thank you for your service on many fronts, Col. Wenstrup.
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.
He did it five years ago – or, more accurately, our triple endorsement of him in 2012 prompted some additional online static – er, traffic.
Last week was something different altogether.
It started just days before Congressman Wenstrup’s quick response to the Flag Day shooting at a baseball field in Virginia not far from the nation’s capital. It escalated soon after.
As reported on the morning of June 14, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot and remained in critical condition for days afterward. His condition reportedly has improved – and that is a wonderful blessing.
Congressman Wenstrup, a Cincinnati podiatrist who served as a combat surgeon in Iraq and holds the rank of colonel, was at the scene and assisted with the initial medical care for Congressman Scalise.
"I was glad I was there to help," Congressman Wenstrup said. "But it's a sad day for America. You never expect a baseball field in America to feel like being back in a combat zone in Iraq, but this morning it did. Capitol police and emergency responders reacted swiftly and courageously. We are grateful for their presence. I urge the nation to keep Rep. Scalise and all injured in their prayers today.”
The gunman (politically motivated, it appears) was identified as James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Ill. He was taken down by members of the U.S. Capitol Police. House Speaker Paul Ryan identified two members of the Capitol Police who were injured, Krystal Griner and David Bailey.
* * *
• Just a few days before the Flag Day massacre in Virginia, Congressman Wenstrup submitted a column to The Highland County Press with the headline “United we stand, divided we fall.” He shared it on his popular Facebook page, which explains a lot.
The column begins: “This past Tuesday (June 6, 2017) marked the 73rd anniversary of D-Day. In his 1984 address commemorating D-Day, President Ronald Reagan asked why these men willingly went through the hell that they did on the beaches of Normandy. The answer, he said, was faith. Faith in the mission. Faith that they fought to liberate, not conquer. Faith that if they died, they died with honor, for humanity. Faith in the brotherhood of those they fought alongside.”
That poignant column receive a considerable number of online views and comments from June 11-13. By the end of the day on June 14, we had so many online comments, the cynic in me thought something had to be amiss.
I started checking with our online service provider just in case all of these comments were coming from the same basement computer of a closet – er, cellar – political junkie. After all, it’s well-accepted as fact that all online spammers operate from their parents’ basement. The cool temperature keeps the motherboard from overheating, I suppose. But what do I know?
Come to find out (for the life of me, I cannot explain the regional phrase “come to find out” or why I feel compelled to use it as this paragraph’s transitional lead), there was not, after all, a spammer keeping the motherboard cool in daddy’s basement.
These comments were, for the most part, legit.
They were from many areas of Ohio’s Second Congressional District. They were from supporters, friends and family members of Congressman Wenstrup. They were from those who agreed – and a few who didn’t – with the essence of the column, which is this: “It will be impossible to address all threats to the United States, our democracy and founding principles, if we rarely come together as Americans. Practically, this means engaging in civil discourse, finding common ground in shared goals, and having tough conversations – expecting some differing opinions. It means remembering who we are and what we fight for – as we fight through the challenges facing our nation.”
Precisely.
In the 2012 Republican Party primary election, The Highland County Press was the only regional media outlet which endorsed Dr. Brad Wenstrup in his March 6 Republican primary campaign against incumbent Congresswoman Jean Schmidt and candidates Fred Kundrata, Tony Brush and Joe Green.
(Just for the record, Dr. Wenstrup also was the only one of the candidates who did NOT advertise with us. I guess we just lost Hillsboro Third Ward candidate Tim Countryman’s campaign advertising dollars this year!)
A big reason for the 2012 Brad Wenstrup endorsement was something I like to call the gut-check. In other words, don’t be afraid to trust your gut instincts in life – and especially in politics. Don’t second-guess your gut instincts.
In his recent Father’s Day column dedicated to his dad, Congressman Wenstrup talked about life lessons from his father. The first one was to always look people in the eye and have a firm handshake. (Note to Shane Wilkin: The colonel said “firm,” not bone-crushing.)
One of my favorite life lessons from the old man who’d been through it, is to trust your gut. He had a few other gems as well, but those are best left for family. Ask my son, Colin, if you really need to know. Suffice it to say, though, if someone walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, he’s probably a damned duck. Just something for our more intuitive readers to consider.
There are and have been some toxic political people among us who, when I first encountered them, my gut was already working overtime – and it had nothing to do with those spicy Grippo’s barbecue potato chips that I may have enjoyed for lunch. In fact, Congressman Wenstrup once asked me about some of the more toxic ones.
It is and has been a matter of practice for professional reasons that I keep all politicians and public officials at some distance. Otherwise, I couldn’t do my job and inform our readers with news from an absolutely disentangled media platform. Simply put, we have no entangling relationships with politicians from any corner. Just ask them. They all have an equal degree of aversion for this publisher. And that’s as it should be. No hard feelings.
Still, since this is an opinion and not a news story, it is my gut-check opinion that Congressman Wenstrup was deserving of our three endorsements in 2012 (yes, we really did make three endorsements in two races, you can look it up) and all subsequent endorsements.
Now, after reading all of your comments on the congressman’s “United we stand, divided we fall” column, I am more convinced that The HCP endorsements were correct, all things considered. (Meaning that such things are based on our knowledge of the facts at a given point in time. Should the facts change, so should the opinion.)
In our first meeting more than five years ago, Dr. Wenstrup talked about the core values associated with leadership, saying, "The Army has an acronym for 'leadership:' Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage (LDRSHIP)."
He also said: “I’m not looking for a job or going from one election to the next. If I'm going to run, it's going to be something where I can make a difference. We need to have higher expectations. We need to remember our Constitution begins with 'We the people," not 'We the government.'"
Yes, our Constitution begins with "We the people," not "We the government." Wouldn't it be nice if all public officials recognized this simple truth?
I think Congressman Wenstrup has, in fact, made a difference. Is he now just going from one election to the next? At this point, I would offer a guarded no. Time will tell.
However, my gut instincts tell me he’s still the best choice for Ohio’s Second Congressional District. He’s earned another term in Congress. Thank you for your service on many fronts, Col. Wenstrup.
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.