Jeff Fortenberry

I wanted the opportunity to play for Tom Osborne. Here we are in the locker room at half-time, gathering around Coach Osborne. It grows quiet, and I'll never forget what he said. He said, 'Let's get this over with.'

In an age when stagecraft, gauzy themes, and sound-bites have too often been substituted for leadership, Bill Clinton as a candidate made it essential to campaigning to take the specifics of governance seriously. Practical solutions were 'in;' ideology was 'out.'

Having a Congress with a more diverse educational and professional background would serve the country well. And given the budget challenges facing America today, we might benefit from a few more cold, calculating problem solvers, and fewer courtroom impresarios.